Vaccine Information

In an effort to further protect the health and safety of our community—particularly as we navigate the impact of the highly transmissive omicron variant—Loyola will now require students, faculty, and staff to receive a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine

Students, faculty, and staff are required to receive a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and upload proof to Loyola Health. If you have not already, get boosted now and upload the information to Loyola Health through the Loyola mobile app or at LUC.edu/vaxupload. If you have already received a booster, upload to Loyola Health as soon as possible.

Loyolans can upload their COVID-19 vaccination cards by visiting LUC.edu/vaxupload. The Wellness Center will verify your vaccination card after it is uploaded. You should not submit a copy of your vaccination card by email.

To upload your card, please follow these simple steps:

• Open the site and log in using your UVID and password
• After logging in, select “Upload Vaccination” on the top menu
• Select the vaccine type (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson), enter the date of your first and/or second doses, and upload your vaccination card. An image of the upload form can be found below
• After entering all information, click “Submit” to save the vaccination card

Please note that the verification process through the Wellness Center will take some time. We appreciate your patience.

All Private Health Information at Loyola, including your vaccine records, is kept in strict confidence and protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant applications and storage. Learn more.

If your vaccination card was not approved, check that your vaccine documentation meets the criteria listed below and resubmit. Vaccine records must contain the following:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Type of Vaccine (i.e. Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, etc.)
• Lot Number
• Date of Vaccination
• Site Location or Signature of Vaccine Administrator

If you are missing your name, date of birth, site location, or type of vaccine, please update your card before resubmission. If your last name has changed, please put your old last name in parentheses near your new last name.If you submitting documentation that is not a CDC Vaccination Record Card, please be sure that your paperwork/summary/discharge sheet shows the same vaccine information listed above and notes BOTH vaccines with lot numbers, dates, and location.Please upload only PDF, JPEG, JPG, JPNG or DOCX, MOV files. We are unable to open HEIC (“Live” iOS photos) and TEXT files.

Loyola will grant exemptions to students who have a valid medical or religious reason not to be vaccinated. Please note that requesting an exemption does not guarantee approval. Loyola will only accept medical exemptions that meet CDC-defined contraindications to the COVID-19 vaccine. Please have your health care provider complete this form and submit it to WellnessCenter@LUC.edu. Completion of this form does not guarantee approval of your exemption request.

Religious exemption requires a signed written statement from the student describing the reason for the exemption and must include the following, as dictated by the State of Illinois:

• An explanation of the reason for exemption in your own words that is based on an identifiable religious tradition and/or established interpretation of principles of faith.
• An indication of whether this religious belief constitutes an objection to all immunizations or only this vaccine; if it is not an objection to all immunizations you must explain the religious basis for not receiving this particular immunization
• A statement that the student (or parent/guardian if the student is under 18) is aware they will be prohibited from attending classes and dorms in the case of a vaccine preventable outbreak or exposure

Exemption documentation and related questions should be sent to WellnessCenter@LUC.edu.

If your exemption request is not granted, you are still required to be vaccinated. All decisions are final.

For more information about state required vaccine exemptions visit: https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/07700694sections.html

Loyola Medicine is now scheduling appointments for vaccinations. However it is not feasible at this time for Loyola University Chicago to provide vaccines on its other campuses. For information on how to schedule an appointment through Loyola Medicine, or at another site, please see "Where can I get vaccinated?" below.

Vaccine appointments are now available at Loyola Medicine. If you are an existing LUHS patient, please view the MyLoyola Scheduling Covid Vaccine document for instructions on how to schedule your appointment. If you are a new LUHS patient, please view the Create MyLoyola account document to get started.

For people living or working in Chicago, you can register to receive a vaccine at zocdoc.com/vaccine. This site is also being used by many other states. In addition, COVID Coach is an app operated by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) where you can find all of the details for the City of Chicago's testing plans, vaccination registration, and information on where you can register for a vaccine. Many locations are also now offering walk-in vaccines with no appointment needed.

If you are an international student planning to study at Loyola, please contact the the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at ISSS@LUC.edu for more information on how to achieve compliance with LUC’s vaccine mandate when arriving from abroad.

Yes. Both Loyola’s health plan provider Aetna and prescription benefit provider CVS are covering vaccine administration at 100 percent, not subject to any copays or deductibles.

As of May 23, 2021, vaccinated Loyolans are no longer be required to participate in COVID-19 surveillance testing. If you are fully vaccinated, you may still participate in testing on a voluntary basis. 

In order to be exempt from testing, however, you MUST upload your vaccination card to LUC.edu/vaxupload. This is the only way for Loyola to verify that you have been vaccinated.

If you have not been fully vaccinated, have been granted a medical or religious exemption from the vaccine requirement, or have not uploaded your vaccination card please refer to our current compliance policy.

In general, all members of the Loyola University Chicago community are encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the vaccines are approved for use in anyone age 12 or older.

Some individuals may have additional considerations when it comes to being vaccinated, such as allergies, pregnancy, or a suppressed immune system. Data is still emerging on some of these areas. You should consult with your health care provider if you have specific questions about whether it is safe for you to receive the vaccine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for three COVID-19 vaccines. EUA allows for rapid and widespread distribution of medical products based on scientific evidence to support their use and no available alternatives in an emergency situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is important to note that the level of scrutiny for EUA products is similar to a fully licensed FDA product, and the FDA continues to collect data on EUA products and conducts additional review prior to granting full licensure.

The approved COVID-19 vaccines have undergone large clinical trials that enrolled thousands of patients before being granted EUA. The United States also has a reporting system to track vaccine usage and spot potential problems, and the COVID-19 vaccines are being monitored in the same manner. To date, no serious safety concerns have been reported in relation to the available vaccines.

For additional information on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, please see this site.

NOTE: After a temporary pause for additional study, the CDC and FDA have recommended that the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine resume in the United States. According to the CDC, "A review of all available data at this time shows that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks for those recommended to receive it."

It is common with vaccines to experience some side effects, although the specific reaction to the vaccine differs from person to person. (It is similar to the way some people respond to receiving their annual flu vaccine.)

One of the most commonly reported side effects is pain or swelling in the spot where the person received their injection. Other common reactions are headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, and chills, which can be mild to moderate in severity and usually only last a day or two after receiving the shot. These are signs that your immune system is responding to the vaccine, which is a positive. If symptoms persist or become more severe, you should consult your physician.

The Chicago Department of Public Health has developed a vaccine website with information on how and where to get vaccines in the city, as well as the Chi COVID Coach, a tool to help the city’s residents stay updated on vaccine rollout in Chicago.

For information on the state of Illinois, please visit the Illinois Department of Public Health website.

Loyola encourages you to schedule a vaccination appointment anywhere they are available. Many locations are now offering walk-in appointments with no advance registration. Consider checking with your health care provider, pharmacy, and these helpful sites to find an appointment:

• Zocdoc Vaccine Appointment Finder
• VaccineFinder
• COVID Coach (for Chicago residents)