University of Missouri suspends COVID vaccine mandate for faculty, staff and student employees

The University of Missouri is suspending its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for faculty, staff and student employees, the university announced in an email Tuesday evening.

University employees will no longer need to show proof of receiving the vaccine or apply for an exemption.

"Last week, we communicated with you about the university’s steps to comply with Executive Order 14042, the federal vaccine mandate for federal contractors," stated the message, signed by UM System President Mun Choi, UMKC Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal, Missouri S&T Chancellor Mohammad Dehghani and UMSL Chancellor Kristin Sobolik. "We noted that the mandate could potentially be adjusted or rescinded due to court actions."

A federal judge in Missouri recently blocked the federal government from enforcing a vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 states, including Missouri.

On Tuesday, a federal judge in Georgia ruled the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors could not be enforced nationwide, which prompted the UM System's decision.

More:Federal judge blocks Biden vaccine mandate for health care workers in Missouri, 9 other states

The situation is fluid, the email states.

"If the federal contractor vaccination mandate comes back into effect, we will update you of changes to the policy," the UM System leaders wrote.

A vaccination clinic on campus Dec. 3 leads MU officials to think that a higher number of people on campus than originally thought have already received their vaccines, spokesman Christian Basi said. For most of the 192 participants, it was a booster shot. For only 11 it was the first dose. Until recently, uploading proof of vaccination has been voluntary, he said.

The suspension of the vaccine requirement doesn't apply to University of Missouri Health System employees and UMKC faculty, staff and students who have contact with patients in a health care setting. Those vaccination requirements, implemented in August, remain in effect.

Employees who have already uploaded proof of vaccination to the university will not need to take further action. Neither will employees who had submitted an exemption request.

If the requirements come back into effect at some point in the future, exemption requests will be processed at that time.

MU officials continue to encourage all students and employees to get vaccinated.

Galen Bacharier of the Springfield News-Leader contributed.