February 12th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The University of Maryland will no longer require students, faculty and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19, the school announced this week.

Vaccines are still "strongly recommended," the emailed announcement to the campus from University Health Center director Dr. Spyridon Marinopoulos said.

"We are glad to have our full community back on campus and are pleased that with the start of the semester, our COVID-19 cases have remained low and, reassuringly, the new subvariants of COVID-19 are not translating into severe illness for most people," the email read.

Marinopoulos attributed the low community spread, at least in part, to "our students, faculty and staff having received the initial vaccine and booster."

"At this time, COVID-19 vaccines and treatments are widely available, and most of the population has reached a sufficient level of immunity, thereby reducing the impact of the virus. Therefore, effective today, proof of COVID-19 vaccination will no longer be required at the University of Maryland."