Temple extends vaccine mandate to keep in line with city guidance

Temple University is extending its COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline despite a 95% vaccination rate among its students and employees.

Driving the news: Philadelphia recently pushed back mandates requiring health care workers and higher education staff and students to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 15. Originally, that deadline was last Friday.

• Temple is now defaulting to city guidance.

What they're saying: "Temple's position is that if you are able to do it, get vaccinated," spokesperson Stephen Orbanek said.

Here's where other universities in the Philadelphia area stand:

• Drexel and Thomas Jefferson universities required proof of vaccination by Aug. 1.
• La Salle's deadline was Aug. 6.
• Saint Joseph's University required all staff and students to be vaccinated before coming to campus.
• University of Pennsylvania kept the original city deadline to have all staff fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. Students had to be vaccinated for the fall semester.

In most cases, students who do not comply are barred from on-campus activities and in-person classes.

• Faculty and staff who don't comply are usually provided a short, unpaid grace period before the university determines their employment status.