Earlier this week, the University administration announced a COVID-19 vaccine booster requirement for the spring semester. In light of COVID’s persistence and the new Omicron variant, vaccines---including the booster---are necessary to keep graduate workers, our communities, and our families and friends healthy and safe. Last summer, 74 percent of graduate students expressed support for universal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and we re-affirm that now by supporting the booster requirement. Noting that this announcement comes after the end of the Fall semester classes, we call on the University administration to make this policy as easy as possible to follow by making boosters widely available to all community members in the coming weeks.

We are optimistic that measures such as vaccines and indoor masking and the Washington, DC, area’s low transmission rates will allow us to continue in-person research and teaching safely. We will continue to discuss working conditions with GAGE Department Organizers and watch the situation closely to ensure that graduate workers feel safe at Georgetown. If you have concerns about your health and safety in the classroom, lab, or other workspace, please reach out at organizing@wearegage.org

In Solidarity,

GAGE Executive Council