Peninsula College announced July 29 that it is requiring all student and employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campuses in Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Forks for the fall quarter.

To be considered fully vaccinated, Peninsula College students and employees must self-attest that they received the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks before the start of fall quarter.

Employees must verify their vaccination or exemption with the college by Sept. 7, and students by Sept. 20, college officials announced in a press release last week.

Waivers will be provided for specific exemptions. Those claiming an exemption must agree to wear face coverings and practice social distancing inside Peninsula College buildings.

No documents will be required to verify vaccination status, the release said.

Students enrolled exclusively in online or virtual classes are not required to verify their vaccination status.

Officials are now working on a way to collect vaccination data by the start of fall quarter.

Peninsula College made the decision to require vaccinations after Gov. Jay Inslee issued a series of proclamations, starting June 30 and through July, lifting restrictions on colleges who require vaccinations for students and employees, as well as recommendations from Clallam County Public Health, the release said.

“After numerous meetings, conversations, and gathering campus feedback, we made the decision to move to a vaccinated campus this fall,” Peninsula College President Luke Robins said. “We are moving forward with the health and safety of our students and staff foremost in our minds.”

Proclamation 20-12.3, released by the governor’s office, says that colleges that require vaccines will be allowed to dispense with social distancing requirements, as well as masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals.

Peninsula College will require everyone to mask up indoors until herd immunity — as determined by the Clallam and Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry — is achieved.

Fall quarter registration has begun. Courses now listed as online will remain virtual but in-person classes may be expanded because of higher capacity available now that social distancing is not required, officials said.

The college will continue to offer online and virtual classes, and services wherever possible. More information will be added to the college’s COVID-19 webpage as it becomes available.