University of Oklahoma to Enact Employee Vaccine Requirement

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The University of Oklahoma on Friday announced that all employees will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination by Dec. 8.

The university must comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order mandating vaccinations for federal employees, or risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, according to a statement on the OU website.

“After a careful legal assessment, it has been determined the order applies to Oklahoma research universities – including the University of Oklahoma – and their employees,” the university said.

Requests for exemptions on health or religious grounds will be considered and those who refuse to receive the vaccination will face unspecified disciplinary action, according to the statement.

The requirement applies to all employees, including student employees, but does not affect students who are not OU employees.

Last week, the Oklahoma City Fire Department announced the firing of a firefighter for refusing to be tested for COVID-19.

A department statement said the firefighter was fired Wednesday, October 27  for insubordination after refusing the test following his return from Louisiana where he was deployed to assist in the hurricane response.

Three other firefighters deployed to Louisiana at the same time tested positive for the illness, the fire department said.