Significant updates — including new statuses to support the University of Michigan’s COVID-19 booster requirement — have been made to ResponsiBLUE, the health-screening tool developed to help keep the campus community healthy and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The updated version of ResponsiBLUE will be available March 9 at responsiblue.umich.edu and through downloads from the Apple and Google app stores.

“COVID-19 activity on campus and the surrounding community is showing signs of sustained improvement, but it is important we remain diligent in protecting ourselves and those in our community through daily screening for illness and exposures,” said Robert Ernst, associate vice president of student life for health and wellness and director of the COVID-19 Campus Health Response Committee.

After completing the daily screening check, a user’s COVID-19 Vaccination section on their ResponsiBLUE app screen will read “Up To Date” instead of “Completed” when vaccinations are up-to-date and no action is required. The Vaccination section will appear in yellow and read “Booster Eligible” when a user is eligible to receive their booster.

To view the latest ResponsiBLUE features and ensure smooth entry into campus buildings, members of the U-M community must update their app to version 2.0 on mobile devices. If a mobile device is not configured to automatically update apps, the user will need to visit the app store to download an update as of March 9.

When to get boosted

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are booster eligible at least five months after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series.

Those who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccination are booster eligible at least two months after their initial one-dose vaccination. Individuals who happened to get their booster earlier than the recommended timeframe will be considered up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.

To be in compliance with the university’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, faculty, staff and students must receive their booster within 30 days of their eligibility date. During this 30-day period, a yellow “Booster Eligible” status will display in a user’s Vaccination section, but it will not impact a user’s overall green pass within ResponsiBLUE.

Once the 30-day period has been exceeded, a red “Booster Required” will be displayed in a user’s Vaccination section. The overall pass screen also will display a red X and will remain red until a booster is reported to the university.

An “Under Review” status will display in yellow in the Vaccination section after proof of vaccination or a request for exemption is submitted. The status of “Action Required” will display in red if action is needed to come into compliance with the university’s mandate.

If a user is not eligible for a booster, due to the time frame of their initial vaccination, the Vaccination section will display “Up To Date” and the user’s eligibility date will become visible by clicking on “View COVID-19 Vaccination Details.”

Other improvements to ResponsiBLUE include minimized scrolling during the daily screening check questions, and the overall pass will include a larger date and time stamp for easier viewing.

As of March 4, 98 percent of students and 92 percent of employees have been verified as having completed their primary vaccination series, while 77 percent of employees and 79 percent of students are verified as having received their COVID-19 booster. Exemptions that were granted for the primary vaccine series will carry forward for the booster; there is no need to request an additional exemption.

Employees who are out of compliance with the booster requirement should follow instructions from their supervisor or human resources unit regarding reporting to work. Students who remain out of compliance will have an administrative hold placed on their student account, preventing them from adding or dropping courses, registering for future semesters, and receiving an official transcript.

Individuals who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including those who are in the process of becoming vaccinated or who have an approved exemption or postponement, are expected to complete weekly COVID-19 testing at an on-campus testing location until they are up to date.

COVID-19 testing on campus is available through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program for asymptomatic individuals, or through Occupational Health Services for employees and the University Health Service for students who are symptomatic.

​​Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement that are not currently subject to the university’s mandate will not be affected. They must continue to wear face coverings and complete the daily screening.

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• boosters
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 booster
• COVID-19 vaccine
• vaccination policy
• vaccines