Dear Faculty and Staff,
We continue to evaluate COVID-19 measures in place on campus this spring. Your adherence to public health protocols has paid off, and we continue to experience a low prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within our campus community. Many of you have also done your part by becoming vaccinated against COVID-19 disease, which is greatly facilitating our return to the normal operational status we are planning for this fall.
I am pleased to share that effective following testing on Friday, April 23, we will exempt faculty and staff fully immunized against COVID-19 from surveillance testing so long as certain conditions are met. Please note that it may take several days for us to fully process vaccination card submissions. Please continue surveillance testing until you receive notice from the Office of Human Resources that you may cease to do so.
Conditions for Exemption from Surveillance Testing - You must be fully immunized. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently defines full immunization as two weeks after your final dose. This means:
a.) If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, this will be two weeks after your dose.
b.) If you received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, this will be two weeks after your second dose.
c.) Being vaccinated with a vaccine that has been approved for use internationally, but NOT in the United States (e.g., AstraZeneca), will not exempt you from surveillance testing at this time. You must have received the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine in order to be eligible.
- Your immunization card must be on record with the Office of Human Resources. Once fully immunized, upload a copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card here. The Office of Human Resources will email approval when you may cease surveillance testing.
- You must be asymptomatic. You are required to continue completing the Daily Health Screening. Should you become symptomatic for COVID-19, you must not come to campus until you seek medical advice from the Cayuga Health System's telemedicine service or your own health care provider.
While we do not anticipate that we will experience an increase in positive cases due to this decision, should that occur, faculty and staff should be prepared for surveillance testing to be reinstated.
Continued Use of Other Public Health Measures
The pandemic is not over and we still need to maintain many of our public health protocols. Please remember that testing represents just one layer of protection that we have in place to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on campus. Given the reduction in testing, it is very important that we continue to rely upon other measures which include: - Continuing to complete the daily health screening (employees who exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must not come to campus and should use the telemedicine service or speak with their own health care provider).
- Wearing a face covering to protect others.
- Choosing small gatherings with members of your household or social bubble and opting to meet outdoors rather than in confined indoor spaces whenever possible.
- Being respectful of visual cues for physical distancing and remaining six feet apart from others.
- Practicing good hand hygiene.
New York State guidelines for institutions of higher education require that public health measures remain in effect, even with vaccination. Please be aware that you can still test positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus even once vaccinated. The risk for asymptomatic transmission is low, but it is important to still play your part in protecting unvaccinated members of our campus community and within Tompkins County.
Thank you for your assistance as we continue to navigate the changing circumstances of the pandemic together.
Sincerely,
Hayley Harris
Vice President for Human Resources and Planning |
