Important booster requirement and quarantine information

President Marcia White sent the following message to students on January 19, 2022. Employees also received a similar message.

Dear students,

We’re excited to be starting classes this week, even though we’re doing so remotely until we begin in-person instruction on January 24. We have a few updates as you start the semester.

• Booster requirement and deadline: The College is now mandating the booster for all students and employees by June 30 if they are eligible to receive it. Students will not be able to enroll for the Fall 2022 semester if they have not met this requirement. Based on data from clinical trials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health are strongly encouraging those eligible to get a booster. According to the NYSDOH, a booster dose helps everyone to “maximize their protection, prolong the vaccine’s durability and continue to safeguard our communities against the virus.” Those who have already been granted medical/religious COVID-19 vaccine exemptions will continue to be exempt. Students who have already received their booster dose should send a photo of their vaccine card to covidresults@strose.edu.
• On-campus booster clinics: We realize some students are not yet eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. We have scheduled four on-campus booster clinics this semester – January 20, February 3, March 3, and April 7. You can sign up for any of those clinics here, but if you are eligible to receive your booster dose now, we urge you to do it before you return to campus. New CDC guidance says you can have the booster 5 months after your last dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or 2 months after your J&J vaccine.
• New quarantine protocols: The CDC has changed its quarantine recommendations upon testing positive for COVID-19 or when you are a direct contact of someone with COVID-19. New York State and Albany County departments of health have also adopted this guidance. Please see the restart website for the details on the quarantine process. The College will continue to advise those who test positive for COVID-19 on the next steps. These guidelines are different from the fall and are subject to change. It is important for you to note that during the second half of the quarantine period where you may be “in quarantine” but allowed to circulate in public under these new guidelines, you should not eat or drink in our dining facilities or in the presence of others as it would require you to remove your mask. We have special instructions on the restart site for those who live on-campus with roommates.
• A word about masks: Masks are still required in all buildings on-campus. Based on new CDC guidance about masks, we are encouraging all members of our community to double-mask (surgical mask with a cloth mask on top of it) when indoors for “better fit and extra protection.” Boxes of surgical masks will be in each classroom and common space.
• Mandatory testing reminder: Please see the restart website for testing requirements for your return to campus. It is very important that you follow this requirement.

If you have any questions, please reach out to covidresults@strose.edu.

We know there have been a lot of updates as we follow federal, state, and county guidelines, which are ever-changing as the circumstances with the virus evolve. We appreciate your patience and your cooperation. We look forward to welcoming you back to Saint Rose.

Sincerely,
Marcia

Marcia White
President
The College of Saint Rose