Campus & Community

COVID-19 Update: Return from Spring Break Reminders

Friday, March 18, 2022, By News Staff

Dear Students, Faculty, Staff and Families:

As spring break comes to an end, I hope you are feeling recharged and ready to tackle the final weeks of the Spring 2022 semester. Whether you traveled away from campus or spent your time in Syracuse catching up on rest and other activities, in preparation for the return to campus life, I want to share some important public health reminders. Specifically, please carefully review the updates below regarding:

  • Current Masking Level
  • Testing Resources
  • Testing Hours and Locations

Current Masking Level

As previously announced, on Monday, March 14, the University transitioned to COVID level “Yellow,” which indicates a moderate level of transmission risk within our campus community. Further, level Yellow corresponds with the following masking policy while on campus:

  • For Unvaccinated Community Members: Masks are REQUIRED for all unvaccinated students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus indoors at all times, and outdoors when in the presence of others.
  • For Vaccinated Community Members: Masks are RECOMMENDED for vaccinated students, faculty, staff and visitors while indoors in the presence of others, and outdoors in large group settings.
  • For ALL Community Members: Masks continue to be REQUIRED on all public transit (including the Syracuse University Shuttle) and when visiting any health care facility (including the Barnes Health Center and the Kimmel and Stadium testing centers).

Please Take Note: This change to our masking framework eliminates the mandate that vaccinated individuals wear a mask while indoors on campus and is aligned with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State Department of Health guidance applicable to all indoor spaces across New York state. However, it is important to acknowledge that level Yellow of the University’s masking framework also includes a public health RECOMMENDATION that vaccinated individuals consider voluntary masking while indoors and in the presence of others. Masking remains the best strategy to mitigate transmission and infection among the vaccinated population, and therefore the individual choice to mask while in crowded indoor spaces and venues should be supported. Acknowledging and acting on this recommendation is also the best way to ensure that we don’t experience a resurgence of COVID cases on campus at a level that would warrant reintroducing a mandatory masking requirement applicable to some or all indoor spaces on campus. As always, the Syracuse University Public Health Team will continue to monitor conditions and, if necessary, recommend the appropriate change to the masking level.

Testing Resources

Syracuse University continues to offer COVID testing to asymptomatic students, faculty, staff and families. Further, for the time being—and with a particular emphasis on the period immediately following spring break—the University will continue our random surveillance testing program and wastewater testing of our residence halls. As a reminder, symptomatic individuals should not seek testing at the University’s testing sites. Instead:

  • Students experiencing COVID-like symptoms should stay home and contact the Barnes Health Center by phone at 315.443.8000. Please do not visit the Barnes Center until you’ve spoken with a team member there by phone.
  • Faculty and staff experiencing COVID-like symptoms should stay home and contact their primary care physician.

If you are uncertain about what steps you should take if you come down with COVID, please visit the Stay Safe website to review our step-by-step response checklists.

Testing Hours and Locations:

Testing hours and locations for the upcoming week are:

  • Saturday, March 19: Closed
  • Sunday, March 20: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Kimmel)
  • Monday, March 21: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium, Gate N)
  • Tuesday, March 22: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium, Gate N)
  • Wednesday, March 23: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium, Gate N) and 4-7 p.m. (Kimmel)
  • Thursday, March 24: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Stadium, Gate N)
  • Friday, March 25: 8:30-10:30 a.m. (Stadium, Gate N)
  • Saturday, March 26: Closed
  • Sunday, March 27: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Kimmel)

Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other and demonstrate support to those in our community who continue to wear masks and take other public health precautions. We all continue to experience the pandemic differently, and for that reason it’s critically important that we continue to extend grace and empathy to all our classmates, colleagues and friends.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Haynie
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation