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As Syracuse University concludes its fall 2021 semester, questions remain about the future of the university’s COVID-19 policies, including masking and vaccine mandates. Here is a rundown of all procedures that will be in place when students return from winter break.

Gov. Kathy Hochul reinstated the statewide mask mandate in New York’s indoor public places Friday following an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and overall average weekly infection rate. This mandate is set to end by Jan. 15, 2022, when it will go into a period of review before the spring semester. If the order is extended, SU has pledged to follow any government guidelines including any new mask mandates.

SU is under “RED” level masking, which requires all students to wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors when other people are present. The university has been under this level since Aug. 28 and has not wavered despite fluctuations in COVID-19 cases on campus.

SU’s masking policy is determined by not just on-campus data, but also through active cases in Onondaga County, which has been criticized by students.

New York has detected 19 omicron variant cases as of Thursday. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends all eligible people receive a COVID-19 booster shot, and SU is requiring all eligible students, faculty and staff to get their COVID-19 booster shot before returning to campus for the spring semester.

The only exemption from the booster shot requirement is an approved medical or religious waiver on file at the Barnes Center at The Arch, according to a campus-wide email on Friday. Students who already have the waiver on file for the COVID-19 vaccination do not need to take any further action, the email says.

SU faculty will be required to submit proof of their vaccine status to the university. The Office of Human Resources at SU has partnered with other university offices to formulate a process to validate the faculty documents submitted, including any religious and medical exemptions.

Students should submit their booster documents, along with other immunization records, to their patient portal.

Flu vaccines are also required for the spring 2022 semester. SU held on-campus flu shot clinics for students and faculty in the fall.

As of Dec. 10, there are 69 active COVID-19 cases on campus, with a surveillance positivity rate of 0.4%. Five students are in quarantine.

Published on December 12, 2021 at 9:25 pm

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