Revised guidance for fully vaccinated students
Dear Cornell Students,
It’s heartening to see that the number of fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff on our Ithaca and Geneva campuses is nearing 8,000 Cornellians, and now that vaccination eligibility in New York state extends to all residents over the age of 16, we expect the number of those vaccinated to increase significantly in the coming weeks.
As state and federal public health entities adjust their guidance for vaccinated individuals, Cornell is likewise modifying certain guidelines and restrictions. Here are the relevant revisions and applicable dates for fully vaccinated undergraduate, graduate and professional students (i.e., those who are 14 days past their final dose of an FDA-approved vaccine) who have provided Cornell with proof of vaccination:
- Quarantine Requirements. Fully vaccinated students who are asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine after contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Please note that if you come into contact with someone with COVID-19, and you are symptomatic, you must self-isolate, complete the Daily Check and schedule your telehealth visit even if you have been vaccinated.
- Travel. All students are required to request approval to travel outside of the Ithaca area and vaccination status may be considered during the approval process. Beginning on April 20, quarantine will no longer be required upon return from domestic travel for fully vaccinated students, and they may return to campus and their residence. Cornell strongly recommends seeking supplemental testing on days 1 and 4 upon return. Students who are not fully vaccinated must remain off campus for five days and complete testing on days 1 and 4. New York state recently updated guidelines for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers returning from international locations. Non-essential domestic and international travel remains discouraged.
- Surveillance Testing. Beginning on April 20, fully vaccinated students (i.e., 14 days after your final dose) who have submitted proof of vaccination will be shifted to a once per week surveillance testing schedule.
As previously announced, beginning today, April 15, all vaccinated students, faculty and staff are required to submit proof of vaccination through the Daily Check once they’ve completed the dose schedule for the vaccine. Please note, you can upload proof of vaccination to the Daily Check immediately following your final dose; however, you are not considered fully vaccinated until 14 days after receiving your final dose.
Understanding how many members of our community are vaccinated will allow us to continue to adjust our guidelines while keeping campus safety at the forefront. This information will also enable us to relax certain requirements and restrictions for community members who have been fully vaccinated. We strongly encourage all members of the Cornell community who have not yet been immunized to seek vaccination as soon as possible.
In addition, current guidance and requirements that pertain to the Daily Check, shared offices and workspaces, eating in shared offices, on-campus gatherings and events, public health guidelines (including masks, distancing, building density, etc.), public access into campus buildings, and recreation remain in effect, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.
Thank you for your attention to these revisions to our guidelines.
Sincerely,
Michael Kotlikoff
Provost
Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life