Update on Omicron variant

Cornell University is working closely with local, state, and federal experts to prevent, identify, and track the spread of the Omicron (B.1.1.529), a highly contagious COVID-19 variant.

As activities on campus resume following Thanksgiving break, we strongly urge the following precautions to keep you, and the extended community, healthy and safe:

• If you traveled outside of the Ithaca region during the break, or hosted family or friends traveling from outside the region, please schedule a COVID-19 supplemental test on Daily Check as soon as possible. If you attended any large gatherings (10 or more people), it is also recommended that you seek a supplemental test.
• If you are not fully vaccinated, please schedule a supplemental test immediately.
• Get a COVID-19 booster as soon as you are eligible to do so. The boosters are free and widely available to all adults over 18 years and help to ensure the maximum possible protection against the virus. Please see the Tompkins County website for booster information.
• Those not already participating in required surveillance testing may opt-in on Daily Check for weekly testing as a precautionary measure. Testing is convenient and easy. Remember, early detection is key, especially for those who may be asymptomatic.
• Masks are highly effective at preventing transmission of respiratory illness, including COVID-19 and influenza, which has been circulating on campus since the end of October. Please continue to follow Cornell’s mandatory face covering requirements indoors and practice other established preventative measures.
• As we approach Winter Break, travel restrictions are changing rapidly. Make sure to stay up-to-date on Cornell's pandemic travel policies, guidelines, and recommendations.