COVID-19 Reminders
Dear Cornell Students,
As we prepare for the start of the spring semester, we write to remind you of several of the most important components of our spring semester operating plan. We recognize the ongoing challenge of this pandemic, and appreciate your support in continuing to emphasize the safety and well-being of our entire community.
Arrival plans
Please be sure that you have updated your arrival plans in the Spring Checklist within the Daily Check to ensure you have access to campus resources and are receiving proper notifications from the university. If you live in campus housing, please also be sure to update your Housing Portal. Thank you for following all pre-departure and arrival testing expectations for undergraduate and graduate/professional students, which we believe will help us get back to an in-person learning experience as soon as possible. Remember as you plan your arrival to account for the possible need to isolate after arrival, should you test positive.
Booster requirement
All students who are eligible to receive a booster are required to upload proof of their COVID-19 booster to the Daily Check by Jan. 31. If you intend to submit a medical or religious exemption, you must also indicate this in the Daily Check by Jan. 31.
- Students who are eligible for the booster and not in compliance by Jan. 31 will be required to participate in twice weekly surveillance testing.
- Students who intend to get boosted but are not yet eligible will also participate in twice weekly surveillance testing until eligible and boosted, unless they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days.
Those intending to get boosted at a later date do not need to file a temporary exemption request. Please note that prolonged non-compliance with these requirements may result in restricted access to Canvas, university facilities, enrollment activity or other campus services.
As a reminder, individuals are eligible for boosters two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or five months after receiving the final dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Additional information about Cornell’s booster requirement, instructions for applying for an exemption and frequently asked questions can be found on the Cornell Health website. Local booster clinics are available through the Tompkins County Health Department.
Masks
Please remember that cloth masks are no longer considered adequate protection from the Omicron variant, unless worn in conjunction with an ASTM medical mask. Be sure to wear well-fitted, high-quality masks when on campus (ASTM (procedure or surgical), KN95, FFP2, KF94 or NIOSH N95). Masks can be picked up at any of Cornell’s COVID-19 testing sites.
Thank you for doing your part to help keep our community healthy and safe, and best wishes for productive start to the spring semester!
Sincerely,
Mike Kotlikoff
Provost
Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life