Jan 5: Letter From VP David Trainor and Dr. Douglas Comeau

Updates

Boston College

January 5, 2022

Dear Members of the Boston College Community:

We write to inform you about pre-second semester COVID-19 testing requirements for students, a temporary on-campus masking period, changes to campus isolation and quarantine health protocols, and information about BC’s booster clinic, and to review previously communicated University coronavirus testing and booster expectations for the resumption of the academic year.

Pre-Second Semester Student Testing Requirement

With the aggressive spread of the Omicron variant across the country and globe, the University will require that all students obtain a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours prior to their return to Boston College this month, and email the results to covidtesting@bc.edu. For those students unable to secure a PCR, an antigen test within 24 hours prior to arrival to campus will be accepted. A picture of the results alongside their BC ID (in the same photo) should be sent to covidtesting@bc.edu. Students who test positive via either test must alert University Health Services and should not travel or return to campus until being cleared from isolation.

Temporary Masking Period: January 14-31, 2022

Given upcoming global and domestic travel by members of the BC community, as well as the current high levels of transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the University will institute a temporary masking requirement on campus whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained. This masking period will be from Friday, January 14, corresponding with the return of students, through Monday, January 31, 2022.

New Isolation and Quarantine Protocols

The Massachusetts Department of Health has adopted recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention concerning isolation and quarantine protocols, which the University will follow as we resume the 2021-2022 academic year.

Isolation – Those who test positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination/booster status:

Must remain in isolation for five days, whether having symptoms or not (with the day of positive test counting as day zero);
Are eligible to leave isolation after five days if they have decreasing symptoms and no fever; individuals with fever must remain in isolation until fever-free (UHS may also test students in University isolation housing before release);
Must wear a mask indoors and outdoors for five days after release from isolation when unable to maintain appropriate physical distancing.

Quarantine – For those identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19:

Close contacts who have received their booster or who are fully vaccinated with Moderna within the last six months, Pfizer within the last 5 months, or J&J within the last two months:
- Will not have to quarantine, unless they have symptoms;
- Must wear a mask indoors and outdoors for 10 days when unable to maintain physical distancing;
- Test on Day 2-3 and Day 5-7 after exposure to an individual testing positive and if symptomatic at any time during the 10-day period.

Close contacts who have not yet received their booster, but are eligible, and those with University-approved religious or medical COVID-19 vaccination exemption:
- Must quarantine for 5 days;
- Must wear a mask indoors and outdoors after release from quarantine for 5 days when unable to maintain physical distancing;
- Test on Day 2-3 and Day 5-7 after exposure to an individual testing positive and if symptomatic at any time during the 10-day period.

Symptom Checker Reminder – Please continue to utilize the BC Daily Symptom Checker before coming to campus. Faculty and staff should contact their primary care physician and students should inform University Health Services immediately upon experiencing one of the following: new loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or cough (not associated with allergies) OR two of the following: fever, muscle/body aches, sore throat, headache, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, or congestion or runny nose (not associated with allergies).

Reminder - Second Semester Initial Testing

In addition to pre-arrival student COVID-19 testing, the University will require that all students, faculty, and staff who plan to participate in activities on campus during the spring semester be tested for COVID-19 prior to January 18.

Faculty and staff should test between Monday, January 10, and Friday, January 14 (see schedule below). Testing for students who reside on campus will occur during their move-in January 15-17, as scheduled through Residential Life. Undergraduates who live off campus and graduate/professional students should test as soon as they return to the area and before engaging in on-campus activities, preferably during the January 10-14 period. All COVID-19 tests will take place in the Margot Connell Recreation Center’s MAC Courts during the following times:

Reminder - COVID-19 Vaccination Boosters

Boston College has benefited from an extremely high level of vaccination this semester (99.3%) that has helped keep our community safe from COVID-19 and has enabled our students, faculty, and staff to experience as normal a year as possible. Accordingly, members of our community who plan to be on campus at any point during the spring semester must obtain a COVID-19 booster when eligible and upload their card (see below) by February 9, 2022, which is six months from the August 2021 date when students were required to have received their second Pfizer or Moderna dose, or single Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.

The only exception to this booster requirement will be for those who previously obtained a University-approved religious or medical COVID-19 vaccination exemption and have not since been fully vaccinated. As a reminder, per CDC guidelines, Pfizer eligibility is for individuals over 16 years old and at least five months from prior vaccination; Moderna is over 18 years old and at least 6 months from previous shot; and J&J/Janssen is over 18 years old and two months from prior inoculation. Those few community members who were approved by UHS or Human Resources to receive their last Pfizer or Moderna shot after August 9, 2021, and are not eligible for a booster by February 9, should contact UHS (students) or HR (faculty and staff) to set a timetable for their booster.

COVID-19 Vaccination Booster Clinics & Card Uploading Instructions

Boston College will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination booster clinics early next semester, including each day during the initial testing period January 10-17. Please find below the initial schedule and link for appointment sign-up.

https://www.appointmentquest.com/scheduler/2250024227?schedule=bostoncollege

We encourage you to receive a booster shot as soon as you are eligible at one of the BC booster clinics or at a local pharmacy during the Christmas break. Those who have already obtained their booster or who intend to receive it at home in the coming days/weeks should upload their vaccination/booster card and information as soon as possible.

Students should upload COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards to the Agora Health Services Portal following the steps below:

Go to Agora Portal - Other Services - Health Services

Select the IMMUNIZATION ICON on the Agora Health Services portal. Choose via the drop down menu the COVID vaccination booster icon, and record the vaccination booster date. Click SUBMIT to save;
Take a picture of the vaccination card or document and save it on your computer or phone to upload into the Portal (https://services.bc.edu), found under OTHER SERVICES;
Choose the UPLOAD ICON and upload the picture under the COVID vaccination booster in the drop-down menu (Note: the drop-down menu is below the list of "documents available to upload"). Click SELECT FILE, choose the file that you are uploading, and hit the UPLOAD button.

Faculty and staff should also upload their Vaccination Cards via the Agora Portal:

Click the "PeopleSoft Human Resources Services" link located in the "My Services" section;
Confirm your identity through BC's 2-Step Verification process;
To log in to PeopleSoft Human Resources while off campus, you will need to connect to a BC VPN and confirm your identity through BC's 2-Step Verification;
From the “Main Menu” select “Self Service” then “Personal Information” and select “Update COVID-19 Record”;
To upload your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, follow the instructions on the page and click “Save";
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please include your positive test date under the “COVID-19 Testing Record” tab;
If you have any questions, please reach out to HR@bc.edu.

For COVID-19 testing or vaccination/booster questions, students should contact University Health Services at covidtesting@bc.edu and faculty/staff may contact Human Resources at HR@bc.edu.

We are all learning to live with COVID-19, and the University will remain vigilant and flexible in its approach. Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping to safeguard our campus and surrounding communities.

We wish you a healthy, happy, and productive New Year.

Sincerely,

Alternate text

Dr. Douglas Comeau

Director, University Health Services and Primary Care Sport Medicine

David Trainor

Vice President, Human Resources