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Life at UB will be much closer to normal in the fall with the announcement that students who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 will no longer need to wear masks or stay physically distant from class.
The much anticipated change was made this week by SUNY and is effective immediately at UB. It’s a big step forward to get back to campus when COVID-19 positivity rates are very low.
“With the virus at an all time high in western New York and New York State, and with the high vaccination rates in our university community, UB will be fully in person in the fall,” said the president Satish K. Tripathi.
“We are delighted to welcome our home-based students, faculty and staff back to campus,” said Tripathi. “And, as we return to a much more normal campus experience, the health and safety of our university community continues to be our top priority, and we remain ready to adjust our plans accordingly.”
SUNY’s latest guidance builds on earlier announcements that lifted masking and distancing requirements for vaccinated students and employees in most indoor and outdoor campus environments, including classrooms and studios , research laboratories, offices, residences, leisure areas and dining rooms.
However, students and employees who are not vaccinated are responsible for wearing a mask in all indoor and outdoor areas of UB campuses, except their personal residence rooms, workstations. personal or when eating in university dining halls. Physical distancing will not be required in classrooms, but unvaccinated people should wear masks.
Masks are required for all UB bus passengers, per state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Masks are also required at some campus health care facilities (eg Student Health Services, UB Dental Clinic). Students and staff who have been vaccinated may choose to wear a mask in any setting for their own comfort or for personal medical reasons.
University officials will continue to urge students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated, as it is the most effective way to protect their health and end the pandemic.
In line with SUNY, UB has also updated its guidelines and protocols on:
Compulsory vaccination for studentsAll UB students will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend in-person classes in the fall, according to a state mandate. The requirement is pending final approval from SUNY and is also still subject to full vaccine approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For UB international students and faculty, the SUNY requirement recognizes vaccines that have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). International students who have received an unauthorized vaccine for emergency use by the FDA or WHO will need an FDA-cleared COVID-19 vaccine.
More than 19,000 UB students have already reported receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Students can submit a copy of their vaccination card to health services, preferably online.
“We are very satisfied with the response of our students to the vaccine requirement so far and we expect that the number of students vaccinated will continue to grow steadily until the fall semester,” said the vice president of Student Life, Brian F. Hamluk. .
Students may be granted an exemption for medical reasons or religious beliefs, or if they are learning at a distance.
Capacity limits: COVID-19 restrictions remain in effect only for large indoor events with more than 5,000 people in attendance. At UB, that means most activities and events on campus will resume in person, with no masks or physical distancing for vaccinated students and employees.
UB football matches and other fall sports competitions will be held at full capacity in front of the fans in accordance with New York State guidelines. Masks will be compulsory for unvaccinated people. The university will provide advice on men’s and women’s basketball games at a later date.
Daily health exams: In order to continue to monitor the health of the University community, all students and employees will be asked to continue to submit a daily health exam.
Quarantine : Unvaccinated students will be required to provide proof that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within five days of their arrival on campus for the semester. This is to be followed by another COVID-19 test on the day they arrive on campus.
Instead of testing negative, unvaccinated students must certify to UB that they have quarantined at least 10 days before or upon arrival on campus.
Residential homes: In accordance with the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. AAll students and counselors living in university residences and apartments owned and operated by the university must be fully immunized when moving into their assigned residence on campus. Accepted vaccines are those that have been approved for emergency use by the FDA or WHO. Students can request an exemption for medical reasons or religious beliefs.
UB is also planning to designate an area for quarantine and isolation uses. CDC guidelines say fully vaccinated people who are exposed to COVID-19 do not need to be quarantined unless they are symptomatic. Fully vaccinated people who test positive should self-isolate for 10 days.
COVID test: Mandatory weekly testing will still be required for students and employees who have not been vaccinated and who have a regular presence on campus. Those who are fully vaccinated can opt out of the weekly test by showing proof of completion of the vaccination series.
Ventilation and air filtration: Staff at UB facilities and environmental, health and safety experts will continuously assess the operating conditions of campus ventilation and air conditioning equipment, as they have done throughout the pandemic. In accordance with CDC recommendations, UB has improved HVAC filters where possible, increased the amount of outdoor air supplied, extended HVAC run times for occupied building parameters, and balanced temperature, static air pressure and air pressure conditions. humidity to provide an optimal balance of indoor air quality.
Cleaning protocols: The state’s mandatory cleaning and disinfection protocols are no longer in effect, but UB will continue to clean and disinfect high contact surfaces in common areas around campus at least once a day. Other surfaces will continue to be cleaned and disinfected regularly depending on foot traffic.
Wastewater test: Building on a pilot project launched by the university last spring, UB will continue testing campus wastewater for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
UB will continue to keep the University community informed of all updates and new directions through its COVID-19 Planning and Response Website.
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