- Current mandatory face covering policy for all indoor campus spaces remains in effect until further notice.
- Tompkins County remains an area of high transmission risk as defined by the CDC. Tompkins County Health Department is maintaining its face covering advisory at this time.
- Deadline for students to receive COVID-19 vaccine booster and submit documentation to the Hammond Health Center is Tuesday, February 15, 2022, or 30 days after becoming eligible if your eligibility date falls after the February 15 deadline.
- Ithaca College's Health & Safety Advisory Group (HSAG) continues to meet to advise on latest guidance.
Dear Campus Community,
On Wednesday, February 9, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement that the state's mandatory indoor face covering policy, which had been in place since December 10, would be lifted on Thursday, February 10, 2022. The policy would still remain in effect to certain arenas such as healthcare facilities, schools, nursing facilities, and childcare centers. The governor cited declining cases of COVID-19 and overall lower hospitalizations from COVID-19 infections as contributing factors for this decision.
Currently, Tompkins County still has its face covering advisory in effect and the county is still considered an area of high transmission risk by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) guidance continues to strongly encourage the use of face coverings in all indoor venues at this time.
Here at Ithaca College, it is important for us to remain vigilant in our fight against the pandemic. We must be strategic on what policies and procedures we have in place to always prioritize the collective health and well-being of our Ithaca community. With that said, Ithaca College in alignment with TCHD guidance, will continue to keep its face covering policy in place for all indoor locations until further notice. This includes classroom spaces, communal lounges, shared study spaces, the library, fitness center, and in residence halls when outside of an individual’s living area.
I would also like to remind our students, faculty, and staff that our IC community extends much further than just our campus grounds. We are part of the greater Ithaca area that has prided itself on taking this pandemic seriously at every corner. I encourage all members of our IC community to be mindful of this when off campus and to please always wear a face covering and make good public health practices including physical distancing and good hand hygiene a priority whenever you are in a public setting.
As a reminder, the deadline for students to receive their booster shot is Tuesday, February 15, 2022, or within 30 days after becoming eligible if that date falls after the February 15 deadline. Instructions on how to upload booster information can be found on the Ithaca College's COVID-19 vaccine webpage. I also encourage all employees to receive their booster shot as soon as they become eligible. We know that vaccination and boosters have been an extremely effective approach to limit incidence of serious illness, hospitalization, and death as a result of COVID-19.
The Health and Safety Advisory Group will continue to evaluate all available data and will provide timely updates to the campus community as needed. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to maintaining the health and safety of our IC community.
Sincerely,
Samm Swarts
Assistant Director, Emergency Preparedness and Response