Dear Adelphi Community,
We continue to cautiously roll back COVID-19 health and safety mitigations that protected our community during the pandemic. Today, I am pleased to announce that, effective Friday, March 25, 2022, mask use in indoor spaces on our Garden City campus and in Adelphi Learning Centers will be optional for everyone. However, the following exceptions apply:
- Faculty may require students to wear masks in their classes, studios or laboratories. We expect students to comply with and be respectful of these arrangements. For this reason, students are encouraged to continue carrying a mask. Adelphi will continue to make masks available in various locations on campus.
- New York State Department of Health guidelines require masks in all healthcare facilities, regardless of vaccination status. Therefore, masks will continue to be required at:
- Health Services Center
- The Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders
- Center for Psychological Services at the Hy Weinberg Center
- The federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires masks on public transit. Therefore, the Panther Express shuttle service requires masks for all individuals who use it.
- Individuals who are in or returning from isolation and quarantine will be required to wear masks for a certain period of time, as required by the New York State Department of Health. Details can be found below.
By not lifting the indoor mask mandate until March 25, we are ensuring continued health and safety at Adelphi until after spring break (March 14–March 20)—a time when many of our community members will travel and enjoy social gatherings.
After March 25, employees may ask guests to wear a mask while in their offices. Others may choose to request appropriate social distance. Additionally, some community members may choose to continue wearing a mask, and we support their choice. As a community dedicated to mutual respect, we are confident that our community members will respect and understand one another’s comfort levels and health requirements.
Daily Health Screening Still Required
We ask that our community continue to perform required daily health screening via Adelphi’s mobile app before coming to Adelphi throughout the semester.
Vaccination and Surveillance Testing
Adelphi’s vaccination policies and surveillance testing program remain in effect until the end of the spring semester. As of March 25, employees who have elected to provide weekly testing in lieu of full vaccination may submit at-home tests to satisfy the requirement.*
We will continue random surveillance testing of all members of Adelphi’s on-campus population for ongoing assessment of infection rates in our community. High-risk groups —student-athletes (consistent with our NCAA agreement) and all unvaccinated residence hall students—will continue to be tested weekly. At-home tests may be used to satisfy this requirement.*
* If an at-home test is submitted for surveillance, the individual’s name, Adelphi ID number and the date the test was administered must be written on the test sample.
Quarantine and Isolation
Effective March 25, quarantine or isolation periods will be reduced to reflect the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York state and the Nassau County Department of Health.
Isolation Guidelines (required for those who test positive for COVID-19)
- Isolate for at least five complete days and wear a mask when it is not possible to separate from others.
- Isolation may end after five full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms (other than loss of taste and/or smell) have improved.
Quarantine Guidelines (required for those who had close contact with someone with COVID-19)
Individuals who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters when eligible, or who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days, are not required to quarantine. However, they must:
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days from the date of the last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- Get tested at least five days after the date of the last close contact with someone with COVID-19. Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days do not have to get tested.
- If you test positive or develop COVID-19 symptoms, isolate as instructed above.
- Stay home, away from other people, and wear a mask when around others for at least five days after the date of the last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
- If symptoms do not develop, get tested at least five days after the date of the last close contact with someone with COVID-19. If the test results are positive, follow isolation guidance above. If the test results are negative, quarantine can end but you must wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public until 10 days after the date of the last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- If symptoms develop during quarantine, get tested immediately and isolate until test results arrive.
- Those who cannot wear a well-fitting mask for any reason should quarantine for 10 days.
I am grateful for our community’s continued support of all our efforts to maintain our health and safety record. I understand that it has been a long road and we are all feeling fatigued. Please know that our success has been well supported by best practices in virus prevention. I look forward to keeping you apprised of any changes in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please email healthandwellness@adelphi.edu.
Sincerely,
Gene Palma
Vice President of University Wellness, Safety and Administration