Dear Adelphi Community,
Our Health and Wellness team is very pleased to report that the campus positivity rate, as posted today on the University COVID-19 Dashboard, is now at a remarkably low 0.05 percent, even in comparison to the very low rate of 2.10 percent in Nassau County—the lowest levels since last July.
I am excited to announce the following incremental changes to our COVID-19 mitigation strategies, which will go into effect on Tuesday, March 1. These rollbacks are being made with great thought and care to balance the safety and comfort of students, faculty and staff.
Masks
- Appropriate face coverings (consistent with CDC guidance) are still required for all community members in indoor environments (regardless of vaccination status) unless actively eating or drinking.
- The face covering mandate for outdoor environments is lifted. Individuals are encouraged (but not required) to wear masks in outdoor environments when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Dining
- Self-serve dining options, including salad bars, will return to the UC Dining Hall and The Eatery at Post Hall.
- Campus catering, serving and consuming food and beverages will be allowed at meetings and events.
Daily Screening
- Students, faculty and staff accessing any of Adelphi’s campuses must continue to complete the daily health screening using the AU2GO app.
Meetings and Events
- For all spaces, COVID-19 occupancy limitations are lifted; all rooms may be used at 100 percent of fire code capacity.
- Physical distancing is encouraged but not required.
- Food is permitted at meetings.
- Employee meetings are encouraged to be virtual when possible, but physical meetings on campus are permitted.
- Student meetings are encouraged to be virtual when possible, but physical meetings on campus are permitted.
Visitors
- The Adelphi campus is open to all visitors; visitors do not require pre-approval.
- Visitors are no longer required to complete daily screening, but should self-screen for symptoms and/or exposure prior to arrival on-site. Those with risk factors should refrain from coming to campus.
Compliance Monitoring
- Health and safety ambassadors will continue to be strategically positioned to help ensure appropriate mask use indoors and serve as a source of information and guidance. They, and Public Safety officers, will continue to check that Adelphi community members have completed their daily screening via the app.
- Ambassadors will advise visitors to self-screen for symptoms of and/or exposure to COVID-19 as needed.
Vaccination
- Adelphi’s vaccination policies remain in effect.
Surveillance Testing
- We will continue random surveillance testing of all members of the Adelphi population to continually assess infection rates in our community. Each week, 10 percent of individuals who access our campus locations will be randomly selected to receive Vault at-home test kits to submit a test.
- We continue to routinely test all members of high-risk groups weekly, including student-athletes (consistent with our NCAA agreement) and all residence hall students.
Quarantine and Isolation
- Individuals who meet the criteria for either quarantine or isolation must continue to do so for a period of 10 days from the initial onset of their symptoms or positive test (for those isolating) or from the date of their known exposure (for those quarantining).
Thermal Scanners
- Thermal scanners will remain in place in strategic locations for voluntary public use.
On behalf of our executive leaders and the Health and Wellness team, I want to thank you for your ongoing commitment to safety throughout the pandemic. By setting and complying with best practice prevention measures, we have effectively cared for and protected one another during these difficult past two years.
We will continue to assess our campus policies and expect to announce the next round of policy updates by April 1. If you have any questions, please email healthandwellness@adelphi.edu.
Sincerely,
Gene Palma
Vice President of University Wellness, Safety and Administration