Aug. 6, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Following up on last week’s message from Provost Russell Moore and Chief Operations Officer Patrick O’Rourke to faculty and staff, we are writing to provide additional information related to COVID-19, as well as updates you can expect in the coming days:
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Last week, Governor Polis announced a vaccination requirement for state employees and an expectation that any unvaccinated employees would be subject to twice weekly COVID-19 testing. Institutions of higher education are not subject to the requirement for other state employees, which means we will continue to implement our own vaccination requirements. Please see the information below about .ÌýÌý
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We have been in regular communication with Boulder County Public Health and other local government agencies in an effort to align our campus strategies with local public health guidance whenever possible. Boulder County Public Health plans to release updated guidance as early as next week. We will relay this guidance and what it means for our campus as soon as we receive it.
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From 4 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, we will host a with campus leadership to discuss our plans for fall, share the latest information available regarding the delta variant and answer questions.Ìý
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On Thursday, Aug. 12, our campus will resume weekly COVID-19 updates in ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder Today. The weekly COVID-19 updates will be the go-to source for information and updates related to COVID-19 and will be available each week for the first few weeks of the semester.
While we do not anticipate significant changes to our fall plans, the health and safety of our campus community is our top priority.Ìý
We continue to follow the science and data available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the state of Colorado and Boulder County Public Health to inform decisions. Our Scientific Steering Committee and Pandemic Response Leadership Implementation Team are monitoring closely and continue to guide us in our planning and response to COVID-19.Ìý
Vaccination remains the most effective way to protect you and your loved ones from COVID-19. ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder’s vaccine requirement for all faculty, staff and students allows us to return to our academic mission while ensuring health and safety. We thank you if you have already completed ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements and done your part to protect our campus and community.Ìý
If you have not yet done so, please remember all ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ students, faculty and staff must submit their COVID-19 vaccine information or an exemption form online to meet this requirement. The only exception is faculty and staff vaccinated through ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder Medical Services, for whom data will automatically be uploaded to the portal.Ìý
Please complete the vaccination requirement as soon as possible, as it provides us with the most accurate information about our campus community to inform our decisions, and remember the final deadline for completing this requirement is Sept. 15. The ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder COVID-19 vaccination page includes instructions to fulfill the requirements, information on prizes and details on where you can get the vaccine.Ìý
In addition to the protection offered by vaccines, we ask that you continue to follow public health guidance. As added precautions, our Public Health office continues to provide case investigation and contact tracing; our Public Health Clinic at Wardenburg continues to provide diagnostic testing and vaccines to the campus community; and our Office of Infrastructure and Sustainability continues to ensure enhanced cleaning protocols and maximized airflow, filtration and outdoor air in campus buildings.
With the beginning of the academic semester approaching rapidly, we want to ensure you have the resources and information needed to start the semester strong. We look forward to seeing you at the Virtual Campus Q&A on Tuesday. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please email the Pandemic Response Office.Ìý
¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Boulder Pandemic Response Office