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COVID Reminders: Internal Events, Booster Dose Deadlines and More

11/19/2021

January 31, 2022

Dear Saint Louis University community members:

Infections are decreasing in and around St. Louis, although rates here at Saint Louis University are similar to what we saw last week. We appear to be on the downslope of the Omicron variant wave regionally, and that is good news. Thanks to you for continuing to do your part to help suppress COVID on our St. Louis campuses and in our city.

Today, we write with a few updates and reminders:

Internal events can resume on February 1

As we had indicated in ourJanuary 21 email to you, with infection rates improving locally, University community members can resume hosting internal events beginning Tuesday, February 1. The Designated Events Review Committee (DER) has begun accepting applications for external events that are integral to the mission of the University. The DER also will accept applications for other external events to be hosted Tuesday, March 1 through the summer session. Groups can submit applications for eventshere.

Our events and meetings guidance distinguishes an internal event from an external one. FAQs arehere.

Unmasked gatherings continue to be our most frequent source for infection spread

We are still seeing higher than usual student COVID infections on campus. We also know that COVID infections will continue to spread on and off campus at unmasked study groups, dinners, parties and other social gatherings. Please help keep Omicron in check by wearing your face mask when you are in public spaces and not eating or drinking.

Proof of booster doses for students and SLUCare staff due today

Today, Monday, January 31, is the deadline for students and SLUCare employees to upload verification of their vaccination booster dose. Please submit your proof of vaccination and booster dose via ouronline portalno later than 11:59 p.m. today.

All students who are living, studying, working, researching or missioning on our St. Louis campuses this semester who are eligible to receive a booster dose are required to have received one, unless they had obtained a University-approved medical or religious exemption last fall or are seeking one this semester.

The compliance process will begin one week from today for all eligible individuals who have not submitted proof of their booster dose or request for a vaccine exemption.

To sign up for a booster dose at SLU, you can use thislinkto find a date that works best for you. Booster doses are also widely available in the greater community. Please followthis linkto schedule an appointment to receive your booster at a community clinic near you:https://www.vaccines.gov/search.

Booster dose exemption requests due today

Today, Monday, January 31, remains the deadline for students and SLUCare staff to submit a request for a medical or religious exemption from our booster requirement. Submissions can be made via theonline portal. You can email vaccineexemption@slu.edu with any questions about your request for an exemption.

Proof of booster doses for non-SLUCare faculty and staff due February 28

Non-SLUCare faculty and staff who are eligible to receive a booster dose must submit proof of having received it by Monday, February 28. Verification, in the form of a .jpg, .png or .pdf image of your CDC or WHO vaccination card, can be uploaded to ouronline portal. Requests for medical and religious exemptions are due that same day and must be submitted through theonline portal.

Booster clinics every Tuesday in February

Our amazing nursing students will administer booster doses, as well as first and second vaccine doses, in Simon Rec every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional clinics will be added if needed. Please schedule your vaccination appointmenthere.

Isolation, quarantine, and close contact follow-up protocols

As we mentioned in ourJanuary 10 communication, our isolation and quarantine protocols were updated this spring semester to be in line with current CDC and City Health Department guidelines. This includes a 5-day isolation and quarantine period when certain criteria are met. Student isolation and quarantine protocols are managed by our Contact Tracing Team, Student Health, and Employee Health (for clinical students).

Students are expected to report COVID-19 infections or exposures to someone with COVID-19 to Student Health (for non-clinical students, at 314-977-2323) and Employee Health (for clinical students, at 314-257-8400). Students may not self-isolate or self-quarantine. The Contact Tracing Team will notify students who are identified as close contacts regarding the date(s) during which testing must take place. Getting tested on your own without input from the Contact Tracing Team could result in you testing too early and needing to be tested a second time.

Cooperation with our Contact Tracing Team is required, including getting tested within the timeframe they outline.

And a gentle reminder that our Contact Tracing Team consists of our own SLU Billikens, primarily MPH students. We know that finding out you tested positive or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 can be upsetting, but we expect you to treat our Contact Tracing Team members respectfully. Remember: We are all in this together.

Gratitude and opportunities to serve

These first few weeks preparing for and starting spring semester have once again demanded long, long days of a core group of faculty, staff and students.

Our medical staff and other front-line workers continue to carry a heavy load, treating serious COVID cases with courage and care. Valentine School of Nursing faculty and staff continue to help manage our testing and vaccination clinics. Members of our SLU Contact Tracing team have conducted hundreds of case investigations and followed up with even more close contacts. And we continue to rely on the same collection of staff and student workers and volunteers who show up, again and again, to help in our vaccination or testing clinics, to transport infected students to isolation housing, to deliver meals or snacks, or to assist in our COVID-19 response in countless other ways.

They live our Jesuit values.

We invite and encourage you to join this caring group of colleagues by volunteering regularly or occasionally. Your time can make a big difference for students in isolation or quarantine. Please email us atpandemic@slu.eduto find out more. We will welcome your assistance.

Your COVID questions can be emailed to us atpandemic@slu.edu, too.

Stay safe and be well,

Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., RN, CIC, FAPIC
Special Assistant to the President
Director, Institute for Biosecurity
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
College for Public Health and Social Justice