At the start of the semester, the Core Task Force committed to reviewing all COVID-19 campus protocols on Sept. 30 to determine if any changes were possible. The goal was to consider the loosening of current campus protocols if the number of positive COVID-19 cases on campus and in our region supported this change. The Task Force has conducted a review of our current protocols and has determined that no changes are appropriate at this time.
In particular, the committee reviewed indoor mask requirements and the policy on overnight visitors. Indoor mask requirements are currently a state mandate in all state-owned or used buildings in counties with high transmission rates, which includes Madison County. At this time, there is no flexibility on this policy and the campus will continue to require and enforce masking indoors.
Currently, visitors are permitted to campus, but overnight visitors are not allowed in the residence halls. Given the current uptick in COVID-19 cases in Madison and Onondaga counties, as well as the need for procedures to verify vaccination status of overnight visitors, a change to this policy is not possible at this time. The Core Task Force will review these protocols again during the week of Oct. 25 to see if a change is possible at that time.
While these protocols remain in place, we are highly encouraged by the little-to-no cases found during weekly testing within our campus community. Thank you for your participation in all campus protocols to keep our campus community safe.