For the start of the new semester, the COVID Task Force has released new directives for students, staff and faculty. Since the list can be overwhelming, here is a guide for what’s new, and what hasn’t changed. More detailed information is available on the COVID Dashboard, as well as in an email that was sent out by the COVID taskforce on the morning of Friday, Jan 28.

Booster shots are required for eligible individuals by Jan. 31. A major new directive that came into effect on Feb. 1, divides students, staff and faculty into categories based on vaccination and booster status. Each category has different requirements and protocols based on these statuses.

Category A includes people who are fully vaccinated but did not receive their booster shot and were eligible. This category also includes individuals with a medical exemption for the booster. If you are in this category, you must wear a face mask at all times, including outdoors. You must also maintain 3 feet of social distance, and you will need to be quarantined for five days if you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19 and you cannot take part in any university travel.

Category B is for people who are fully vaccinated but aren’t eligible to get their booster yet. Once you qualify for your booster, you must get it and submit it to CoVerified within 30 days. If you do not submit your booster record, you have to follow the same guidelines as people in category A.

Category C contains people who are fully vaccinated and boosted. You are considered fully vaccinated but should still submit any symptoms you have to CoVerified.

Finally, Category D is composed of people who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated but have an approved vaccine exemption. If you are in this category, you need to get tested every seven days to continue having a green CoVerified status. You must also wear a face mask indoors and outdoors, maintain 6 feet of social distance and cannot participate in any university-sponsored travel.

In addition to these new guidelines, the COVID task force put the campus back to green status on January 31. This means that all buildings on campus are open without capacity restrictions and that students can return to signing other university students into their dorms. As an important reminder, students should continue to wear masks inside any campus buildings and report any symptoms to CoVerified in order to stop possible transmission and new cases on campus or in the community. For COVID-19 related questions, the COVID Task Force is available at [email protected]. If you need to report symptoms, or if you have any health questions and concerns, contact Health Services at (203) 932-7079.