New York Film Academy
April 22, 2021

Dear NYFA Students, Faculty and Staff,

As the eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations has recently expanded to include all individuals, ages 16 and older, NYFA is updating its policies to include guidelines for the students, faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated. The guidelines described below align with CDC and local and state public health departments directives.

GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL FOR THE FULLY VACCINATED

The CDC continues to discourage nonessential travel for those who are fully vaccinated. NYFA’s Travel Policy also clearly states that nonessential travel is prohibited.

However, if you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the following is possible:
  • If you are arriving from a destination outside your campus region to begin your NYFA program, you are not required to self-quarantine before participating in your first NYFA in-person class or activity.
  • Upon return from essential travel during the semester, within or outside the United States, you are not required to self-quarantine upon return to your campus region.
  • F1 International Students with questions regarding travel, please contact the appropriate International Student Office:
  • All students and employees preparing for essential travel are encouraged to research the travel restrictions for their destinations.
GUIDELINES AFTER EXPOSURE TO COVID-19 FOR THE FULLY VACCINATED

If you are fully vaccinated against COVID -19 and you have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19:
  • You will not be required to self-quarantine.
  • You are encouraged to monitor for COVID-19 related symptoms for 14 days.
  • If you experience one or more COVID-19 related symptoms you are required to self-isolate and immediately get a COVID-19 RT-PCR diagnostic test.
GUIDELINES FOR COVID-19 TESTING FOR THE FULLY VACCINATED

If you are fully vaccinated, you are not required to be tested for COVID-19:
  • when selected for surveillance testing
If you are fully vaccinated, you are required to get an RT-PCR COVID-19 diagnostic test:
  • when you experience one or more COVID-19 related symptoms (symptom testing)
  • at the start of each semester (pre-entry testing)
  • when participating in production/production workshops, according to campus and departmental guidelines (pre-production testing)
SUBMITTING PROOF OF COVID-19 VACCINATION

To receive the above exemptions from quarantine or testing protocols, students, faculty, and staff are required to submit photos of their valid CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to their COVID-19 Team Administrators. Vaccination cards are viewed and stored in accordance with all relevant privacy regulations.

Once you are fully vaccinated, please send your vaccination cards to:Students, faculty and staff who submit valid proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will be afforded the above exemptions.

Until new research and guidance emerges, vaccination exemptions will expire 6 months after the date of administration of either the second of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.


GENERAL HEALTH AND TRAVEL GUIDELINES FOR THE FULLY VACCINATED

People are considered fully vaccinated when:
  • Two weeks or more have passed since you received your second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series (Pfizer- BioNTech or Moderna); or
  • Two weeks or more have passed since you received your dose of a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen); or
  • Adequate time has passed since you received all required doses of the vaccine authorized in your home country, so that the authorized vaccine administered has reached its full effectiveness.
People Who Are Fully Vaccinated Can Do the Following When Not Present On Campus (NY students residing in EHS must adhere to EHS health and safety protocols):
  • Visit indoors with a small number of other fully vaccinated people without wearing masks or physically distancing.
  • Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without wearing masks or physical distancing, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
  • Refrain from quarantine and testing when exposed to a person with confirmed COVID-19. However, those fully vaccinated who have been in close contact with person(s) with COVID-19 must monitor symptoms for 14 days, and if experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms, self-isolate and get an RT-PCR COVID-19 diagnostic test.
People Who Are Fully Vaccinated Should Continue to:
  • Take steps to protect themselves and others by wearing masks, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. These precautions should be taken whenever they are:
    • In public.
    • Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household.
    • Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who lives with a person at increased risk.
  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings.
People Who Are Fully Vaccinated Can Travel with Caution and Planning:
  • If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested for COVID-19 before or after travel.
  • If you travel outside the United States, you do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.

GETTING VACCINATED IN YOUR CAMPUS REGION

Large scale clinical studies have conclusively determined that all of the vaccines approved for use in the United States prevent most people from developing severe illness. COVID-19 vaccinations are also an important tool in ending the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please consult the CDC for updated and detailed information regarding all we presently know about the vaccines and what we hope to learn from ongoing research.

To find out where to get a vaccination and what you may need to bring to the vaccination site to prove your eligibility for the vaccine (such as proof of age and proof of where you live or work), visit:

NYFA RESOURCES

Should you need clarification of any of the above information, please contact your COVID-19 Team Administrator.

To report a positive COVID-19 test result, please also contact your COVID-19 Team Administrator.

All COVID-19 Team Administrators are trained to adhere to all relevant privacy laws and provide best practice guidance in contact tracing and health and safety protocols.We remain supremely grateful to all of you, as we work together, with kindness and strength, to keep our community healthy and safe.

NYFA COVID-19 Response Team