COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements and Guidance
| June 9th, 2021 Dear NYFA South Beach Community, The driving force behind our vaccination effort is to protect the health and safety of our community to the fullest extent possible, and to enable our students to engage in-person and more fully in various aspects of NYFA life than they have since the onset of the pandemic. NYFA strongly encourages all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible for the 2021/2022 academic year. Our level of vaccination will determine how much we are able to be on campus together and what restrictions we will need to employ. If we do not reach a sufficient level of vaccination in our community we will be vulnerable to spread of the virus, periodic quarantines, and possibly the need to revert to remote online instruction. This is why we are requesting that all students submit a scanned copy of their vaccination card (instructions noted below) by Monday, August 2, 2021. Once we see the percentage of vaccination in our South Beach community we will let you know the updated South Beach COVID-19 mitigation policies. Please keep in mind that if you are not fully vaccinated, you will be required to get a weekly PCR test in order to be on campus, at a local Miami Dade testing site. NYFA will no longer be administering on campus tests. Please read carefully the following information describing how you can be part of NYFA’s COVID-19 Vaccination efforts. Reporting Your Vaccination by Submitting Your COVID-19 Vaccination Card New Long-Term Students, New Short-Term Students, and Students Returning from Withdrawal: Please upload a photo/copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Card to the Student Application Portal by August 2, 2021. If you cannot get your vaccine by this time, or you have a religious or medical exemption please reach out to covidteamsb@nyfa.edu with an explanation or medical letter. Continuing Students and Students Returning From Leave of Absence: Please upload a photo/PDF/copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Card, as soon as possible and no later than August 2, 2021 to the Continuing Student Registration Form (accessible on the Student Hub, as of June 7, 2021) indicating that you are fully vaccinated. If you have already submitted your Vaccination Card to the COVID-19 Administrator, no further action is required at this time. Employees: Please upload a photo/PDF/copy of your COVID-19 Vaccination Card to the Employee Paycom Portal by the date designated by HR. (Current employees, please upload proof of immunization against COVID-19 on or before August 2, 2021). The COVID-19 Vaccination Card should indicate that you are fully vaccinated and that the second or only needed dose of an authorized vaccine was administered at least 14 days prior to the first day you are scheduled to work for the 2021/2022 academic year. Employees who have already submitted proof of immunization against COVID-19 are also advised to upload photos/PDFs/copies of their COVID-19 Vaccination Cards to the Employee Paycom Portal on or before August 2, 2021. Securing a Vaccination Vaccination is free and available in the United States for any person 12 years of age or older. Please, visit www.vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site near you. Also, the Miami Beach Convention Center on 17th street and Convention Center drive (around the corner from NYFA South Beach campus) offers free vaccines, with no appointment needed, from 8am-7pm daily. For more information on this and other Miami-Dade vaccine sites please see: http://miamidade.floridahealth.gov/important-information/_documents/md-test-vac-sites.pdf Q: Why is NYFA asking students and employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? A: Only with a high level of COVID-19 vaccinations for students and employees can NYFA safely and comfortably offer in person instruction and the robust campus experience provided during pre-pandemic times. The COVID -19 vaccination of our community is recommended by the American College Health Association (ACHA). A high level of COVID-19 vaccination at NYFA will also help alleviate the anxiety and fear faculty, staff and students may have about being infected by SARS-CoV-2 while being on campus and participating in NYFA activities. Q: How can NYFA recommend a vaccine that is approved for emergency use only? A: Hundreds of reputable colleges and universities around the country are requesting, or in the states that allow it, mandating the COVID-19 vaccinations for students and employees in preparation for Fall 2021. NYFA South Beach campus’s position urging students, faculty and staff to inoculate themselves against COVID-19 is consistent with current Florida law. Q: Do I have to pay to be vaccinated? A: No. COVID-19 vaccinations are free in the US and in countries around the world. Q: Should I get the vaccine if I have previously had COVID-19 and test positive for antibodies? A: Yes. In compliance with CDC guidance, NYFA recommends that you get vaccinated, even though you are fully recovered from COVID-19. It remains unclear as to how long those with prior COVID-19 illness remain protected against new infections. IMPORTANT: If you received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma while treated for severe COVID-19, consult with your healthcare provider before getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Q: Should students under age 18 be required to be vaccinated? A: Yes. Since the COVID-19 vaccine is available in the US to any person 12 years of age or older, all short-term and long-term students eligible for vaccination should be fully vaccinated before attending in-person classes or activities. Q: What does it mean to be fully vaccinated? A: In accordance with public health guidelines, students and employees will be considered fully vaccinated once they have received all needed doses of vaccines approved by the F.D.A., W.H.O., or other vaccines approved by a country’s drug regulatory agency (upon review and approval of NYFA’s public health consultant) when: Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna: Two weeks or more have passed since receiving the second dose. Johnson & Johnson/Janssen: Two weeks or more have passed since receiving one dose of a single-dose vaccine. Vaccines not approved in the US but approved by the W.H.O: Two or more weeks have passed since receiving the terminal dose of an approved vaccine. Vaccines approved not by F. D. A and not by the W. H. O, but approved by drug regulatory agencies in countries outside the US (upon review and approval of NYFA public health consultant): Two weeks or more have passed since receiving the terminal dose of an approved vaccine. Q: How long does the vaccine last? A: The duration of immunity conferred by the approved COVID-19 vaccines remains unknown. Although some infectious disease experts suggest that immunity may last for years, the large and reviewed studies, at this time, suggest that immunity derived from the authorized vaccines lasts at least 6 months and possibly longer; the need for booster vaccines or annual immunization is currently being investigated. Q: Where can I get reliable information about the vaccines- the risk of side effects and the effectiveness of each vaccine? A: 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 date, 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. Q: How will vaccination affect the existing NYFA health and safety protocols? A: With a significant majority of students/employees vaccinated against COVID-19, NYFA hopes to be able to safely relax many of the present safety protocols. NYFA‘s ventilation and cleaning/disinfecting protocols will remain in accordance with CDC guidelines and state and local public health department directives. Students/employees will remain responsible for practicing good personal hygiene, staying home when sick, and getting tested for COVID-19 when experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms. It will be especially important for students/employees who are not vaccinated to observe all CDC health and safety guidelines proven effective for minimizing exposure to the virus and offering protection from contracting COVID-19. More information on the health and safety protocols that will be required for fall semester will be communicated to the community as fall semester approaches and NYFA receives clear directives from local and state public health departments. Questions and Support? For questions and support please reach out to your campus COVID-19 Administrators: covidteamsb@nyfa.edu We are excited to begin the 2021/2022 academic year with the opportunity to learn and work together, in-person, and with hearts and minds relieved of fear. And we are abundantly grateful to all of you for honoring your pledge to safeguard the health and well-being of the NYFA community! With appreciation and hope, The NYFA COVID-19 Response Team |