Important Health and Safety Protocol Updates
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January 27, 2022
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
We are excited to have all campuses fully reopened. To protect the health and safety of our community we have updated our health and safety protocols.
The updates below you may have already noticed as in effect for Spring 2022.
- TESTING PROTOCOL
- Serial Testing: Unvaccinated students/employees AND students/employees not up-to-date with recommended COVID-19 booster doses of vaccine will be required to participate in twice weekly COVID-19 viral testing. Serial testing is at no cost to the student/employee and participation is mandatory. Students/employees will be notified of the days/times for their scheduled tests via the NYFA Symptom Tracker.
- Surveillance Testing: Vaccinated and up-to-date students/employees will be randomly selected to participate in COVID-19 viral testing. Students/employees will be informed that they are selected for testing as soon as they complete the NYFA Symptom Tracker and receive notification of clearance for campus entry. If you are selected for testing, your participation is mandatory.
- MASKS
- All students/employees regardless of vaccination status are required to wear, at all times, well-fitted N95/KN95 respirator masks or masks of comparable quality.
- The reusable masks NYFA distributes to all students/employees feature a highly effective nonwoven composite filter layer, sandwiched between two comfortable fabric layers. When worn properly, the NYFA masks have a filtration performance of > 95%, when the mask is new, and even after 25 washes the NYFA Mask continues to achieve a filtration efficiency of > 90%.
- Students/employees arriving to campus without masks or wearing masks not of comparable quality to the NYFA masks or N95/KN95 respirator masks will be provided a temporary KN95 mask to wear throughout the day to provide the needed and immediate protection to the individual and community. However, it is the responsibility of the student and employee to report to campus each day wearing either the mask provided by NYFA, a N95/KN95 mask or another mask of comparable quality.
- Masks must be worn properly, covering the nose and the mouth at all times.
- EXPOSURE TO A PERSON INFECTED WITH COVID-19
- Post-exposure to COVID-19, all students/employees, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to get a viral COVID-19 test 5-7 days after the last day of exposure and when directed to do so by the campus COVID-19 Team Administrator. The test administered can be NAAT/RT-PCR Test or a Rapid Antigen Test. At-home administered tests approved by the FDA will also be accepted. The COVID-19 Team Administrators will explain how to submit proof of a negative result from tests administered at home.
- Self-Quarantine: Unvaccinated students/employees and students/employees not up-to-date with approved COVID-19 booster doses are required to self-quarantine for 10 days after the last day of exposure. The 10-day quarantine period may be reduced to 5 days, provided a valid negative test result from a test administered at least five days after the last day of exposure is submitted to the campus COVID-19 Team Administrator.
- Fully vaccinated and up-to-date students/employees are exempt from self-quarantine. However, students/employees who are residing with individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 are required to report exposure and seek guidance from the COVID-19 Team Administrator for appropriate course of action.
For detailed information regarding these updates and all protocols designed to the risk of infection spreading within our community, please read the COVID-19 Safety Plan.
For questions, please contact:
LA: covidteamla@nyfa.edu
NY: covidteamny@nyfa.edu
SB: covidteamsb@nyfa.edu
We wish you a safe, inspirational, and enjoyable semester.
With much gratitude,
NYFA COVID Response Team |
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