As of now, academics “are no longer required to submit asymptomatic verification samples” for COVID-19, according to a note from university administrators. The memo, which was sent to the entire student framework on July 28, also says booster shots will no longer be needed, marking a replacement for previous policies.
The memo cited in the email said that “the University continues to monitor the campus” and that it has “adjusted COVID-19 policies to the number of mandatory mitigation measures. “
Since the first wave of COVID-19 in the United States more than two years ago, the University has continuously implemented and reviewed various policies and measures in order to “support a healthy campus,” the memo says. This new update cancels out key parts of the public fitness infrastructure the University has deployed during the pandemic, in line with the shift to “individual responsibility” for COVID-19 that principals reported in the spring.
According to a question-and-answer consultation with the Director of Academic Health Services (UHS) Medical Services, Dr. Melissa Marks, and Assistant Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Robin Izzo, “no new data has emerged to obtain the University to replace its public fitness mitigation,” since the resolution to make the number one series of the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory, effective last fall.
The University’s resolution to remove the reminder mandate is the result of “data suggesting that reminders are for the individual, but not particularly slowing down the transmission of existing COVID variants,” according to the email.
In addition, while “participation in the asymptomatic testing program is no longer mandatory,” the University asks academics and workers to “voluntarily continue the tests per month to monitor the Variants of the University that circulate on campus and are disseminated on the network to tell our strategies. “
Speaking to academics who are at increased risk of contracting a serious illness due to COVID-19, Marks said they deserve to “follow their health care provider’s recommendations about reminders and additional doses,” wear masks in the presence of other people and “avoid imaginable imaginable crowded spaces or spaces with a maximum number of people without a mask.
Masks will no longer be needed in any campus domain, but instructors will “possibly continue to require masks” in training spaces. The memo also calls on the campus network “to be considerate of and respond to requests from others who prefer to wear masks, adding those who would possibly be most at risk. “
As for isolation, university spokeswoman Ayana Okoya said the university operates in a style “in which most COVID-positive academics would self-isolate on the spot,” she wrote in an email to The Daily Princetonian.
“In some circumstances, it’s more productive for the COVID-positive user to replace locations,” or your roommate will be asked to change sleeping places if your check is negative.
Students will also have to “take responsibility” when it comes to touch tracking, Okoya added.
But in the case of a suspected case organization, Okoya said the gym would conduct contact tracing.
Most Ivy League universities have yet to announce their plans to return to campus when it comes to COVID-19. Aside from Princeton, only Yale University and Cornell University have updated their COVID-19 policies for the upcoming school year.
On July 25, 3 days before the Princeton memo, Yale announced that it would continue to require that all students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows “be fully vaccinated, [and] get a booster when eligible. “Yale and Princeton share a similar updated COVID-19 policy.
Cornell announced on July 27 that it did not want the COVID-19 recall and said it will “discontinue its additional PCR (nasal/saliva) control sites on August 31. “all students, university and staff who may wish to check after a trip, participation in large gatherings, illness or possible exposure. “
The memo contained another policy replacement related to campus guests, informing academics that the University had “modified our guest policy to remove the requirement of evidence of certification for campus guests. “With this new policy, “guests will need to be fully vaccinated OR have recently tested negative. “
Building access policies were also changed, allowing public spaces such as the Frist Campus Center, Firestone Library, and University Chapel to be open to the public without access to TigerCard at certain times, as they were before the pandemic.
Workers at the new university will be given five “COVID-19 days” to use as self-isolation days if they test positive for COVID-19 or to care for a person who has tested positive. Similarly, the campus isolation policy for academics continues. adhere to “the isolation needs of the CDC and the NJ Department of Health,” the memo says.
Some academics expressed a sense of confusion and agitation after the announcement. Julia Elman’23 told The Daily Princetonian that she “never imagined” that directors would make testing optional in the fall.
“This is just the nail in Princeton’s coffin that doesn’t care about its students with disabilities,” he said.
“There’s literally no explanation as to why [apply] the tests this semester,” Elman added. “I’ve never felt so insecure in this school. “
Jack Amen ’25 told the “Prince” that he may simply not perceive why “the University would get rid of such simple measures to adopt and cause so little disruption in the call for ‘individual choice. ‘”
But, despite his disappointment, he said he remained hopeful.
“At the end of the day, there’s nothing stopping other people from making the right selection for themselves, so other people will!” he wrote.
Other academics said they were relieved by the announcement, praising what they see as a return to mainstreamness this fall.
Clarissa Allert ’25 said she was “happy that testing is not mandatory this year as it will give a sense of normalcy for next year. “
In the same vein, Konstantin Howard ’24 sent a message to the ‘Prince’ that he ‘already lived in a post-COVID Princeton without testing or masking’ as he had tested positive in the spring semester of 2022, ‘as a giant component’. of the student body. ” Last spring, academics who tested positive were removed from the mandatory testing protocol for the next 90 days.
“As usual, the administration is falling behind the student framework and the country as a whole to come up with this policy right now,” Howard said. “In any case, I am thrilled to be returning to campus for my third year of the fall. “
The University encourages academics to consult the COVID-19 resource “for more information on what to do if your check is positive, welcoming visitors to campus, isolation, etc. “Students can also email covidconnector@princeton. edu for more information. Questions.
This article is corrupted and will be updated as more data becomes available.
Correction: This article in the past stated that all college workers get five days of COVID-19, and has since been updated to reflect that only new workers get them, and that those days can be used to self-isolate. or caring for others who test positive.
Madeleine LeBeau is editor of the “Prince”. You can reach her on mlebeau@princeton. edu, instagram @madeleinelebeau, or twitter @MadeleineLeBeau.
Andrew Somerville is a news editor who has matters related to the U. S. government. In the U. S. , the university and COVID. Se can contact you on jas19@princeton. edu or on Twitter @andr3wsom.