Spring 2022 - Important Campus Health Information

Welcome back Skyhawks!

I hope all of you have managed to stay safe and healthy over the break. While you were gone, winter came to Durango! We got some much-needed snow, hosted a ton of tourists and I decided to binge-watch the Game of Thrones (again).

As you’ve seen, COVID-19 and the Omicron variant continue to surge across the country, and Durango is no exception. We have been preparing over the break and FLC is ready to welcome you back to a safe, in-person experience. We have secured additional isolation space, scaled up our COVID response, increased testing capacity, and contracted with local providers for free on-campus vaccination clinics. Oh yeah, and we bought more masks… Be sure to stop by the Student Union Info Desk, Skyhawk Station, Reed Library, or the Student Life Center to get a free surgical mask.

Health risks with the Omicron variant are lower, but transmission is much higher. As such, it’s likely each of us will be impacted by COVID in some way this semester, either knowing a friend or family member who has been exposed or being exposed ourselves. It’s important that we prepare ourselves for these disruptions, and know that the best action you can take is to get vaccinated and boosted when you are eligible. If you have a current vaccination or booster, you will not be required to quarantine when coming in contact with a positive case. If you choose to take an exemption from this policy, odds are you will be in quarantine multiple times this semester, removing you from classes and fun social activities.

Once again, we will be relying on the Health Passes on your FLC App to ensure everyone engaging on campus is compliant with our Vaccination/Booster Policy and is symptom-free (see below for Health Pass FAQs). If you are eligible for a booster, and not boosted yet, you are required to get boosted before coming to campus or show proof of a negative test result within 72 hours of engaging on-campus in-person. If you need a test, get tested at an official site in your community or get tested at the FLC Testing Site. Upload updated booster information or test results to the Health Center’s secure upload portal. Beginning this week, if you are not compliant with the vaccine policy and booster requirement, you will have a red health pass.

If you’ve recently tested positive for COVID, you will be considered exempt from the vaccination policy for 90 days after your positive test. To be considered for this exemption, and ensure you have a Green Health Pass, upload a positive test result through the Health Center’s secure upload portal.

I look forward to seeing you in person this semester! See below for how you can do your part to help keep our community safe.

Help Keep Our Community Safe

  • DON’T COME TO CAMPUS IF YOU ARE SICK OR EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS
  • Use the FLC App daily to identify your symptoms, stay home, and get tested if you don’t feel well.
  • Take a COVID-19 test in your community and make sure you’re negative before coming back to campus.
  • While indoors, wear an appropriate mask that fits snuggly over your nose and mouth and has a nose wire. Blue surgical masks will be available at the Student Union Welcome Desk, at Skyhawk Station, the Student Life Center, and the Library.
  • Get Vaccinated/Boosted once you’re eligible.

Vaccinations and Boosters Offered on Campus 

  • The Student Life Center will host Vaccination/Booster Clinics January 18-28th to make it easy for students returning to FLC. Hours of Operation will be 11am-4pm Monday-Saturday.
  • Schedule your booster appointment at the Student Life Center or find a clinic today by visiting sjbpublichealth.org/covid-19-vaccine/. For more information, contact 970.247.5702.
  • FLC will host additional on-campus clinics February 8-10th and March 8-10th for students who become eligible for a booster later this semester. Check your FLC email for appointment information.

Testing at the Stadium Lot on Fort Lewis College’s Campus

  • The FLC Testing Site has expanded hours over this week to help accommodate students moving back to FLC. This week, the FLC Testing Site will be open Monday-Saturday from 7am-3pm.
  • Next week, the testing site will return to normal hours from 7am-3pm Monday-Friday and 7am-12pm on Saturdays.
  • Register for your COVID-19 Test at fortlewis.edu/covid19testing or on the Fort Lewis App. 

Health Pass FAQs

When will I have a Red Health Pass?

  • Students who are not in compliance with our Vaccination Policy and booster requirement, are symptomatic, are COVID positive, or are a close contact with a positive case will have a Red Health Pass and are not allowed to engage in person.  

How will the vaccination/booster requirement impact the Health Pass?

  • Students who are compliant with the vaccination policy and booster requirement will have a Green Health Pass. This includes all students who have been vaccinated and boosted, as well as students who were granted an exemption and have fulfilled the weekly testing requirement.
  • Students who have claimed an exemption will be required to test prior to engaging on campus. Students who do not meet the vaccine/booster requirement will have a Red Health Pass and will need to test weekly.

What if I recently tested positive for COVID-19?

  • Avoid travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date of your positive test if you had no symptoms.
  • If you tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days, you will be exempt from the booster/vaccination policy until 90 days after your positive test date. Upload your positive test result information to the Health Center’s secure upload portal to be eligible for this exemption.
  • It is recommended you get a booster as soon as you are eligible and symptom-free.

When am I eligible to receive a booster?

  • You are eligible for a booster 5 months after the Moderna series, 5 months after Pfizer, and 2 months after Johnson & Johnson.

What if I’m not eligible for the booster yet?

  • If you are not yet eligible for the booster, you will have a Green Health Pass. Once eligible to receive a booster, you will have 14 days to come into compliance. After 14 days, your pass will be turned red until uploading booster documentation. 

What if I’m fully vaccinated and I don’t want a booster? 

  • We highly encourage you to get boosted and help protect our community. If you choose not to, you will need to submit an exemption, take weekly COVID tests, and quarantine if you are exposed to a positive case. 

Need Red Health Pass help?

Who should I contact with additional questions?  

 

In health,

Jeff Dupont  |  (He/Him)

Dean of Student Engagement

Skyhawk Station

Fort Lewis College