January 18, 2022 Weekly CIRT Campus Update
CIRT Update
Published January 18, 2022
Dear students, staff and faculty:
Please ensure that you are checking your email at least once per day in order to receive policy updates and respond to critical contact tracing inquiries.
Below, please find important campus, regional and national updates from the COVID-19 Incident Response Team (CIRT).
Campus Status
Last week, the campus community received a letter on our plans for the spring semester, including the reintroduction of operating modes.
The campus is currently operating in BLUE mode. For an explanation of the college’s color-coded operating modes, please visit Status & Operating Modes.
Employees must PCR test negative before returning to work
All employees (staff and faculty) are now required to receive a negative result from a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to their return to campus. The testing center is open for appointments on weekends through the end of January. Schedule a test at the Smith College testing center here. Employees may also schedule a PCR test in their home communities if travel to campus presents a hardship. Please note that rapid antigen tests are not acceptable for return-to-work clearance.
Testing center hours
The Smith College testing center will be open throughout January in the Campus Center Carroll Room Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, January 22, the testing center will be open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Booster Vaccine Clinic
As of January 21, Smith College is requiring all students, faculty and staff to receive a COVID vaccine booster within 30 days of becoming eligible. The Schacht Center for Health & Wellness is offering a COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Clinic for eligible Smith College Students and Employees on Wednesday, January 26 from 1 pm - 4 pm. Eligible students and employees can choose either Pfizer or Moderna.
Appointments are required - sign up here. Please bring your vaccine card to the appointment.
You can get your booster:
- 5 months after your 2nd dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; or
- 5 months after your 2nd dose of the the Moderna vaccine (18+); or
- 2 months after your single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine; or
- Pfizer-BioNTech booster 5 months after your 2nd dose of a WHO approved vaccine.
At-Home Rapid Test Reimbursements
Beginning on January 15, 2022, eligible costs of up to eight FDA-authorized, rapid, at-home COVID tests per member per month will be covered for those enrolled in a Smith Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. Please visit Blue Cross Blue Shield's or the Smith Benefit page for program details and logistics.
Positive Tests from Outside the Smith College Testing Program
Students and employees: If you have tested positive for COVID-19 outside of the Smith College testing program or believe you are a close contact to someone who has tested positive outside of the Smith College testing program, please contact testingandtracing@smith.edu.
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