Category: All Updates

Although the situation has changed significantly since the pandemic began in spring 2020, we know COVID-19 remains widespread in our region, across the country, and around the world, and we continue to closely monitor conditions. Based on current levels of transmission in St. Louis and in consultation with our team of medical advisors, we plan to take the following steps for fall.

Starting today and for the next two weeks (through April 15), we are strongly encouraging students to wear masks at all in-person gatherings, including in the classroom.

At this time, we feel it is safe to begin pulling back some of our COVID mitigation efforts on campus, and are making the following changes to our masking policy.

While we remain hopeful that the situation will improve as the semester progresses, at this time we feel it’s necessary to take a somewhat cautious approach at first.

We want to share some additional instructions for completing your COVID-19 pre-arrival and entry testing. Please read the following information carefully.

In last week’s message with updates to our plans for the start of the spring semester, we said we would get back to you this week with more information about COVID-19 pre-arrival and entry testing. Please pay close attention to the following instructions.

I am writing today with a brief reminder that in order for us to ship your COVID-19 Pre-Arrival Home Test to the correct address, you need to update your address in WebSTAC by end-of-day TODAY.

As always, our highest priority continues to be the health, safety and well-being of our campus community. With that in mind, we’re writing to share a number of changes that will impact our return to campus for the spring semester.

The COVID Call Center is experiencing overwhelming call volumes. In order to ensure that we meet our critical health care workforce needs, we are initiating the following triaging process effective immediately.

At this time, while we continue to keep a close eye on trends as they develop, we believe our current mitigation efforts remain effective measures to protect our university community against COVID-19. Looking ahead to spring, we plan to continue with our current requirements.

This week, we have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases among vaccinated students. In the majority of instances, these cases are a result of gathering together in groups, off campus, and unmasked. We know the requirements we have in place can feel restrictive, but we must continue to adhere to our COVID-19 public health guidelines.

At this time, Washington University is not requiring boosters for students, faculty and staff. For university community members who would like to receive a booster, appointments are readily available at most public clinics or retail pharmacies.

COVID-19 is still with us. We cannot let our guards down and I wanted to share with all of you some important reminders about safety.

As we prepare to welcome our community back to campus next month, we wanted to reach out to share with you our plans for the fall semester at Washington University.

The university is reinstating its indoor mask requirement, effective immediately, in accordance with the city and county mandates that went into effect today. Masks are again required at indoor gatherings for everyone, regardless of vaccination status or the size of a meeting or gathering.

With the aim of protecting our community and the patients we serve, and returning to full in-person teaching, learning, research and campus life in the fall, we will require all Washington University faculty, staff and trainees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

In order to allow us enough time to prepare for any vaccination clinics that may be needed at the start of the semester, we are asking all students to provide documentation to verify that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by no later than July 15.

At this time, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and our local health departments, as well as the insight of our COVID Monitoring Team, we are making a number of updates to our campus protocols.

We expect most staff will be on campus in the fall, though schools and units may be able to leverage some hybrid and remote working arrangements under limited circumstances.

You’re probably wondering how updated guidance might affect Washington University’s Commencement ceremonies, which are planned for this month for the Classes of 2020 and 2021. We are making the following updates to the protocols that we had originally put in place for these events.

All Washington University students on the Danforth and Medical Campuses will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Students must be fully vaccinated before they arrive on campus for the start of their fall academic term or August 30, whichever comes first.

As you may have seen in the news this morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration have recommended a “pause” in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

With COVID-19 vaccination appointments now available through the university for all students, faculty, staff and family members ages 18 and over, we are in need of volunteers to help staff the vaccination clinic on the Medical Campus, with a critical need for April 12 and 13 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

We are now ready to begin inviting all students to make appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the university. If you have preregistered with the university, you will receive an invitation today to make an appointment starting tomorrow through April 13.

We are planning to resume most of our on-campus activities in the fall. As always, the health and safety of our community will be our number one priority in all decisions.

We are working diligently to create plans that will allow for maximal in-person instruction, with flexibility to comply with any public health restrictions that may still be in place come August.

Starting Monday, walk-in testing will be available to any Washington University student who is concerned that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

We have received a modest number of vaccines and will begin immediately to distribute these to members of the Washington University community and patients within the Washington University Clinics, in accordance with the rules set forth by the state and federal government.

Among some members of our student community, we are seeing some very, very troubling signs when it comes to COVID-19.

In the past 12 months we have proven time and again the resilience of our community, our deep commitment to caring for people, and our ability to act quickly and selflessly in support of the greater good.

We are so pleased to write to you today to let you know that, as long as conditions in the region remain favorable, we will be able to proceed with holding in-person ceremonies for both of your classes.

It is very important for you to know that any symptom, no matter how mild, should be treated as a possible sign of COVID-19.

I am writing to inform you about a cluster of COVID-19 cases we learned about yesterday.

I am writing today to share the good news that, due to the hard work of our entire university community and our improved financial outlook, the Board of Trustees has given approval to resume our salary merit increase program for faculty and staff.

As we begin the spring semester, we wanted to share with you the latest information on COVID-19, in hopes of answering some of the questions that you may have.

We are writing to you today as most of you are preparing to return to St. Louis for the start of the spring semester on Monday, January 25.

We know there are many questions about the vaccine: Who is eligible, how – and importantly when – they will receive it, and how our public health guidelines might be affected as individuals are getting vaccinated. Here is what we know now.

We want to make you aware of a few changes in testing for COVID-19.