Latest communications

As the state of Missouri continues to work through its COVID-19 Vaccination Plan, we are keeping a close eye on developments and will communicate with the university community as new information becomes available.

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.

After careful consideration, we have decided to make the following changes to the academic calendar for the spring semester.

COVID-19 cases are increasing significantly in the St. Louis region and on our campus. Did you know that eating with others is the main driver of this transmission in our campus community?

As we approach the final weeks of the fall semester, it is now time to turn our attention to spring, and what the next semester will look like at Washington University.

With the current increase of COVID-19 cases on campus and in the St. Louis region, we want to inform you that we are preparing to implement new dining guidelines, beginning next week.

Because of the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission due to personal interactions around the holiday, undergraduate students who choose to travel more than 60 miles outside of the St. Louis region will not be allowed to return to campus for the remainder of the fall semester.

We are now heading into what could be a pivotal time period, and perhaps now more than ever, we must remain nimble and be prepared to shift our strategy.