Updated Aug. 5, 2021 (8:35 a.m.)
To the campus community:
We hope you are enjoying the summer. We are excited about the in-person fall semester that begins in just a few weeks but recognize some planning and protocols may need to be adjusted as COVID-19 variants emerge. The high vaccination rate within our community is incredibly helpful as the most serious consequences of COVID-19 infections, namely hospitalizations and deaths, are largely occurring in unvaccinated individuals. Still, we must remain vigilant.
As part of this vigilance and due to the fact that Northampton County and surrounding areas are seeing substantial and increasing spread of new COVID-19 cases, effective immediately all members of the community are required to wear a mask inside campus buildings when in shared spaces (except for students when in residence halls). Our current plan is to mask indoors through at least the first two weeks of the fall semester as we continue to review county data and monitor our own COVID-19 cases with the goal of easing indoor masking protocols for our vaccinated population sometime in September.
We will hold a faculty and staff town hall at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11 to answer any questions regarding the in-person semester that begins later this month. Please register in advance. In the meantime please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Sincerely,
Lafayette’s COVID-19 Action Group
covid-19@lafayette.edu