Boosters
The CDC recently announced expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots. They are covered by insurance with no copay and readily available at pharmacies and vaccine clinics. Students, faculty, and staff may ride LANTA buses at no cost with a Lafayette ID.
Though the definition may change, the CDC continues to describe people as fully vaccinated when they are two weeks past their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. However, the CDC recommends a booster if you are two months past your initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine and endorses the mix-and-match strategy that allows you to receive a booster of one of the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna).
The CDC also expanded eligibility for boosters of the mRNA vaccines to include individuals 65 and over, individuals 18-49 with a wider range of underlying conditions, and anyone over the age of 18 with frequent institutional exposure, which includes settings such as residential colleges. Individuals who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are eligible for a booster six months after the initial dose.
Testing
The CDC recently amended its recommendation for when fully vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should be tested. It now recommends a screening test 5-7 days post exposure as opposed to 3-5 days.
Masking
We committed to masking indoors when the semester began because the county transmission rate was high and we were not certain what our campus experience would be. The county transmission rate remains high, and we saw in September that even among our fully vaccinated population COVID-19 cases can emerge and rise rapidly. We continue to monitor the county numbers and evaluate our own experiences on campus but are not yet ready to change the indoor masking expectation.
Your care and concern for each other is important to our overall success, and we appreciate your continued support for the health of the community.
COVID-19 Action Group