Spring 2023: COVID-19 Plan
(Updated January 11, 2023)

• VACCINATION AND BOOSTER REQUIREMENTS
• MASK POLICY
• HOUSING AND COMMUNAL SPACES
• CONTACT TRACING
• ISOLATION AND EXPOSURE
• TRAVEL
• METRICS AND EARLY WARNING
• TESTING
• VISITOR POLICY
• ATHLETICS
• GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY FACILITIES
  

CUNY remains dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff for the Spring 2023 semester. We continue to adhere to the latest CDC guidance and any requirements from New York State and New York City

VACCINATION AND BOOSTER REQUIREMENTS
The emergency mandate for Covid vaccinations for students has been lifted as of May 23, 2023. All students, faculty and staff are still encouraged to stay current with vaccines and boosters. Please note: Lehman College is still maintaining a closed campus and students are required to show their valid ID to enter.

MASK POLICY
At this time, CUNY does not require face masks.

Anyone who would like to continue wearing masks in any setting is welcome to do so at any time. Due to the increased rates of COVID-19, seasonal flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), the NYC Health Department strongly recommends the use of masks. Masks will continue to be available on campus and offices.

Faculty, staff and students who are still not vaccinated are urged to continue to wear a mask. Mask requirements associated with isolation and quarantine as referenced later in these guidelines remain in effect.

Those who choose to wear a mask should continue to follow CDC guidance on acceptable face coverings.

Note, campuses may still require employees to wear protective PPE masks due to the nature of their work. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards.

HOUSING AND COMMUNAL SPACES
Given that vaccines will be mandatory for students living in campus housing, housing and dorms will resume normal operations with 100% of occupants fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated students may not live in campus housing. Campus housing must ensure that adequate space is reserved for those residents who may need to isolate or quarantine. Protocols, such as those suggested by the American College Health Association, should be in place to care for those residents in isolation.

CONTACT TRACING
CUNY will continue to aid in the identification of exposures, and notify close contacts, as appropriate, of exposure as soon as possible after being notified that someone in the campus has tested positive or been diagnosed with COVID-19.

CDC Guidance that CUNY and Campuses will continue to follow:

• As soon as possible after they are notified that someone has tested positive for or been diagnosed with COVID-19, campuses should notify close contacts of exposure, in accordance with applicable privacy and other laws.
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms should isolate and notify their close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and refer close contacts to the state or local health department website to learn about the steps they should take because of the exposure.

ISOLATION AND EXPOSURE
CUNY continues to follow the latest CDC guidance on isolation and exposure. Any students, staff or faculty who test positive with COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 must follow these guidelines, as outlined below, prior to returning to campus. If you are required to isolate or quarantine, you must receive a negative test or doctor’s certification prior to returning to campus.

Test results will be accepted from CUNY testing sites or other licensed test providers.

• Isolation Guidelines if You Test Positive for COVID-19 

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status:

• • Stay home for 5 days (day 0 is your first day of symptoms, or the day of your first positive test if you do not develop symptoms).
  • If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
  • In order to return to CUNY after isolation, you must receive a negative PCR or antigen test (we strongly recommend an antigen test, if available).
    • Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved.
    • If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. Following day 10 you must receive a negative PCR or antigen test before returning to CUNY.
    • In lieu of a negative test, individuals may provide a doctor’s certification that they have recovered from COVID-19.
  • Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 additional days; if you cannot wear a mask, continue to isolate for 5 days.
  • If you have a fever, continue isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
  • If you were severely ill with COVID-19 you should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation.

• If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status:

• • You do not need to quarantine.
  • Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days.
  • Get tested at least 5 days after your close contact (the date of your exposure is considered day 0); if you test positive, stay home and isolate per guidelines above.
  • If your exposure is from someone you live with, you must reach out to your Campus Coronavirus Liaison.
  • If you develop symptoms, get a test, stay home and follow the isolation guidelines above.

TRAVEL
All individuals should follow the CDC domestic travel recommendations and international travel recommendations before reporting to work or campus and notify their manager in advance of the travel dates and should quarantine be required.

Any students, faculty or staff engaging in official travel on behalf of CUNY must follow the latest approval requirements for domestic and international travel.

METRICS AND EARLY WARNING
CUNY will continue to monitor campus and community infection rates. CUNY Central Office will consult with campus leadership to determine the best course of action for additional safety protocols or scaling back campus activity, if necessary. Any decisions on shutting down particular buildings/areas within campuses, individual campuses, or multiple campuses, as appropriate, will be made by the Chancellery/COO’s Office in consultation with local/State authorities.

Campuses must have a shutdown plan in place to respond rapidly. Campuses should rely on previously developed shutdown plans and consult the Reclosing Protocols: CUNY’s Guide for Safely Closing On-Campus Operations, for additional information on criteria for shutdown and shutdown protocols.

TESTING
The CUNY testing program has ended and all campus testing sites are now closed."

Self-Screening
Before coming to campus, each member of the community is expected to monitor your symptoms, stay away from others if you feel sick, and get tested at a public testing site if you have any symptoms. CUNY safeCircle testing sites should not be used if you have symptoms.

VISITOR POLICY
CUNY will no longer require a proof of vaccine or recent negative test for visitors. CUNY’s campuses and buildings should return to their standard protocols for visitors.

ATHLETICS
For safety protocols and updates regarding CUNY’s athletics programs, see the CUNY Athletic Conference Return to Sport Plan.

For additional information on safely participating in athletics, schools may consult the NCAA’s Training and Competition Guidelines.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY FACILITIES
CUNY will maintain many approaches to limit the spread of communicable disease. These include regular and enhanced cleaning, safe disinfection when necessary, improved ventilation and maintaining healthy facilities

Spring 2023 Coronavirus Updates and Resources

Lehman College and The City University of New York are following guidelines from the NYC Health Department, New York State Education Department, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Please be sure that you are registered with CUNYAlert, which will text, phone, and email you with important University-wide notifications.

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