March 18, 2021: Campus COVID Updates and Reminders

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To the campus community,

We are writing to share a number of important COVID-19 updates, in light of recent changes to the State of Connecticut’s plans.

Effective tomorrow, Connecticut’s governor has relaxed a number of restrictions across the state, including no longer requiring offices to maintain a 50 percent occupancy limit. The University will generally follow the 50 percent occupancy of offices for the time being while cabinet members will continue to guide and direct staffing for their divisions.

In addition, the governor has accelerated the state’s age-based vaccine distribution plan. As of tomorrow, all individuals aged 45 and older may schedule their appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations. Scheduling will open to all individuals aged 16 and older tentatively beginning on April 5. (Please note that this new phase starting April 5 combines the 35 to 44 age range and the 16 to 34 age range, which had previously each been scheduled during separate weeks later in the spring.) The University encourages everyone to get vaccinated when you have the chance to do so.

March 16, 2021: March 16 Update

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Dear students,

I write to update you on changes to campus COVID plans. Middletown’s alert level remains Orange, which is based on the number of cases reported in the city.  In an effort to keep Wesleyan’s on-campus positivity rate low, please remember to adhere to our safety measures. Moving forward, the restrictions outlined in the March 9 message will continue with a few adjustments:

Public Health Update – March 11, 2021

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To the Wesleyan Community,

Things are looking up! As we enter into the spring, we should see greater production, distribution, and availability of COVID-19 vaccines. I am cautiously optimistic that by the summer, anyone who desires the vaccine will have the opportunity to receive it. Learn more about the State of Connecticut’s vaccination phases.

In light of the low positivity rate on campus as well as in Middletown, Wesleyan is cautiously easing some restrictions. As Dean Rick Culliton said in his March 9 memo, the University is planning for a limited schedule of outdoor spring sports, if pandemic conditions remain stable. With safety foremost in mind, the athletic department will be conducting additional pre-competition antigen testing of athletes and coaches. There will be no overnight stays, no outside spectators, and the travel radius will be limited. Moreover, if athletes and coaches test positive prior to a competition, that event will be cancelled. Athletes, like all students, will continue to adhere to the twice-weekly campus testing requirement. Visit Athletics to review the complete list of protocols.

COVID Safety and Spring Sports Update – March 9, 2021

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To the Wesleyan Community:

The Pandemic Planning Committee continues to monitor conditions on campus and in the surrounding community. Campus has seen only a small number of COVID-19 cases, which are attributable, we believe, to students visiting one another without wearing masks. The success of this semester depends on everyone taking the COVID safety precautions – wearing masks, maintaining appropriate distance and limiting indoor interactions. 

We are encouraged by the declining positivity rates in the surrounding community, with Middletown lowering its alert level from Red to Orange. Wesleyan’s alert level remains at yellow. Wearing a mask in public – whether on campus or off – is still critical for reducing risk to the campus community. With warmer weather this week, we ask you to look for opportunities to meet with others outside rather than inside to reduce risk of transmission.

Public Health Update – March 5, 2021

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To the Wesleyan Community:

The State of Connecticut continues to provide updates to the vaccine rollout schedule and recently announced a shift to age-based eligibility for vaccines (with the exception that all who work in education grades K-12 are now eligible). The state is making excellent progress: 75 percent of those ages 75 and older are vaccinated, while 52 percent of those ages 65-74 are vaccinated. Vaccinations are now available for those 55 and older. The rollout schedule for the coming months remains subject to change, and we will keep the campus community apprised of important developments.

February 24, 2021: Vaccine Rollout and Webinar

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Governor Lamont recently announced the plan for further rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Unlike previous plans for essential workers and those with pre-existing medical conditions, the new plan will be based solely on an individual’s age (with the exception of educators in pre-K through 12). On March 1, individuals 55 and older are eligible to begin scheduling appointments.

The governor’s medical team put considerable thought into this approach, and I believe it makes a lot of sense.

The age-based rollout has been successful in some European countries. The CDC rollout, in contrast, has been fraught with uncertainty over who qualifies as an essential worker and who is at high risk.

February 23, 2021: Vaccine Eligibility

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Dear friends,

I trust this note finds you well and safe. Connecticut is in phase 1b of the vaccine rollout, in which those 55 and older will be eligible to register to receive the vaccine beginning on March 1. The state has altered its rollout strategy and will continue to use aged-based eligibility, which is designed to simplify the scheduling and administration of COVID-19 vaccines for both recipients and providers alike.

Employees who fall into this category (55 and older) can find information about scheduling an appointment for their vaccine on the state’s website.

February 21, 2021: Campus Life After Quarantine

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Tomorrow, we will emerge from our initial campus-wide quarantine. I want to thank you all for your patience and cooperation in following quarantine protocols. I know they are challenging, but your participation has been critical in starting off our spring as safely as possible.

As we enter the next phase of the semester, I write with important information about campus life post-quarantine starting February 22.

February 17, 2021: Public Health Update

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To the Wesleyan Community:

We are past the halfway mark for our post-arrival self-quarantine, and we can report that our numbers are very promising. The combination of pre-arrival testing and twice weekly testing on campus, arrival quarantine, and the spot use of rapid antigen tests is working. The most important factor is compliance by Wesleyan students. You have risen to the occasion. Thank you!

In light of these reassuring numbers, we have been able to relax some quarantine restrictions a bit for the second week. For more information, please review the latest updates on the Keep Wes Safe web pages.

February 15, 2021: Arrival Quarantine Update

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Dear students,

As we begin the second week of classes and campus-wide quarantine, I want to thank you for your continued efforts at following quarantine protocols and COVID-19 safety precautions. We have been able to maintain positivity rates well below the levels predicted by our modeling despite the new variants of COVID in the U.S. Thanks to your cooperation, we are making modifications to the second week of quarantine for everyone who arrived by February 8 and has had two or more negative on-campus COVID tests. That said, it remains crucial that students continue to stay on campus through the end of quarantine (February 22). In those rare cases where a student needs to leave campus, that person must seek prior approval from the medical staff of Davison Health Center.