Launching Vaccine Database for Faculty and Staff (Return to Campus this Fall)
Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community,
After nearly 16 months since our initial move to remote learning, we are heartened to be preparing for in-person experiences and the start of the new academic year. Last week, we launched the CMU Vaccine Database with students. Today, we initiate the CMU Vaccine Database with faculty and staff.
We again want to thank everyone who completed the June vaccination survey, which helped inform the further development of our fall campus plans. While we remain vigilant and are always tracking the latest developments surrounding COVID-19, we are encouraged by vaccination rates in the CMU community and in the Pittsburgh region. Vaccination is critical to this next phase of the pandemic response. Research confirms that fully vaccinated individuals are significantly less likely to contract or spread the virus, and if they are infected, their symptoms will likely be less severe.
As announced in May, Carnegie Mellon University is requiring all enrolled students to be vaccinated for COVID-19, effective this fall semester. Due to the strong response of our faculty and staff to the survey, which indicated very high vaccination levels in those populations, we will not be mandating vaccination for them at this time but continue to strongly encourage it. However, in order to participate in relaxed COVID-19 mitigation protocols on campus we are requiring that U.S.-based faculty and staff upload their vaccination documentation into the HealthConnect Portal database. You can follow instructions on the Vaccine Database page on how to upload your information. CMU’s global locations will communicate vaccine and mitigation requirements to their faculty and staff separately, consistent with their regional contexts.
If you are not vaccinated or do not upload documentation of your vaccination into the HealthConnect portal, when on campus you must wear a facial covering (over the nose and mouth) indoors and also outdoors whenever physical distancing of six feet or more cannot be maintained. You must also continue to complete the daily symptom self-assessment and participate weekly in Tartan Testing.
In addition to uploading COVID-19 vaccination records, HealthConnect will also continue to be the tool for scheduling Tartan Testing appointments and for viewing Tartan Testing results.
We will offer on-campus COVID-19 vaccine clinics regularly in August and September for those still needing vaccinations. More details on dates for those clinics will be provided shortly. To assist with our planning, we highly recommend those who anticipate the need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 on campus to indicate their interest on this webpage.
Arrival quarantines will not be required before coming to campus for the fall semester, however all students will be required to complete two baseline asymptomatic COVID-19 tests through Tartan Testing. Information about beginning of the semester testing will be communicated in early August.
We have been inspired by the resilience of our community members throughout the pandemic and are energized by the arrival of our full community at the end of next month. We continue to monitor the spread and impact of COVID-19 within our region and beyond and remain nimble should conditions necessitate a change in our current campus posture. We appreciate your participation to support the health and well-being of our community while we optimistically plan for the new academic year.
Sincerely,
Jim Garrett, Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Gina Casalegno, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Daryl Weinert, Vice President for Operations, Interim Vice President for Research, COVID-19 Coordinator