Ithaca College reverted back to a green COVID-19 operating status as of Feb. 4, meaning there is low risk of contracting COVID-19 on campus.
Samm Swarts, assistant director for Emergency Preparedness and Response, alerted the campus community of this change via email and the COVID-19 Tracking Dashboard has been updated to reflect the change. There are currently seven active COVID-19 cases within the student body and nine active employee cases. There are six quarantine rooms being utilized in Emerson Hall to isolate positive students.
The shift to a green operating status means non-academic extracurricular activities can resume in person and there are no restrictions on visitation among residence communities on campus or for outside visitors traveling to campus. In-person learning will continue as it has been since Jan. 31.
The recommendation to return to a green status came from the Health and Safety Advisory Group (HSAG). During the All-College Gathering Feb. 1 Swarts notified the campus community that only 18 positive COVID-19 cases were reported during the check-in process throughout the extended move-in period. During the gathering he said the HSAG has been meeting three times a week in order to ensure campus safety regarding COVID-19.
“The decision to update the college’s operating status follows significant analysis of available data and trends by the HSAG,” Swarts said via email alert. “Enacting this update to our operational status is another exciting step in our efforts to provide a vibrant and engaging IC experience this spring; however, it is imperative that we continue to keep good public health practices at the forefront in order for us to sustain this status moving forward.”
Swarts said via email alert the deadline for students to submit documentation of receiving their booster is Feb. 15 or 30 days after initial eligibility if eligibility falls after the deadline date.
For more information about submitting vaccine documentation, Swarts directed students to visit the college’s vaccine webpage. For local vaccine resources students can access the Tompkins County vaccination page or visit Vaccines.gov.
Questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine or COVID-19 testing can contact [email protected] for further information.
