With nearly 8,000 Cornellians fully vaccinated, Cornell will ease some virus safety measures for those who’ve received their final vaccine dose.
The University will reduce surveillance testing requirements as well as quarantine and travel restrictions for those who are 14 days after their final dose of the vaccine and who have provided Cornell proof of vaccination, Provost Michael Kotlikoff and Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi wrote in a Thursday email.
Beginning April 20, the University will reduce surveillance testing to once a week for fully vaccinated students.
Additionally, while fully vaccinated students still need to request approval to travel outside of the Ithaca area, they won’t need to quarantine when they return from domestic travel. The University continues to recommend scheduling supplemental tests on the first and fourth day back on campus and discourages non-essential domestic and international travel.
Students who aren’t fully vaccinated and travel still must quarantine off campus for five days and complete two surveillance tests before regaining access to campus buildings and their residences.
Contact-tracing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals have already been eased. Fully vaccinated students who are asymptomatic and exposed to someone who tested positive are not required to quarantine. However, those who experience symptoms must self-isolate, complete their Daily Check and schedule telehealth visits with Cornell Health.
As national public health guidelines continue to adapt, these policy changes depend on Cornellians uploading their proof of vaccination, which is required as of Thursday for all students, faculty and staff once they receive their final dose.
“Understanding how many members of our community are vaccinated will allow us to continue to adjust our guidelines while keeping campus safety at the forefront,” the email read. “This information will also enable us to relax certain requirements and restrictions.”
All other restrictions still apply to fully vaccinated students, including social distancing, mask wearing and completing their Daily Check.