Spring 2022 COVID-19 Info: On-campus quarantine will be unavailable to students who are booster-eligible but haven’t gotten boosted yet

New Paltz students who live on campus will not be permitted to quarantine on campus if they are eligible for a booster but haven’t gotten it yet.

If unboosted students are exposed to COVID-19 and directed to quarantine during the spring 2022 semester, they will be responsible for arranging their quarantine at home or another off-campus location, except in some rare cases.

These students will still be permitted to isolate on campus if they test positive for COVID-19.

We will work to accommodate unvaccinated and unboosted students who cannot quarantine off campus due to personal safety, housing insecurity or related situations.

Those who are not vaccinated because they have a medical or religious exemption will still be permitted to use on-campus isolation and quarantine space if they test positive or are exposed.

The College is adjusting this policy to manage and protect our capacity to isolate students in on-campus housing. This approach is in line with SUNY guidance for spring 2022 and with policies in place at other SUNY campuses.

 

A few reminders about our quarantine/isolation protocols

Members of our community will be directed to isolate the day they test positive for COVID-19 plus five additional days. They will then be directed to mask at all times while around others for five additional days. This policy is consistent regardless of vaccination status.

Quarantine directives are issued for those who are identified as a close exposure of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, unless the close exposure is up-to-date on their vaccination.

Those who are vaccinated and boosted (or vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster) will not be directed to quarantine after an exposure. Those who are boosted will not be required to participate in surveillance testing after the start of the semester.

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days will also not be directed to quarantine if exposed to the virus.

 

The bottom line for students: Get boosted as soon as you’re eligible!

The vast majority of SUNY New Paltz students (97%) helped protect our community by getting their first round of vaccination for the fall 2021 semester.

SUNY is now requiring all students at all campuses to get boosted as soon as they are eligible.

In spring 2022 at New Paltz, those who are boosted

According to the CDC, you are eligible for the COVID-19 booster if:

You got the Moderna vaccine (second dose) five months ago

You got the Pfizer vaccine (second dose) five months ago

You got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (single dose) two months ago

The CDC says you may choose what vaccine to get as your booster shot; you can stay with the same variety or mix and match.

Boosters are widely available, though appointments are often necessary in advance. The national database at Vaccines.gov is a great place to start looking for an appointment in the U.S.