Coming Back Safe and Strong Update (March 11, 2021)
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March 11, 2021
What You Need to Know, When You Need to Know It
Good News on Vaccines: Expanded Eligibility
We are pleased to share the good news that new groups of employees are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines based on updated NYS Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Program guidance.
On Wednesday, March 10, the age requirement for individuals in NYS moved from 65 to 60 years old.
Also on March 10, in-person essential employees working on campus became eligible.
And as of Wednesday, March 17, eligibility expands further to include all public-facing public employees, including essential public-facing building service workers.
We will continue to make you aware of opportunities as they arise. For your part, please check your eligibility and sign up for an appointment through the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Eligibility website, where appointments are listed for our on-campus site at the R&D Park as well as other State vaccination locations. And speaking of locations …
More Good News: More Vaccination Sites
As supplies from the federal government and, in turn, New York State, continue to become more readily available, the Governor’s Office announced 10 new vaccination locations, including one at our Southampton campus. Details to follow on when this site will open and specific location information.
Good News Aside … Please Continue to Keep Us Safe
With more people getting vaccinated, certain relaxing CDC restrictions and warmer weather tempting a lot of us to perhaps ‘drop our guard’ a little in the COVID-19 battle, please don’t. We stayed open, and accomplished all we did, by practicing healthy habits and following important protocols. And that will be our best path forward.
Even if you are vaccinated, we still require ongoing testing to ensure the health and well-being of our entire campus community. We also continue to emphasize the importance of all of the following ‘best practices’ until SUNY guidance suggests otherwise:
- Wash your hands or use sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available.
- Maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from other people.
- Wear a mask at all times, including in classrooms, conference rooms and other spaces, even when six feet social distancing exists.
- Cover coughs and sneezes and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your workplace every day.
- Avoid using other people’s phones, desks, offices, tools and equipment.