Green Mode To Begin Monday, February 28

CIRT Update

Published February 22, 2022

Dear students, staff and faculty:

On Monday, February 28, Smith College will move to the green operating mode, barring any significant developments. 

As we noted in our February 1, 2022, letter, campus and public health data support this change. Our caseloads are low; on-campus spread is limited, quickly identified and addressed; and data continue to show the low risk of serious health impacts of COVID-19 to fully vaccinated individuals. As a reminder, more than 99% of our community is fully vaccinated.

Notably, there are three significant changes in green mode operations. 

  1. Masking will be optional in student houses for vaccinated Smith students in the testing program. We welcome and encourage continued masking for those who wish to do so.
  2. Invited guests will be welcome in Smith residences and are asked to wear masks in residential gatherings (parties, events, etc.)
  3. Individual presenters (faculty, lecturers, presenters at employee or student meetings, etc.) may choose to go maskless during their presentations. This will be at the discretion of the course instructor or meeting organizer.

The following guidance is unchanged in green mode.

  1. Mandatory student and employee testing will continue to be twice weekly through at least Friday, March 18.
  2. Masks continue to be mandatory in all academic and administrative buildings. 

For full green mode guidance, please visit https://www.smith.edu/covid19/operating-modes.

We recognize that there are those within our community who have elevated health risks or concerns regarding COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. We ask that all members of our community be sensitive to these concerns and respect the choices of those who continue to mask. We have been successful in addressing the pandemic on our campus by practicing extraordinary care for ourselves and each other; even though our policies are changing, our need to care for ourselves and each other remains steadfast.

Please continue to use good judgment in all of your decision making in order to help keep the campus in green mode.

Our next community meeting will be held on Thursday, March 3, at 12:15 p.m. at https://smith.zoom.us/j/93293837876. If you have questions or concerns you would like addressed before this meeting, please contact us at covid19info@smith.edu.

CIRT

The COVID-19 Incident Response Team



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