SU expands countermeasures against omicron spread amid surge in cases
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To prevent the spread of the omicron variant, Syracuse University is taking countermeasures, including masking, testing and vaccination enforcement policies on campus.
SU required all eligible students to receive a booster shot in addition to the previously enforced COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Those who are not yet eligible for a booster shot must receive it within one week after they become eligible. SU also required students to receive a flu shot by the start of the semester. Only students with approved religious or medical exemptions are able to access campus without proof of vaccination for both the booster and flu shots.
All on-campus residents were required to present a pre-arrival COVID-19 test result and take another test while checking in. Students without a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before arriving to Syracuse and those who did not fulfill all vaccine requirements are not permitted to access their residence hall.
Students who tested positive in the previous 90 days are exempt from the pre-arrival test requirement but must upload the positive result to their patient portal.
SU remains at the “RED” COVID-19 alert level, citing COVID-19 transmission within Onondaga county as a contributing factor. At this level, all vaccinated and unvaccinated people are required to wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors when other people are present.
Given the omicron variant’s high rate of infection, the university “strongly recommends” that students wear an KN95 mask or double-mask, according to a Jan. 12 press release.
Between Jan. 4-14, SU made free COVID-19 testing available to the central New York area in an effort to mitigate further spread of the omicron variant within Onondaga county. According to a Jan. 12 press release, nearly 1,700 central New York community members have tested at the Carrier Dome.
The university will resume random surveillance testing, which officials announced in November would expand to cover a larger proportion of the campus population. The surveillance positivity rate is currently 0.6%.
SU will also continue to conduct wastewater testing to detect the early stages of a spike in cases in a given residence hall. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in December that the New York State Health Department will partner with SU to expand the university’s methodology for wastewater testing in order to better trace the virus throughout the state.
These protocols come following the university’s decision in late December to push the start of the semester from Jan. 18 to Jan. 24. Spring break will take place as scheduled — from March 13-30 — and commencement has been rescheduled from May 8 to May 15.
As of Jan. 19, there are 91 total active cases on campus with six students in quarantine.