Syracuse University to consider lowering COVID-19 alert level to ‘BLUE’

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Syracuse University will consider lowering its COVID-19 alert level from “RED” to “BLUE” after monitoring data over the next seven to 10 days, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation Mike Haynie said in a campus-wide email Wednesday.

SU has been under the “RED” level since Aug. 28, 2021, meaning that all students, no matter their vaccination status, are required to wear masks indoors at all times and outside when in the presence of others.

If the alert level is lowered to “BLUE,” vaccinated students would only be required to wear masks during academic instruction. Additionally, SU recommends, but does not require vaccinated students to wear masks indoors and outside in the presence of others under this level alert. Unvaccinated students would still be required to wear masks indoors and outdoors in groups.

New York will end its statewide mask mandate for indoor businesses effective Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.

“The governor’s announcement today, coupled with the positive COVID data trends in our community and on campus, have prompted many members of our community to inquire about the future of masking on our campus,” Haynie wrote in the email.

As of Wednesday, there are 74 active COVID-19 cases on campus with a 2% surveillance positivity rate, according to the university’s dashboard. This semester, cases peaked on Jan. 28, with 345 active cases reported.

The university and the Public Health Team will monitor COVID-19 data on campus and throughout central New York over the next seven to 10 days. If the downward trend continues, the most likely initial action will be returning to level “BLUE” masking, Haynie said.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, science has driven our decision-making. This includes new daily case counts, surveillance positivity rates, local hospitalizations and other relevant metrics,” Haynie said in the email. “If these data remain at low levels, the University will take action to adjust the on-campus masking protocols accordingly.”