Change in COVID-19 Protocols (Masks Required through Exams)
Addendum - April 25, 2022
Masks Required in Elevators
This is a follow-up to the Dean’s message last week concerning the number of cases on campus and the recent rise in cases in Albany County. In addition to the new masking requirements (masks required in classrooms and indoor on-campus gatherings of more than 10), Albany Law School is requiring that masks be worn in elevators.
As always, thank you for all you do to keep our community safe.
- Public Health and Safety Committee
April 21, 2022
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:
I write to update you on our Covid numbers and a significant change in policy.
As of today, we have 13 active cases, and have placed 37 students in quarantine because of close contact with someone who has Covid.
Remarkably, very few of those individuals with Covid have been on campus this week, and the few who were here wore masks. We are grateful to all who took care to protect our community. Thus far, all the evidence suggests transmission has happened off-campus, but of course, that could change. With community spread in the Capital Region as high as it is, and the number of positive cases we have in our community, we cannot count on luck to get us safely through the rest of the semester.
For that reason, and recognizing that this will be disappointing news for many of you, the Law School will again require students to wear masks during classes and indoor on-campus gatherings of more than 10 people starting tomorrow, Friday, April 22. The rule will continue until the end of the exam period.
We will also continue our policy of notifying known close contacts, with one small change. If either party to the contact was unmasked during the exposure, we will continue to require the contact to remain off campus for 5 to 7 days until cleared by a test. We will no longer require exposed individuals who are masked during contact with an infected but masked individual to isolate and test, although we will support those who do.
We believe these policies will make it possible to continue in-person teaching and learning for the remainder of the semester.
Finally, a reminder to please stay off-campus and attend classes or work remotely if you have been exposed to someone who tests positive for Covid, or if you experience even mild symptoms (such as sore throat or runny nose). Please don’t return to in-person classes until you test negative. If you are at all concerned, it is better to err on the side of caution and attend class by zoom than take the risk of infecting those around you, including medically vulnerable faculty, students, and staff.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been difficult for all of us. I recognize how frustrated many of you are. We can and will get through this together. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community safe.
Sincerely,
Alicia Ouellette
President and Dean, Albany Law School