Potsdam Campus Community,
Summary: Thank you for doing your part to return to the Spring Semester safe and healthy by following the preventive measures put in place and the testing protocols to rebuild the bubble. Based on updates to the NYS vaccination plans, additional groups are eligible for vaccination.
Positive Cases: Today we have 10 positive cases to report from testing. These are inclusive of individuals who were in quarantine based on engagements with a previous positive case. PLEASE follow the guidance for social distancing, wearing a mask, and avoiding crowds and close contact particularly in indoor settings that are beyond your family unit. We are currently in our “Red-Alert Level” while we rebuild the bubble as people return to workplaces and their campus residences, which means no in person group gatherings during this time. Review the daily screening tool questions and quarantine if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
St. Lawrence County Public Health representatives are notified for each positive test result and with appropriate campus representatives, they will work with each individual who tests positive in a confidential setting and follow through with contact tracing. We also report these in aggregate on our Dashboard and to NYS for its comprehensive reporting on all colleges.
Vaccinations: Please refer to this website for NYS’ phased distribution of the vaccine: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/phased-distribution-vaccine. As part of Phase 1B, Governor Cuomo lowered the age for eligibility to 65 and older today, following CDC recommendations. Local pharmacies are beginning to post information for vaccination appointments for these cohorts 65 and older. The NYS website also includes a form for you to complete to further determine eligibility and learn about local testing sites. As of 8pm tonight, there is no information posted for St. Lawrence County. Based on ongoing communications with Public Health representatives and their press releases, we anticipate community vaccination clinics opening up very soon including one at SUNY Potsdam. As soon as those appointment processes are announced, we will share those with the campus community.
We understand that announcements like this may cause concern in our immediate community, even with the explanations that these cases are the result of proactive steps. If you have any questions about this communication, please contact clarksonhr@clarkson.edu and/or me.
Thank you for being a part of the Clarkson community and making a difference.
Kelly Chezum, VP for External Relations
Restart Communications Lead
kchezum@clarkson.edu
