Dear Members of the Community of Southwest-
Over the holiday break, the administration continued to monitor the development of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. In Austin, we are experiencing another surge in infections and hospitalizations. Although severe illness and resulting hospitalizations are less prevalent with this variant, its increased infectiousness makes it very important that this community continue and enhance many of the practices we have undertaken since the pandemic began.
While this is developing situation, and guidance may change, here are some guidelines and resources for all members of our community:
- Per CDC recommendations, we urge all members of the community to get a vaccine booster as soon as possible.
- Boosters are widely available in the Austin area. Below are some resources to find them:
- Our friends at APTS are having a vaccine clinic Tuesday, January 11th from 8a-5p. Sign up here by this Friday at 3pm.
- https://www.vaccines.gov/
- UT Health
- Travis Country Drive Thru
- We anticipate that in the coming weeks or months, the CDC will define ‘fully vaccinated’ as having received a booster (a third Pfizer or Moderna dose or a second Johnson & Johnson dose). Once this happens, this booster will be required by all student, faculty, and staff per current seminary policy.
- With this in mind, we ask that if you have received your booster, or once you receive your booster, you document it via our online system as with previous vaccination documentation requirements.
- A reminder that should you contract COVID-19, you are required to inform Fred Clement at [email protected] as soon as possible. All information is kept confidential.
- It is important that all members of the community continue to adhere to masking policies on campus. All members of our community are required to wear masks indoors, except when alone in enclosed spaces, excepting those with approved mask exemptions. Unvaccinated members of the community are required to mask at all times on campus, indoors and outdoors. Preachers and instructors may remove masks when speaking.
- We also recommend that any social gatherings take place outdoors, acknowledging the colder weather makes this difficult.
It is highly likely that Austin will soon move into Stage 5 of its Risk Based Guidelines once again. The Covid-19 Task Force is currently working towards what changes, if any, to our current policies and operations this will require. Please be attentive to your SSW email account for further announcements.
The community of Southwest has shown great resolve and commitment to the health and safety to one another throughout the pandemic. We are confident that these qualities of empathy and compassion will continue to benefit us amid this recent surge.
Faithfully,
Cynthia