Coronavirus Information (COVID-19)

Important Health and Safety Updates for the Spring Semester:

COVID-19 Booster Shots

This past semester we have been fortunate to experience very low levels of COVID-19 transmission on campus due in large part to the high rate of vaccination among our students, faculty and staff. As the more transmissible Omicron variant combines with the waning effectiveness of COVID vaccines over time, we are seeing a rise in breakthrough cases across the country. The current conditions have led Muhlenberg to update our vaccination policy for the spring semester to include boosters.

Muhlenberg students will be required to have received a COVID-19 booster vaccine as of Tuesday, February 1, 2022 or within 30 days of becoming eligible. We strongly recommend that if you are eligible during the winter break that you get your booster shot before returning to campus.

You are eligible for a booster:

• At least five months after receiving your second primary COVID-19 vaccination of Moderna or Pfizer; or
• At least two months after completing your single primary COVID-19 vaccination of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen.

(Those who received another WHO-approved vaccine should consult the CDC guidance on when to get a booster if you were vaccinated outside of the United States.)

Faculty and staff will also be required to obtain the booster shot by February 1 or within 30 days of becoming eligible. This policy update aligns with the CDC’s most recent guidance recommending that “everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot.” In addition, moving forward many health experts believe that the likely definition of "fully-vaccinated" will change to include a third shot.

Students must complete the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Form in the “My Forms” tab of their student health portal. You will be required to upload documentation of your COVID-19 booster vaccine within the form. This form will be available in your health portal after January 3, 2022.

Previously approved COVID-19 vaccination exemptions for students will apply to the booster requirement as well. Approved exemptions do not need to be renewed.

We expect to offer a number of on-campus vaccine clinics after the winter break and will share details once they become available. However, if you are currently eligible, you should try to get your booster shot while you are home for winter break. Please see below for a list of local and national providers offering booster vaccines as well as resources to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines. We will also continue to monitor local and national conditions and to prioritize the health and well-being of our campus community. Based on current data, we are confident that booster shots will provide the most effective means to reduce spread of the virus, protect vulnerable members of our community, and ensure we continue to benefit from the in-person learning and community engagement that are the hallmark of the Muhlenberg experience.

Booster Shot Opportunities:

• Schedule a Wegman’s Pharmacy appointment here.
• Schedule a CVS appointment here.
• Schedule a Rite Aid appointment here.
• Schedule a Walgreens appointment here.
• Schedule a Weis Pharmacy appointment here.
• MyLVHN, patient portal: Download the MyLVHN app or go to MyLVHN.org.
• Sign in or sign up for St. Luke’s MyChart
• Call 1-866-STLUKES (866-785-8537)

Resources to learn more about COVID vaccines:

• Pennsylvania Department of Health
• CDC - Vaccine FAQs
• LVHN - Vaccines
• LVHN – Vacunas contra COVID-19, para español, haga clic aqui

Flu Vaccine Requirement

The College continues to require an annual flu vaccination. Both COVID-19 and the flu will be spreading this winter. They present with similar symptoms and students can be infected with both at the same time. Vaccination is our best protection! Students must complete the Annual Flu Vaccine Form in the “My Forms” tab of their student health portal. You will be required to upload documentation of the flu vaccine within the form by January 3, 2022. If you have previously submitted your flu vaccine documentation, you do not need to do anything more.

Spring Semester Pre-Arrival Testing

In comparing Muhlenberg’s data to that of other campuses, we are confident that the required pre-arrival testing for the fall semester helped us start the semester safely. This will be even more critical as we return from winter break and while the highly contagious Omicron variant is prevalent. As such, students are required to take a COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test within 3 days before returning to campus. Your negative result will need to be uploaded to your health portal prior to moving in or regaining access to your meal plan and/or Muhlenberg facilities.

Residential Students: Test date must be within 3 days prior to move-in.

Off-Campus Students: Test date must be within 3 days prior to the first day you access campus for spring semester. For the safety of your housemates, you are encouraged (but not required) to also test before you move-in to your off campus house, if this date is different from the date you will first access campus.

Commuter Students: Test date must be within 3 days of the first day you access campus for the spring semester.

Students who tested positive for COVID-19 in the 90 days before returning to campus: You must upload a copy of your COVID-19 positive test in the health portal to be exempt from the pre-arrival testing requirement.

If you have had an active case of COVID now, you must first notify Health Services. You must complete your isolation period of 5 days and then test negative on an ANTIGEN test to return to campus. This test result must be uploaded in the health portal and you must contact health services for return instructions.

Timing of Spring Pre-Arrival Testing

*Upload your results as soon as you receive them anytime prior to your arrival.

COVID-19 Testing Options

Students can use the provider of their choice for the COVID-19 test. Over-the-counter rapid antigen tests will not be accepted. Lab results must be documented on an official laboratory report or health care provider letterhead. Check your local pharmacies, urgent cares, health networks, or your healthcare provider for testing options. Please be aware that many testing sites require appointments to be scheduled in advance.

Alternate options to consider for COVID-19 Tests:

• Vault Health
• LabCorp on Demand
• LetsGetChecked

General testing strategy at Muhlenberg College for the spring 2022 semester:

Based on guidance from the CDC, the American College Health Association, and close consultation from our local health partners at Lehigh Valley Health Network and Saint Luke’s University Hospital, the College has developed a testing strategy built on the following assumptions:

• The College has a 96% vaccination rate among all students and a 97% vaccination rate among all faculty and staff;
• The College will mandate indoor mask-wearing unless the county drops below “substantial transmission” and the College has a low number of cases on campus;
• The College will complete pre-arrival testing of all students before they move into the residential setting for the first time so that we have accurate baseline data for our community;
• The College will test 1) all unvaccinated students and employees weekly; 2) all close contacts to each positive case in our community; 3) any student who seeks testing due to symptoms consistent with COVID-19;
• The College will be conducting enough weekly tests to be able to detect trends or concerns in certain areas of campus or among all community members;
• The College has the ability through a third-party testing company to increase testing quickly if conditions change on campus.

Based on these conditions and following the recommendations of our public health experts, the College’s testing protocols include:

1. Pre-arrival testing for all students - Given the residential nature of the College, surveillance testing of all students, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, prior to move in will allow the community to have a healthy start to the semester and provide clean baseline data upon which to measure our future COVID status.
2. Weekly asymptomatic surveillance testing (PCR test) for unvaccinated students and employees -  These individuals are at the highest risk of serious infection and hospitalization in our community due to their vaccination status.  In addition, if infected with COVID, these individuals will be the most contagious for the longest period of time putting others at risk of contracting the virus.
3. Rapid testing for any student who displays symptoms consistent with those of COVID-19  - These rapid results will allow us to make decisions regarding community health, determine if any additional testing is necessary, and contain any positive cases as quickly as possible. Individuals who receive a positive antigen test will complete a diagnostic PCR test to confirm a positive test result. Individuals who are symptomatic are more contagious, however; if they are vaccinated, the length of time for contagion remains less.

Why is the College NOT conducting asymptomatic surveillance testing of all community members?

• Guidance from Public Health Professionals and Agencies: Infectious disease experts from St. Luke’s and LVHN, the American College Health Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Center for Disease Control do not recommend asymptomatic surveillance testing, particularly in a community with a 90+% vaccination rate. 
• Campus Testing Practices:  The College is testing very liberally (averaging 250+ tests per week or over 10% of our population), focused on the higher risk segments of our population: those with documented vaccination exemptions, anyone feeling possible symptoms (to catch possible breakthrough infections) and close contacts of anyone who tests positive. Moreover, we are using rapid turnaround antigen testing that allows us to quickly detect any patterns in infection.  At this level of testing we have enough daily and weekly data to determine how to best respond with more testing, shifts in health protocols, etc. if/when conditions change.  Adding more tests will not significantly improve our ability to detect possible patterns.

• Masking:  While the local community/regional incidence of COVID-19 is at the “substantial” level, masking is required in all classrooms and public indoor spaces

Based on the combination of these comprehensive factors, additional testing of asymptomatic, vaccinated individuals does not provide additional marginal protection for the campus community.

What kind of tests are being used by the College and why were those selected?

The college uses both PCR and rapid antigen tests, and has done so throughout the COVID pandemic. 

rT-PCR testing (diagnostic testing) - PCR tests are highly sensitive in the detection of RNA from the SARS CoV2 virus both during the infectious phase and well after the person is contagious to others.  These tests are sent to an external lab at St. Luke's University Health Network and results are returned in 24-48 hours. PCR testing is used daily in the health center as a follow up confirmation test after any positive antigen test is detected in line with CDC and ACHA recommendations. 

Antigen testing (rapid testing) - Antigen tests are highly sensitive in the detection of a specific viral antigen present in contagious cases of COVID-19 which is exactly when there is a risk of infection to others.  Antigen tests have been validated against PCR testing in the scientific literature and by our own experience here on campus.  Any positive antigen test is confirmed using PCR to further validate the result.

Antigen tests are fast.  The results are available in 15-20 minutes and can be completed on campus. This allows us to immediately isolate or place a student in quarantine (while awaiting a confirmation PCR test result), complete contact tracing and testing of close contacts within a short period of time. This type of testing has been shown to be most beneficial in communal residential settings that are highly interactive and social because they afford agility, letting us react quickly and change course based on more timely data.

We use an external testing company with technicians here on campus to make sure we have the scale and flexibility to respond to a wide range of situations.  In addition to tests available through our testing partner, we have access to a supply of antigen tests that the State of Pennsylvania has set aside for colleges and universities.

Were other types of tests considered in the decision-making process?

The College considered other testing possibilities. These included:

Sewage water testing: Under some conditions, it is possible to test for the presence of SARS CoV2 in sewage.  These tests use rT-PCR tests to detect trace amounts of RNA from the virus in sewage flowing from residence halls and other buildings.  We explored this alternative with several suppliers of this service and it was deemed operationally not possible as our wastewater is tied directly into the city’s sewage system.  This type of testing has also proven to be less effective and timely overall.

Pooled or batch testing:  Pooled testing is a phased testing that involves the co-mingling of samples from a group of individuals that is then PCR tested for the presence of RNA from the SARS Cov2 virus.  If there is a positive test for the pool, the test is repeated for each individual in the pool to identify the source.  This approach was relevant early in the pandemic when the availability of PCR tests was limited and cost was very high.  Moreover, turnaround was longer than for individual PCR testing.  Now that low cost and rapid antigen tests are available, pooled testing is not common or preferred.

Will the College do surveillance testing following any breaks in the academic calendar?

The College will require pre-arrival testing for the Spring semester. This will ensure clear baseline data to begin the spring semester. However, we do not plan to do surveillance testing after College days off. Our students and employees travel places on and off-campus, locally and further away for personal, family, professional, and social reasons routinely. In addition, our campus does not close the residence halls during days off and many students choose to stay on campus during this time. The College cannot monitor all individuals’ coming and goings and subsequent follow-up testing, nor is it recommended that we do so with our community vaccination rate and masking requirements. Vaccination and masking are the best protections to prevent the spread of the virus. We will continue to monitor our campus testing needs. If we receive guidance or data that signals that a different approach is needed based on our data, we will consider a change at that time.

Are there resources I can refer to for more information on this topic?

American College Health Association Considerations for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education

Center for Disease Control Colleges, Universities, and Institutions of Higher Learning

The College will utilize four specific masking statuses throughout the 2022 Spring Semester. These will be reviewed regularly and will be in effect based on local and campus information and data related to the spread of COVID-19 at any given time. The College expects to shift between these four statuses as needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to support our sense of community on campus. The BOLD phase represents the requirement currently in effect:

GREEN - Masks are required indoors for unvaccinated individuals. When masks are not required indoors for vaccinated individuals, faculty/staff may at their discretion still require masks in their classrooms, labs, studios or offices. 

YELLOW - Masks are required indoors for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. At this level of alert, there is some discretion given to faculty in classroom settings, employees in their private offices and some flexibility with regard to practices and rehearsals. Masking is not required in residence halls.

ORANGE - Masks are required indoors at all times for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. Masks can only be removed while actively eating/drinking, during final performances and in alignment with Centennial Conference athletics guidelines. During this alert level, individuals may remove masks in private offices only when working alone.  If another person enters the office space, masks must be worn. Masking will also be required in the residence halls at all times except while showering, using the sink and when in your individual room with only your roommates. 

RED - Masks are required at all times indoors and outdoors for all individuals at the College.

*The housing masking policy is the only masking policy that may shift independently of the College overall masking status

When a mask requirement is in effect, individuals are not required to wear masks while in their assigned living space by themselves or with only designated roommate(s), suitemate(s), or apartment-mate(s); when working in a private, single-occupancy room; and when actively eating and drinking.

Other masking considerations include:

YELLOW

• Department Sponsored Rehearsals and Performances: For activities sponsored by departments in the performing arts, masks must be worn and/or may only be removed at the discretion of the supervising faculty member teaching the course or directing the performance. This policy applies to singing, instrument playing, acting and dancing. If the supervisor allows masks to be removed for final preparations or performances, any individual participating in the dress rehearsal and/or performance may continue to wear their mask if they wish. In addition, in all performances, there should be 12ft or more of distance between the performers and the audience. All audience members or observers must be masked at all times.
• Example events/performances include: College Choir, Chamber Choir, Women’s Ensemble, Jazz Big Band, Wind Ensemble, all credit-bearing performances, and theatre & dance departmental productions.
• Club/Organization Sponsored Performances: Students must wear masks during all regular weekly practices/rehearsals. At the discretion of the student leadership of the group, masks may be removed during scheduled and/or final performances, as long as the group is rehearsing or performing in a designated reserved space on campus and maintaining 12 ft of distance from any audience members.
• Example groups include those sponsored through MTA, MDA, Acapella groups, etc.
• Athletic Practices and Competitions: Athletes should adhere to College policy, athletic policies specific to each sport, and Centennial Conference requirements.
• Classrooms/Labs/Teaching Studio spaces: Individual faculty will have some discretion over their classrooms/lab/teaching studio spaces. At level yellow, faculty may permit masks to be temporarily removed for specific activities. Such activities might include presentations or lectures or for other activities that are for a set amount of time and in spaces that allow physical distancing for the unmasked speaker. When masks are not required indoors for vaccinated individuals on campus (level green), faculty/staff may at their discretion still require masks in their classrooms/labs/studios.  
• Private Offices: Employees may use their discretion in allowing individuals to remove their masks when visiting their private offices when the College is at alert level yellow only. Employees should not ask other employees or students their individual vaccine status. When masking indoors is lifted for vaccinated individuals, employees may still require individuals to wear masks when visiting their private offices.
• Health Center: Masks are required regardless of vaccine status in medical facilities.
• Bus Transportation: Masks are required by all individuals while on Muhlenberg and/or privately contracted group transportation.

ORANGE

• Department Sponsored Rehearsals and Performances: For activities sponsored by departments in the performing arts, masks must be worn and may only be removed for final performances at the discretion of supervising faculty member teaching the course or directing the performance. This policy applies to singing, instrument playing, acting and dancing. If any individual participating in a final performance wishes to continue to wear their mask they may. In addition, in all performances, there should be 12ft or more of distance between the performers and the audience. All audience members or observers must be masked at all times.
• Example events/performances include: College Choir, Chamber Choir, Women’s Ensemble, Jazz Big Band, Wind Ensemble, all credit-bearing performances and theatre & dance departmental productions.
• Club/Organization Sponsored Performances: Students must wear masks during all regular weekly practices/rehearsals and scheduled performances. At the discretion of the student leadership of the group, masks may be removed during final performances only, as long as the group is rehearsing or performing in a designated reserved space on campus and maintaining 12 ft of distance from any audience members.
• Example groups include those sponsored through MTA, MDA, Acapella groups, etc.
• Athletic Practices and Competitions: Athletes should adhere to College policy, athletic policies specific to each sport and Centennial Conference requirements.
• Classrooms/Labs/Teaching Studio spaces: At level orange, masks are required indoors at all times for all classroom settings, regardless of vaccination status. When masks are not required indoors for vaccinated individuals on campus (level green), faculty/staff may at their discretion still require masks in their classrooms/labs/studios.  
• Private Offices: At level orange, employees may remove their masks when working in a private, single-occupancy room, however, masks must be replaced if another person enters the office. Employees should not ask other employees or students their individual vaccine status. When masking indoors is lifted for vaccinated individuals, employees may still require individuals to wear masks when visiting their private offices.
• Health Center: Masks are required regardless of vaccine status in medical facilities.
• Bus Transportation: Masks are required by all individuals while on Muhlenberg and/or privately contracted group transportation.

*All individuals are encouraged to wear masks at all times when they feel inclined to do so regardless of College masking policy. At no time will any individual be prevented from participating fully in the life of the College if they are wearing a mask. Masks are always permitted, even if not required.

*Faculty and staff may have discretion over mask wearing for vaccinated individuals in their private spaces, however, they may NOT ask individuals about their specific vaccine status. 

*The College recommends that faculty and staff place a sign on their office door or a note in their syllabus about any exceptions they intend to make to the College’s masking policy.

All Muhlenberg College community members must carry their student and employee IDs at all times while on campus and IDs must be presented when requested by a College official.

Visitors are welcome on campus. Individuals who invite guests to campus are responsible for communicating to them our COVID-19 Policy and providing them with the link to the College’s symptom checker before they come to campus. All campus visitors, contractors, invited guests, etc. regardless of vaccine status must wear face coverings indoors on Muhlenberg’s campus at all times. In addition, all unvaccinated visitors must wear a mask at all times while on campus either indoors or outdoors.

In addition, please see below for specific guidance for particular locations:

Admissions and Residential Student Guests

All Admissions guests must be registered with the Office of Admissions. When guests register, they will be asked to review the symptom monitoring questions. Guests should only visit campus if they are symptom-free and have had no known recent COVID-19 exposures. In addition, all Admissions guests will wear face coverings indoors.

Overnight residence hall guests are required to show proof of vaccination and adhere to all campus policies. Please contact the Office of Admission or your student host to provide vaccination information.

Athletics: Indoor Sporting Events (as of 1/22)

Muhlenberg College will continue to allow guests at indoor sporting events providing they meet the following requirements:

• Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination: defined as 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine;
• As of February 1, proof of vaccination will be required to include a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot as well for those who are eligible;
• All event attendees will need to show their vaccination card as well as a Photo ID;
• Children under 5 are not required to show proof of vaccination. 

Masking is required at all indoor events on campus and will be strictly enforced. Those not complying with the mask requirement will be asked to leave the event.
 
If the implementation of the above policy and masking requirement are not successful, the College will shift to a no guest policy.

Campus Events, Performers, Lecturers, etc.

For large-scale events by invitation, pre-registration will be required to collect contact information for guests of the College. Participants will understand in advance that masks are required indoors by all participants, except when actively eating and drinking. In addition, all guests to these events will complete the symptom checker before coming to campus and will not come to campus if they have any current COVID-19 symptoms or have had a recent direct exposure.

For typical college-sponsored events, masks are to be worn by performers/speakers, etc. while indoors on campus.  However, masks are not required for guest speakers/presenters while presenting or performing.

Performers should be positioned at least 12 feet from audience members throughout the performance.

Classroom Visitors

All invited guests to classrooms on campus must wear masks at all times. At the discretion of the instructor and pursuant to current College Covid-19 Policy, class attendees and instructors may or may not be masked. In addition, the instructor of the course has the discretion to determine if the guests may remove their mask if speaking or performing for the class.

Contractors

All contractors should be registered with the appropriate supervising office. Contractors must complete the symptom checker before coming to campus and should not come to campus if they have had a direct exposure to COVID-19 or have any COVID-19 symptoms. While on campus, all contractors must be masked inside buildings regardless of vaccine status.

Dining for Campus Visitors

For the start of the semester, we are strongly encouraging students to use “to-go” dining for meals and encourage the same for our campus visitors. Should campus visitors dine inside, they should be masked at all times while indoors, including while in line, waiting for meals, sitting at indoor dining tables, etc. Masks should only be removed indoors when actively eating and drinking and then should be replaced immediately after.  

Life Sports Center

Non-college visitors to the Life Sports Center (LSC) should be masked at all times unless showering or using the pool. When guests visit the LSC, they will be asked to review the symptom monitoring questions and should only visit campus if they are symptom-free and have had no known recent COVID-19 exposures. Muhlenberg College family members, as well as individuals who hold a membership to the LSC, will be asked to show proof of vaccination status in order to gain entry to the facility for exercise equipment or locker room access.

Hosting Events on Campus - Spring 2022

For the safety of our campus community and all guests and audience members on the Muhlenberg campus, the following requirements are currently in place.

Event Categories:

Closed Events - Closed Events are events that take place on campus, sponsored by College departments or recognized student organizations, whose intended audience is limited to students, faculty and/or staff. Students must carry their student IDs at all times while on campus and IDs must be presented when requested by a College official.

At this time, College policy requires that attendees wear masks during closed events indoors. However, the College will continue to monitor local and campus conditions and expects to adjust the masking policy for closed events as needed throughout the semester.

Open Events - Open Events are events that take place on campus, sponsored by College departments, recognized student organizations, or external programming managed through Conference & Event Services, whose intended audience includes guests of the College or the general public. These events may include general admission, open to the public, ticketed programs, or by invitation only. The following Open Event types should plan to manage audience access using the following processes:

• Performance Events - These events will follow the Department of Theatre and Dance’s typical ticketing procedures when necessary.
• Athletic Events (as of 1/22):
  • Muhlenberg College will continue to allow guests at indoor sporting events providing they meet the following requirements:
  • Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination: defined as 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine;
  • As of February 1, proof of vaccination will be required to include a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot as well for those who are eligible;
  • All event attendees will need to show their vaccination card as well as a Photo ID;
  • Children under 5 are not required to show proof of vaccination.
  • Masking is required at all indoor events on campus and will be strictly enforced. Those not complying with the mask requirement will be asked to leave the event. If the implementation of the above policy and masking requirement are not successful, the College will shift to a no guest policy.
• Lectures and Presentations - Masks are required for the audience regardless of vaccination status.  No food or beverage will be permitted.
• Conference & Event Services Rental Events - Conference Services will work with clients to determine if events will require masks or proof of vaccination as part of their registration process. Attendees for all conferences and external events will need to be registered with Conference Services.
• Meals with invited guest presenters - Holding a meal on campus with invited guests is strongly discouraged at this time, though event planners may consult with their department chair or vice president if they feel it is necessary. Meals should not be required for any participant since the participants will be removing their masks to eat. Event planners may also work with Seegers Union staff to determine what spaces on campus will comfortably and safely meet their needs.

NOTE: All Muhlenberg College community members must carry their student and employee IDs at all times while on campus and IDs must be presented when requested by a College official.

Guest Speakers/Presenters/Performers - Regardless of vaccination status, guest speakers, presenters and performers will need to wear a mask when on campus indoors and not performing/speaking. At the discretion of the event sponsor, masks are not required for all guest speakers/presenters while presenting or performing.

During Performances/Lectures - Performers and lecturers should be positioned at least 12 feet from audience members throughout the performance. Physical distancing of three feet or more should be integrated into the setup and performance of the event when possible without disrupting the integrity of the event.

Event Sponsors Responsibilities

• Event sponsors should continue to monitor College policy as their event approaches.  Modifications to processes, access, and capacities could change unexpectedly throughout the semester and we will need to plan accordingly. All other College processes, policy and protocols remain in effect when scheduling events on campus.
• Event sponsors need to determine if a pre-registration mechanism will be used. Unvaccinated individuals will be required to wear masks at all events.
• Event sponsors should make sure that all participants and performers/speakers have access to our symptom assessment questions and have reviewed those ahead of coming.  If they have symptoms, they MUST not come to campus.

*Masking and other restrictions are subject to change in accordance with CDC recommendations, state requirements, and College policy.

*Should we see a change in conditions, the College reserves the right to require pre-event testing and/or proof of vaccination.

*We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we continue to work through an active semester while keeping our community safe.