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:

• 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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guidelines for mask-wearing and introduced the COVID-19 Community Levels tool to help communities and individuals make decisions based on their local context and their unique needs.

Visitors are required to adhere to the same policies in place for campus community members.

The College expects there are individuals who will continue to wear masks either by choice or out of necessity. We also expect that all community members will be respectful of one another’s decisions about wearing a mask. Our COVID policy requires all individuals to adhere to the discretion of faculty, staff or students within their own classroom and office spaces, activities and events.  Failure to do so is a violation of our COVID policy and will be addressed when reported to the Dean of Students Office or Human Resources.

Hosting Events on Campus

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 should carry their student IDs at all times while on campus, and IDs must be presented when requested by a College official.

Open Events - Open Events are events that take place on campus and are 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. Performers and lecturers should be positioned at least 12 feet from audience members throughout the performance.
• Meals with guests- Holding a meal on campus with invited guests is permitted. Event planners may also work with Seegers Union staff to determine what spaces on campus will comfortably meet their needs.

Catering Guidelines

Red Door Catering and Muhlenberg Dining continue to operate with staff shortages as well as supply chain challenges, with our team working long shifts with limited days off.

We continue to ask the campus to allow for a minimum of ten business days for catered events to enable us to plan effectively and ensure that we can accommodate all requests at the highest level of service. Unfortunately, failure to provide ample notice may impact menu, service style or even our ability to support a catered program on campus.

Red Door Catering will make every effort to support special events; however your assistance in navigating these dates will enable us to fully support College signature events with the highest level of service and attention.

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. 

*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.