This weekly update will continue through the month, as campus officials monitor and discuss Boulder County COVID-19 metrics in collaboration with Boulder County Public Health. Information will also continue to be shared on the campus COVID-19 information page. A change in county policy does not necessarily mean a change to campus policy.
As announced on Feb. 14, the Boulder County indoor masking requirement will expire on Feb. 18. However, masks will continue to be required in all CU Boulder public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status. The CU Boulder Public Health Office provided an update to students, faculty and staff on Tuesday, Feb. 15, to outline our approach going forward. CU Boulder’s mask requirement page includes guidance on compliance and what to do if a student, employee or campus visitor is not wearing a mask.
Our campus is maintaining our mask requirement for the time being to ensure we safeguard the in-person experience by not letting our guard down too soon. Current CDC guidance for higher education is to prioritize actions that preserve in-person learning. This includes maintaining high vaccine uptake on campus as well as indoor masking for everyone in areas of “substantial” or “high” transmission. While Boulder County case metrics have dropped significantly in the past couple of weeks, the county remains in a state of high transmission.
We will consider going mask-optional on our campus if we see continued significant progress in two main metrics: fulfillment of the university’s COVID-19 vaccine booster reporting requirement as the Feb. 24 deadline passes and continued reduction of community transmission in Boulder County.
To comply with CU Boulder’s updated COVID-19 guidance, members of the campus community are required to receive a vaccine booster shot by Feb. 24 or five months after receiving the final dose of the original series, whichever is later.
Students, faculty and staff must upload proof of boosters through the MyCUHealth portal.
There are no predetermined medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccination booster requirement. However, individuals who previously received a COVID-19 vaccination can file a medical or moral/ethical exemption and still be in compliance with the university’s vaccination reporting requirement if the exemption is filed by Feb. 24.
Individuals who previously submitted an exemption do not need to take further action at this time and will be considered in compliance with current university vaccine reporting requirements.
Students, faculty and staff must file for an exemption based on medical, ethical or moral grounds through the MyCUHealth portal.
CU Boulder’s mask requirement for classrooms and indoor public spaces on campus, regardless of vaccination status, remains in place. Exemptions for events, classes or other group activities can be applied for through the campus Public Health Office. There are no changes planned for the campus masking requirement at this time.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis via PCR test or positive rapid antigen test should contact Contact Tracing to get information specific to their circumstances.
Student absences due to COVID-19 or isolation will be treated by faculty as medical absences.
Supplemental sick leave may apply for faculty and staff. Information can be found on the COVID-19 HR Guidance page. Under APS 5062: Leave, there are leave provisions related to COVID-19 that may be available to employees due to the State of Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.
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