Dear U-M Ann Arbor community member,
We are writing today to share an update on the university’s COVID-19 policies and expectations for the Ann Arbor campus for the 2022-2023 academic term.
Plans for the Dearborn and Flint campuses will be shared at later date.
We are planning for a vibrant campus experience that is supported by the high vaccination rate of our campus community. Our local data show that the majority of COVID-19 infections among our community this past academic year presented with either mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. This is consistent with the growing evidence that vaccination offers excellent protection against severe illness.
Still there are actions that the community can take to further reduce the spread of the virus and the disruption it can have on our daily lives. The following guidance from the Campus Health Response Committee (CHRC) for the Ann Arbor campus for fall is based on current conditions, and may change depending upon the evolution of the pandemic or emerging guidance from the public health community:
- The U-M Vaccination Policy will remain in place requiring that all students, faculty and staff be up to date on their vaccinations by completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series and one booster, with limited exemptions. The deadline for incoming students to submit vaccination information ahead of the fall term is July 15.
- Testing for asymptomatic COVID-19 will remain available through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program for those who are required to test weekly or who are interested in testing. Those who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations are required to test weekly.
- Recommendations for masking for most indoor spaces on campus, including instructional spaces, will be aligned with the CDC’s COVID-19 community level for Washtenaw county. Please note, the COVID-19 community level for Washtenaw county currently is “Medium,” and it is recommended masking decisions be based on an individual’s personal risk.
- Masks will remain required in patient care areas (e.g. Michigan Medicine, University Health Service and the Dental School clinical areas) and at U-M COVID-19 testing sites as noted under the U-M Face Covering Policy.
- ResponsiBLUE, the daily symptom checker, will continue to be the personal tool to track compliance with the university’s vaccination policy and other COVID-19 requirements. All members of the U-M community coming to campus are encouraged to use ResponsiBLUE — as it will continue to be required to access certain buildings — and to seek appropriate care and testing if they have symptoms.
- Individuals are expected to stay home if they are sick with support from their peers, supervisors and instructors. This helps reduce the likelihood of spreading a range of infections including COVID-19, influenza and other illnesses.
- University Health Service can prescribe treatment options for those who become infected with COVID-19 and are at high risk for complications of COVID-19.
- Isolation housing will remain available and will be prioritized for use by students with a residence hall contract.
In addition, we are pleased to share that a new epidemiology and infection prevention unit is being established to oversee the core infectious disease response-related functions previously handled by the CHRC. Those functions include disease monitoring and surveillance, the COVID-19 Community Sampling and Tracking Program, wastewater surveillance, vaccine programs and database, public health communications, and data science and analytics. More details about this new unit are included in the University Record.
For the latest information and updates related to COVID-19, please visit the U-M COVID-19 response website at: https://campusblueprint.umich.edu/.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Ernst
Associate Vice President of Student Life
Director of Campus COVID Response
Preeti Malani
U-M Chief Health Officer