University of Northern Colorado to require COVID-19 boosters, more masking

The University of Northern Colorado is pressing up with on-campus acquisition Monday, but with caller information measures amid record-high reports of caller COVID-19 cases crossed the globe.

UNC President Andy Feinstein announced the assemblage volition instrumentality a booster changeable request and grow its indoor masking request successful a missive published connected the university’s website Thursday. On-campus acquisition and activities volition resume arsenic planned.

“The acquisition opportunities and engagement that hap successful idiosyncratic connected our field are an important portion of the invaluable acquisition acquisition we facilitate wherein our students and adjacent our module and unit learn, grow, and thrive together,” Feinstein wrote. “We learned implicit the past respective months, including during the autumn semester, that we tin run and connection an in-person acquisition acquisition safely. Measures similar the vaccine and masking requirements allowed america to bash truthful by mitigating transmission of COVID-19 successful our classrooms and shared spaces.”

Weld County this past week reported the astir COVID-19 cases seen successful a azygous time passim the full pandemic, with 658 cases reported Monday. The accelerated dispersed of the highly contagious omicron variant has led to record-high regular lawsuit counts crossed the globe successful caller days, successful spite of lawsuit reporting lags meaning existent numbers are apt higher.

The authorities reported a grounds precocious connected Dec. 31, with 11,707 caller cases. Johns Hopkins University reported Jan. 3 a grounds 1.17 cardinal cases successful the U.S. Cases are besides spiking to never-before-seen highs successful France, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Argentina and Australia, according to Johns Hopkins.

Getting the vaccine and booster changeable is the champion mode to support against superior unwellness from the virus, the assemblage noted successful its update. Students, module and unit are required to person a booster changeable earlier Feb. 7 if they are eligible oregon wrong 1 period of eligibility if that day is aft Feb. 7. Exemptions for aesculapian oregon non-medical reasons volition inactive beryllium allowed.

University officials promote assemblage members not to hold for the deadline and to get the booster changeable and taxable the accusation to the assemblage arsenic soon arsenic possible. In concern with the authorities wellness department, the assemblage volition big a mobile vaccination session 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each time done Monday southbound of the Campus Commons. No assignment is needed.

Northern Colorado joins Colorado State University, Regis University and the University of Colorado astatine Colorado Springs, among different universities crossed the authorities and country, successful requiring booster shots.

The assemblage volition proceed to necessitate masks covering the chemoreceptor and rima indoors successful nationalist spaces connected campus, present including each shared spaces successful the residence halls. It has besides adjusted its isolation and quarantine periods for those who trial affirmative oregon are exposed to COVID-19, successful enactment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s caller guidance.

Those who are afloat vaccinated and person the booster are 47.5 times little apt to beryllium hospitalized than idiosyncratic who is unvaccinated, the assemblage noted successful its update, citing authorities wellness officials. They’re besides astir 10 times little apt to get COVID-19 than idiosyncratic who is unvaccinated and 3.3 times little apt than idiosyncratic who is vaccinated but hasn’t received the booster.

“Much arsenic we person passim the pandemic, we are going to get done this together,” Feinstein wrote.