Dear Andover Students and Families,
Now in our third week back since winter break, I am writing with an update on our COVID positivity rates, COVID vaccine booster requirements, and our testing strategy moving forward.
As noted in Dr. Amy Patel’s campus public health update last week, our testing positivity has been at 2.5%, a rate that is much lower than the community around us and much of the country. We believe this is due to a combination of our high vaccination rates and adherence to layered risk mitigation strategies. Our most recent testing, as well as state and local data, reveals a slight reduction in COVID positivity, and I am cautiously optimistic that this is a sign of continued improvement within the current COVID surge.
While we have relied on frequent surveillance testing over the last 16 months, experts now suggest that resources are better spent on testing those who are symptomatic, close contacts (roommates, household contacts, significant others) and those who are medically vulnerable. We will follow this guidance at Andover using a combination of rapid antigen tests and PCR tests.
For students, this means that we will no longer require testing twice a week. Instead, boarding students who feel ill should stay in their dorm room and contact the Sykes Wellness Center (978-749-4455). Day students who are feeling ill should stay home and contact the Sykes Wellness Center. And please remember: if you test positive and are feeling well enough to participate in classes or you are required to quarantine, you will be able to access your classes remotely.
A few general reminders:
- Classes are in person, with remote options for those who test positive or who are in quarantine. If a faculty member needs to teach a class remotely, their students should plan to meet in their designated classroom during their class period.
- Paresky Commons is open for dining. Those who are in quarantine may pick up grab and go options in Susie’s.
- Masking is required indoors. Students who are not in quarantine may remove their masks in their dorms, however, masks are required for all students in the dorms when an adult is present.
In our continued efforts to protect community health while delivering on our mission to educate students, we are now requiring the COVID-19 booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated. The scientific evidence is clear: boosters are very effective in preventing severe illness.
Every employee and student must receive their COVID booster shot by February 1, 2022, or five months after completing their primary vaccination series with Pfizer or Moderna, or two months after receiving the J&J/Janssen vaccination. No further action is required for those who have already received a vaccination exemption. There will be another booster clinic for students on Friday, January 28, from 2 – 5 p.m. Further information will be sent from the Sykes Wellness Center.
As with everything in this pandemic, if data and science indicate that a different strategy is warranted to ensure community health and safety and in-person learning, we will shift our approach accordingly.
Boarding students may be excited for the upcoming long weekend (beginning January 29) as an opportunity to travel off campus or walk downtown. To enjoy either privilege, students must be fully vaccinated, meaning two weeks after receiving their booster dose.
We will continue to monitor the status of the pandemic as we consider whether to require a negative test upon returning to campus following the long weekend. We will let you know our decision by January 26.
Thank you, all, for staying current with our latest strategies and for your continued commitment to community health and wellness.
Sincerely,
Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
Head of School