Dear Loyola,

We’re cheering you on as you reach the finish line for this semester. All your hard work culminates in this moment—preparing for your final exams and hitting send on your last assignments of 2021. Don’t forget to show yourself some love and appreciation. You deserve it.  

As we first shared on Saturday, we are currently experiencing a surge of breakthrough COVID cases. We continue to have no evidence of spread of COVID in the classroom. However, since many of you will soon be heading home for the winter break to celebrate the holidays and spend quality time with loved ones, we strongly urge you to take additional precautions right now to limit your risk of exposure.

Please continue to mask indoors (even if the city no longer requires it) and be careful about the number of people you are in close contact with this week. Limit yourself to essential activities like going to your exams, getting groceries, and going to medical appointments. If you're vaccinated, it's not too late to get a booster, and evidence indicates that this additional shot can make a big difference in whether you get sick or not.

Read on for more information about the omicron variant and tips for reducing your risks. 

As the new omicron variant spreads worldwide, public health officials continue to monitor the situation and collect data to better understand its impact. Here’s what we know so far.  

Omicron was first detected in South Africa at the end of November and has now been detected in more than 30 countries including the U.S. We know from public health experts and news reports that there are cases across the country, and community spread is likely happening in many areas.

On Friday, Tulane announced to their community that they have seen an increased number of COVID cases, some of which they sequenced and identified as probable omicron variant. At this time, we do not know whether the cases within Loyola’s community are delta or omicron, but all of them involve no more than mild symptoms.   

This is the seventh named virus variant and the fifth variant of concern designated by the World Health Organization (WHO). It has been identified as a variant of concern because it has more than 50 mutations that scientists are still studying. Early reports indicate that this variant is more contagious, including spread among the double-vaccinated (though the booster seems to restore strong protection). Early indications also offer the possibility that this variant is less severe, and Tulane reports that its own cases are all mild or asymptomatic.

You know the deal. We have to vaccinate – and boost – the Pack. Those who are not vaccinated should get vaccinated. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and reduce the spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from emerging. People who are vaccinated and eligible for a booster should get their booster as soon as possible. Data collected so far on omicron shows positive signs that boosters restore strong immunity against the variant. Booster vaccines are available at many area pharmacies. Loyola’s vaccine page has a link to local vaccine sites.

The CDC has tightened guidelines around international travel in response to omicron. All air travelers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are required to show a negative pre-departure COVID-19 viral test taken one day before they board their flight to the United States. If you are traveling to a destination outside of the U.S., you will need to check that location’s specific travel guidelines.

Additionally, the CDC continues to recommend that all travelers get a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after arrival, and that unvaccinated travelers should quarantine for 7 days after travel. And all people, regardless of their vaccination status, are required to wear a mask while entering or when located in the indoor areas of transportation hubs (e.g., airports, bus or ferry terminals, train or subway stations, seaports, ports of entry).

Over the holidays, testing is an especially effective way to help protect our friends and family and reduce the spread of COVID-19. The CDC has released updated guidelines for self-testing as a powerful prevention tool. 

Over-the-counter self-tests are readily available at most pharmacies. They can be used at home or anywhere, are easy to use, and produce rapid results. Anyone can use self-tests, regardless of vaccination status or whether they have symptoms or not.

COVID Connections is a round-up of important information to help keep everyone in our campus community informed and safe. It arrives in your inbox every other Tuesday, with special editions on other days if needed. Explore our archive on the FAQ website to see previous editions.