The concept of protective immunity continues to be vital to understanding our approach to campus COVID policies and protocols. The literature on protective immunity is clear that both acquired immunity from vaccination and natural immunity post-infection provide a layer of protection against more severe outcomes from COVID-19.
Vaccine Acquired Immunity
COVID- 19 vaccines are effective at helping protect against severe disease and death. They also are effective against preventing more severe disease from variants of the virus to include the Delta variant currently circulating in the United States. There is also sound data indicating that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and that millions of people in the United States have received the vaccine with incredibly few adverse or severe reactions. Recent studies also highlight that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity after vaccination in the same way non-immunocompromised people do and they may benefit from an additional dose to ensure adequate protection against COVID-19. Also, vaccination after a previous infection of COVID-19 can confer a level of increased immunity against more severe disease.
We continue to learn about vaccine, safety, efficacy and administration guidelines to include how long COVID-vaccines offer protection from COVID-19, recommendations on boosters and FDA approvals.
Natural Immunity
Data indicates that post-infection the natural level of immunity against severe disease from SARS-CoV-2 virus lasts for months, and perhaps years, after infection. Some recent data also suggest that the immune response that develops after a SARS-CoV-2 infection offers greater protection against the Delta variant than two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The data is clear that individuals with protective immunity from a previous infection are less likely to develop symptoms of COVID-19 or require medical intervention or hospitalization.
Because the data on natural immunity continues to evolve, protective immunity will be monitored on campus with the scientific investigation of positive cases (i.e., source of infection investigation, genomic sequencing of virus, analyzing CT/CQ values, patient symptom severity, etc.) to determine the frequency, if any, of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 on campus.
The evidence is painting a clear picture: both the vaccine and previous infection with COVID-19 are highly effective in preventing more severe disease. Our community and campus-level data will continue to inform our policies and response to the pandemic. We continue to ground our approach in humility and an awareness that we are constantly learning new things and remain committed to keeping a clear-eyed interpretation of data, evidence, and science as a consistent guide for our work. As the conditions on the ground change, we will be ready to pivot in our response. To prepare for these changes, we have built our mitigation and containment plans to be nimble and guide our response for various conditions on campus.
If you are looking to hold an event on campus please refer to the CMU Event Guidance, if you have any questions please contact safety@coloradomesa.edu.
updated 08.19.21
Face coverings are recommended, though not required, in the classroom, at indoor CMU events or for CMU employees while at work where phyisical distancing can not be achieved. Designated employees who regularly interact with guests, visitors and/or customers are encouraged to continue to wear masks indoors when interacting with members of the public and distancing cannot be achieved. Campus visitors and vendors are encouraged to wear masks when entering, exiting and moving about an indoor space.
We ask that all members of the campus community practice mindful masking, and respect that many in the campus community will choose to continue to wear a mask at all times. We must honor and respect one another's decision to do so (or not).
updated 08.23.21
Masking, hand washing, disinfection of surfaces, and staying in your residence when you are sick, can all help prevent you from getting sick from COVID-19.
CMU recommends that everyone in our campus community:
- Wear a mask in public indoor settings, especially in crowded settings when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
- Understand that masks are not needed in most outdoor settings. However, wearing a mask is recommended in crowded outdoor settings and activities with close contact with others.
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when utilizing forms of public transportation
How to wear a mask.
Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin. Make sure it fits snugly against the sides of your face.
updated 09.20.21
CMU's cleaning protocols are thorough and high-touch surfaces are receiving increased cleaning.
updated 07.12.21
A member of the contact tracing team will reach out to anyone that has been identified as a close contact of a positive case.
If you have protective immunity (fully vaccinated, or have previously tested positive for COVID-19) you DO NOT need to quarantine.
- Please test 3-5 days after exposure. Please see information below on how to schedule a test.
- Please wear a mask when indoors for 14-days following exposure or until your test result is negative.
- If you develop symptoms, please schedule a test and quarantine until your symptoms resolve and you’ve not had a fever for at least 24-hours.
If you do not have protective immunity (are not vaccinated and have not previously had COVID-19) you NEED to quarantine.
- Stay home for 10 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
- Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
- If possible, stay away from people you live with, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
- Quarantine will end after day 10 without testing, and without symptoms. Should you choose to test, quarantine will end after day 7 with a negative test that was completed 3-5 days after exposure, and no symptoms have developed.
updated 08.19.21
A member of the contact tracing team will reach out to anyone that has been identified as a close contact of a positive case.
If you believe you may have had an exposure to someone that has tested positive for COVID-19, but have not received a notification from the contact tracing team, we recommend that you:
- Monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms and log them in SCOUT
- Please wear a surgical mask when in-class and meeting indoors with others for 14 days
- If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, please schedule a test and quarantine until you receive your results.
updated 09.20.21
- Clean your hands often
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. When using hand sanitizer, cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Soap and water are preferred if hands are visibly dirty.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue away. If a tissue is not available, use your inner elbow or sleeve.
- Immediately clean your hands (see above).
- Avoid sharing personal household items
- Don’t share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
- After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
- Clean surfaces every day
- Clean “high touch” surfaces like counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables.
- Clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool or body fluids on them.
- Use a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Follow the label directions for correct and safe use of the cleaning product.
- Limit large group gatherings
- Consider your Protective Immunity level
- The data tells us that if you do not have protective immunity, you are at considerable risk of contracting COVID-19. Please consider getting vaccinated. By doing so, you are helping keep both campus and our community healthy.
updated 09.20.21
If you start exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, please log them in Scout, a web-based tool. This tool helps the university identify when COVID-19 is on campus in the early stages so we can stop the spread before it starts. You can access Scout through MAVzone. One you log your symptoms in Scout, a CMU COVID-19 response team member will reach out with further instructions.
No. Only those faculty, staff or students exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will need to log them in Scout.
updated 07.12.21
An area may be designated as a COVID-19 Red Zone when increased COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in a specific area and the safety team is alerting you to an increased risk of transmission.
If you are notified of COVID-19 Red Zone, our team recommends:
- You wear a surgical mask while indoors and while with others in any setting for 14 days
- Monitor your symptoms and log them in SCOUT
- If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, please schedule a test and DO NOT attend class and quarantine until you get your results and symptoms have resolved.
The contact tracing team will reassess the data on transmission and update Red Zones weekly.
updated 09.20.21