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 including the Omicron and 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.
updated 01.13.22
If you are looking to hold an event on campus please refer to the CMU Event Guidance, if you have any questions please contact [email protected].
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 physical distancing cannot 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 02.04.22
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.
Mask are made to contain droplets and particles you breathe, cough or sneeze out. These droplets and particles are what the COVID-19 virus use as a vehicle to infect others. By preventing these droplets and particles from spreading further into the air, masks help with what is called source control.
Wear a well-fitting 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 01.20.22
N95 medical-grade masks and fittings are available for the campus population. Please reach out to [email protected] to schedule an appointment to pick one up.
updated 01.13.22
CMU's cleaning protocols are thorough and high-touch surfaces are receiving increased cleaning.
updated 01.13.22
The contact tracing team will send an email to anyone that has been identified as a close contact of a positive case.
If you have protective immunity (received all recommended vaccine doses including a booster dose, or have previously tested positive for COVID-19) you DO NOT need to quarantine.
- Please test 5 days after the exposure (the date of the exposure is considered Day 0).
- Please wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors for 10 days from the date of your last close contact with someone with COVID-19 (the date of last close contact is considered Day 0).
- If you develop symptoms, please schedule a test and isolate until you receive your test results. If you test positive, follow isolation recommendations.
If you do not have protective immunity (are not vaccinated and have not previously had COVID-19) you NEED to quarantine.
- Stay home and away from other people, especially people who are at higher risk, for at least 5 days (Day 0 through Day 5) after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
- Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, loss of taste and/or smell, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
- If you develop symptoms, get tested immediately and isolate until you receive your test results. If you test positive, follow isolation recommendations.
- If you do not develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19 (the date of last close contact is considered Day 0).
- If you test negative, you can leave your home, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public until 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- If you test positive, you should isolate for at least 5 days from the date of your positive test (if you do not have symptoms). If you do develop COVID-19 symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days from the date your symptoms began (the date the symptoms started is day 0).
updated 01.13.22
The contact tracing team will email 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 01.13.22
- 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 01.13.22
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.
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 COVID-19 Response 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 01.13.22