Beginning Tuesday, September 27, 2022, COVID-19 updates will be shared in the Report, which is emailed each Tuesday to students, faculty, and staff during the fall and spring terms and monthly during the summer. For the most up-to-date information about the University’s approach to COVID-19, visit the Coronavirus website or email Coronavirus@illinoisstate.edu.
The following update provides information about testing and vaccination requirements, “updated boosters,” quarantine and isolation, and on-campus testing availability.
Health and safety standards are subject to change and are adopted as a part of the University’s COVID-19 prevention and mitigation strategies as required by the Governor’s Executive Orders and as recommended by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Updated Testing and Vaccination Requirement
The Governor’s Executive Order was modified on September 16 to rescind vaccination and testing requirements for K-12 school and childcare personnel.
In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 2021-22, healthcare workers who are not fully vaccinated are to participate in COVID-19 testing at least once every seven calendar days until fully vaccinated, and vaccination records are on file with Student Health Services. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals working in Illinois State University healthcare settings, including students and student workers in these areas (e.g., nursing students, student teachers, students in clinical settings).
Updated Booster Information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to authorize bivalent, or “updated boosters,” formulations of the vaccines for use as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination.
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.
According to the FDA, the updated boosters provide better protection against the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant, which are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate this fall and winter.
Vaccination continues to be the best and most effective way to protect yourself and others from Coronavirus. If you have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccination or booster, you are encouraged to do so. Vaccination locations can be found near campus or your hometown. Individuals are strongly encouraged to obtain and upload proof of a booster vaccine, when they become eligible.
Students and employees should submit vaccination and booster records as soon as possible to the secure Patient Health Portal.
Quarantine and Isolation
It remains important for individuals to know their risk, protect themselves with vaccines, and take actions if exposed or if testing positive. The University will follow the CDC’s guidance, which is summarized below:
- Regardless of vaccination status, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are required to isolate for five (5) days from symptom onset. Learn more about isolation guidance.
- Individuals exposed to COVID-19 no longer need to quarantine but are expected to mask for 10 days following the exposure and should get tested five (5) days following the exposure. Learn more about what to do when exposed to COVID-19.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should follow these steps:
Students:
- For self-administered COVID-19 at-home tests, write your name or initials, date of birth, and date of the test on the test kit. Take a picture of that result and upload it to the Patient Health Portal. It is important to note that positive test results received from any testing site will need to be uploaded to the Patient Health Portal, including results from SHIELD Illinois test kits provided by Illinois State University (see below). Student Health Services staff will verify the upload and issue a letter inclusive of any isolation dates back to your Patient Health Portal.
- To have instructors notified of an excused absence due to isolation, download the isolation letter from your Patient Health Portal and email it to the Dean of Students Office.
- Students should also contact their instructors to discuss reasonable modifications/extensions for completing missed exams, quizzes, and other required work. Learn more about student absences due to communicable disease.
Faculty and staff:
- Follow the steps outlined at Guidance for Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace.
On-campus testing availability
As a courtesy, the University will provide saliva-based SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 PCR self-administration test kits only for those individuals who are required to test per Executive Order 2021-22 (see above). More information will be provided directly via email to those who are required to test.
Students who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Health Services. Employees who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should contact their medical provider.
Information about local COVID-19 testing options is available by visiting the McLean County Health Department website.
