The State of COVID-19 and Vaccinations on Campus
Marist is currently in Alert Level Orange with 28 COVID-19 cases. Graphic by: Greta Stuckey '23
As of February 2, 83% of the Marist community has uploaded their proof of vaccination for the required COVID-19 booster shot.
The submission of proof for the booster shot was originally due on January 31 for the Marist community. Since the administration received feedback from students who faced difficulties scheduling appointments, the college extended the date for the vaccination requirement by one week. The Marist community now has until Monday, February 7 to submit their COVID-19 booster to the college.
“On Monday, February 7 students who are not in compliance with the COVID-19 booster policy will not be cleared on COVID Clear and will not be permitted to attend class in person,” Executive Vice President Dr. Geoffrey Brackett said.
The request for vaccination exemptions ended last week. The exemption requests for the COVID-19 booster were around 50 people. That number is lower than the original full vaccine series where the college received 200 exemption requests.
If students are not eligible for the booster shot before the second week in February, they should submit the proof of their vaccination as soon as possible. Students who are not in compliance with the college policy regarding vaccinations will face repercussions.
“On Monday, February 14 students who remain incompliant will be asked to leave campus and will lose access to Marist networks, including iLearn and MyMarist,” Brackett said.
While the campus is required to receive their booster vaccination, the college continues to operate under the COVID-19 alert level orange. The orange alert level is precautionary due to the Omnicron variant as well as local transmission rates. The decision of the alert level is made by Marist’s Medical Advisory Group which looks at local transmission rates and guidance from the CDC and other New York State health officials.
The Marist COVID-19 dashboard is updated three times a week after surveillance testing is completed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Only those students who had medical or religious exemptions and are unvaccinated are subject to surveillance testing. As of February 2, the college has 25 active cases of COVID-19, 16 of which are students and nine of which are employees.
“The COVID-19 dashboard reflects any reported positive cases among in-person students and employees regardless of their testing location,” Executive Vice President Dr. Geoffrey Brackett said.”
The Marist community will be updated by the administration if the alert level changes or policies shift in regards to COVID-19. For students still looking to get their COVID-19 booster, there are several sites in Dutchess County that offer appointments and availability.
There are also walk-in appointments for students if they are unable to find an appointment in the area. MidHudson Regional Hospital is within walking distance of campus and is offering booster clinics on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Students are encouraged to submit their proof of vaccination as soon as possible so it can be processed on time.