Summary of the latest COVID-19 information:

Chancellor Sheri Everts and the university’s COVID-19 response team continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation, and remain in regular contact with state and local public health agencies as well as UNC System leadership.

Chancellor Everts’ Feb. 4 update to campus shared highlights from her remarks at the annual Spring Faculty and Staff meeting, held this afternoon. She continues to express her appreciation to students, faculty and staff for getting vaccinated and boosted to protect the university community against the most severe effects of COVID-19 and noted an increase in student vaccination rates to 81%. The employee vaccination rate is 90%. Vaccination records provided to the university are verified before they are reported.

• When someone reports positive test results or potential exposure to COVID-19 to the university, App State's COVID-19 response team works quickly to contact individuals who are ill, who have reported exposure or who have reported positive test results.
  
  
  • Students: Emergency Management will reach out to you to provide additional information. Questions? Contact safety@appstate.edu or call 828-262-4008.
    
    
  • Faculty and staff: the Office of Human Resources will work with employees and supervisors. Questions? Contact millerad@appstate.edu or 828-262-3187. 
    
    
  • Students and employees are required to report results of COVID-19 tests taken off campus.
    
    
  • If you have a concern about a student or employee who has reported test results to you, you can submit a care and concern report to the university.

How to protect yourself and others:

1. Get vaccinated. Stay up-to-date.
   Up-to-date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. App State strongly encourages all students, faculty and staff to stay up-to-date with vaccination.
   
   
   • App State offers Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and boosters. Schedule an appointment.
     
     
   • Get vaccinated or boosted at Student Health Service and you’ll receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Same day appointments are available — bring your vaccine record.
     
     
2. Wear a well-fitted face covering that is comfortable and provides good protection. Face coverings are required in all indoor campus locations.
   
   
   • CDC recommends wearing the most protective face covering you can, that fits well and that you will wear consistently.
     
     
   • A variety of types of face coverings are available for students and employees who need them. Face coverings can be picked up at the Plemmons Student Union Information Desk.
     
     
3. If you feel sick OR if you test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, stay home and monitor your symptoms. If you have questions or become concerned about your symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
   
   
   • Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 and be sure to self-report all off-campus COVID-19 tests to the university. Members of the university’s COVID-19 response team will reach out to you as soon as possible after you have submitted your report to offer guidance and assistance.
     
     
   • Review the university’s Quarantine and Isolation page for actions and precautions to take if you test positive for COVID-19 or were exposed.
     
     
4. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

COVID testing on campus:

• Students and employees can get tested on campus free of charge for any reason — anyone who is not fully vaccinated continues to be required to submit a COVID-19 test each week.
  
  
• Free, walk-in testing clinics are held on campus every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You do not have to report test results from these clinics, as the university will receive them from the testing laboratory.
  
  
• Student Health Service continues to offer testing by appointment to students with COVID-19 symptoms. You do not have to report test results if you are tested at Student Health Service.
  
  
• Getting tested on campus fulfills the weekly COVID-19 testing requirement for students and employees who have not submitted their fully vaccinated status to the university. You do not have to report your COVID-19 test results if you are tested on campus.
  
  
• AppHealthCare, Watauga County’s local public health department, offers free COVID-19 testing. Registration is required. Learn more at AppHealthCare’s COVID-19 Testing Information page.
  
  
• CDC also offers in-home test guidance, and you can order in-home COVID-19 tests at covidtests.gov.
  
  
• DO report your test results if:
• You get tested off campus.
• You use an at-home testing kit.

Additional information and resources

Make sure you get the latest information on COVID-19 directly from reliable sources such as CDC, NCDHHS and AppHealthCare.

• CDC continues to recommend getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines as the best way to protect yourself and others against the Omicron variant.
  
  
• A new CDC report further emphasizes that being up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination is critical to protecting against COVID-19 infection and hospitalization.
  
  
• The university posts the most current COVID-19 safety protocols, procedures and policies to the App State coronavirus website. These are adjusted according to the latest federal, state, local and UNC System guidance. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Email ucinfo@appstate.edu or call 828-262-2000 for assistance.
  
  
• App State’s COVID-19 dashboard uses updated metrics to better measure the impact of new COVID-19 variants on our campus and community. Updates will continue each Monday through the spring semester.

App State resources: 
Latest Updates •  COVID-19 Vaccines • COVID-19 Testing and Reporting • Quarantine and Isolation • Face Coverings

Additional resources:
Get your COVID-19 vaccination record • North Carolina’s COVID-19 Information Hub • Flu vaccine finder