Updates on University Requirements for Face Coverings, Vaccines and COVID-19 Testing

In addition to email updates, the university’s Coronavirus and Summer and Fall 2021 Guide to Campus Operations sites are regularly updated with the latest guidance and information for campus. Please continue to refer to these sites frequently.

Summary of important updates:

• Face coverings are now required in all indoor campus locations due to cases in Watauga County rising, and Watauga County moving to the category of “substantial” transmission rates.
  
  
• Students, faculty and staff who have not uploaded vaccine status will be required to participate in randomized COVID-19 testing throughout the year. 

Please see below for additional details.

Face Coverings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccinated individuals wear face coverings in areas with “substantial” or “high” rates of transmission.

Effective immediately, face coverings are required in all indoor spaces on campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, unless:

• You are alone in a private, enclosed residence hall room, apartment or office.
  
  
• You are in an enclosed indoor space when only household members are present.
  
  
• You are actively eating or drinking.

Students, faculty and staff can contact safety@appstate.edu to request free, reusable face coverings. You may also pick them up at these locations:

• Parking and Transportation office in the Rivers Street Parking Deck.
• Information Desks at the Plemmons Student Union. 
• Campus Services Express desk on the second floor of the University Bookstore.

Disposable face coverings will also be available for classrooms, and in academic departments and public areas throughout campus.

Additional resources: 
App State's Face Coverings page

COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccination Records

All students, faculty and staff should get a COVID-19 vaccine

The single, most effective way to protect yourself and others from serious illness or death is to get your COVID-19 vaccine. Although App State cannot require COVID-19 vaccines, the university strongly encourages students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated. If you haven’t yet done so, please get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible.

• Find more information about how and where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine, including on-campus options for students, faculty and staff.

All students, faculty and staff should submit their COVID-19 vaccine status 

All students, faculty and staff should upload their vaccine status as soon as possible. The deadline for doing so is Aug. 16:

• Students, upload your vaccine status via your MedPortal account.
  
  
• Faculty/staff attest your vaccine status via this secure COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation form.
  
  
• If you become fully vaccinated after Aug. 16, please upload your vaccine status to exempt yourself from COVID-19 testing.

Those who have not uploaded vaccine status will be required to participate in randomized COVID-19 testing throughout the year. Read additional details below under “COVID-19 Testing.” 

Additional resources: 
App State's COVID-19 Vaccines page • Vaccines for COVID-19 (CDC) • North Carolina’s COVID-19 Information Hub • COVID-19 Vaccine Information (NCDHHS) • COVID-19 dashboard (NCDHHS)

COVID-19 Testing

Beginning Monday, Aug. 16:

• Residents living in university-owned housing who have not provided proof of vaccination will be required to participate in weekly surveillance testing on campus.
  
  
• Students who have any on-campus classes and/or campus activities who have not provided proof of vaccination will be required to participate in randomized surveillance testing on campus. Additional information will be shared soon.
  
  
• Employees who have not attested they are vaccinated against COVID-19 will be required to participate in randomized surveillance testing on campus. Additional information will be shared soon.
  
  
• If you become fully vaccinated after Aug. 16, please upload your vaccine status to exempt yourself from COVID-19 testing.
  
  
• App State will continue wastewater testing in residence halls, as well as a voluntary surveillance testing program with student, faculty and staff participants to broadly monitor COVID-19 presence and spread on campus and to help with COVID-19 early detection and rapid response.

If you get tested and the results are positive, self-isolate, do not come to campus and self-report illness/exposure here. The university will conduct contact tracing and follow you for symptoms.

Additional resources: 
App State's Vaccine page • App State’s Reporting page

Additional Information

Please remember this continues to be a rapidly developing situation. The university will adjust COVID-19 safety protocols, procedure and policy according to the latest federal, state, local and UNC System guidance. 

Following CDC guidance, App State will use county-based community spread data to determine when requirements can be lessened or lifted. Current CDC guidance recommends face coverings for everyone in areas of “substantial” or “high” rates of transmission.

Continue to check your App State email regularly. The latest information is posted to App State’s Coronavirus website.

Each Monday, the university shares the total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered by App State and Watauga County vaccinations data on the university’s COVID-19 Vaccines page.

Watauga County’s transmission status is posted on the university’s homepage, as well as the university’s Coronavirus website.

Coming soon:

• Additional information about weekly surveillance testing on campus for unvaccinated individuals.

Additional resources:

• Read the latest updates.
• Find vaccine information.
• Reporting exposure or concerns.
• Information on COVID-19 testing.
• Information on Face Coverings.