Fall 2021: Stay Vigilant. Be Resilient.

As the university continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation, please be sure to carefully and regularly review messages from App State.

In her Oct. 15 message to campus, Chancellor Sheri Everts thanked the campus community for their continued diligence in following COVID-19 safety protocols, and announced that all employees are required to upload proof of COVID-19 vaccination — the same documentation the university has been requiring from students since the beginning of the semester. Previously, employees have been asked to affirm their vaccine status. See below for additional information and instructions for employees.

Keep reading for full details on COVID-19-related updates and information.

Resources:
App State's Coronavirus site • App State’s Fall 2021 Guide to Campus Operations • North Carolina’s COVID-19 Information Hub

Students, Faculty and Staff Must Upload Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination or Submit COVID-19 Test Results Weekly

If you lose your vaccination card or need a digital copy: View, download or print your vaccine record if you were vaccinated by a North Carolina provider and provided your email address.

Instructions for students:

• If you have not already done so, upload proof of COVID-19 vaccination via your MedPortal account, regardless of when and where you were vaccinated.
  
  
• If you have not uploaded proof of vaccination you are required to submit lab results of a COVID-19 test each week.

Instructions for faculty and staff:

• Previously, employees had been asked to affirm their vaccine status. Employees must now upload proof of COVID-19 vaccination by Friday, Oct. 29 or submit lab results of a COVID-19 test each week.
  
  
• You will need your Banner ID and either your vaccine card or COVID-19 vaccination record that shows the date you received your second dose of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine.
  
  
• Upload an image file of your vaccine card or a PDF copy of your vaccine card or verified COVID-19 vaccination record.

Vax Up!

The COVID-19 vaccine remains our best defense against the virus, including the Delta variant, and the university continues to strongly encourage all students and employees to get fully vaccinated.

Additionally, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated against the flu as well as COVID-19 — these vaccines can be given at the same time.

• Students: Student Health Service and Wellness and Prevention Services will host an on-campus student flu shot clinic on Oct. 18. Bring your AppCard and proof of insurance. No appointments needed.
  
  
• Faculty and staff: Health Promotion for Faculty and Staff will host an on-campus flu shot clinic for employees, retirees and spouses on Oct. 22 as part of their Employee Health and Wellness Fair. Appointments are required — bring your AppCard, photo ID and proof of insurance.
  
  
• App State’s Student Health Service provides COVID-19 vaccines (as well as additional doses and booster shots for eligible individuals) to students, faculty and staff — call 828-262-3100 for an appointment. 

Additional information is available on the university’s COVID-19 Vaccines page. Consult your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.

COVID-19 Vaccine data

• As of Oct. 15, CDC’s COVID Data Tracker reports that more than 188 million Americans, or almost 57%, have been fully vaccinated — about 66% of Americans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
  
  
• As of Oct. 15, North Carolina has administered more than 11.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Of the state’s adult population, 65% has been fully vaccinated, and 54% of the state’s total population has been fully vaccinated.
  
  
• This week, NCDHHS further expanded its vaccine data dashboard to provide more statewide demographic data for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Flu vaccine resources:
Flu vaccine guidance (CDC) • FAQ Flu Questions: 2021-22 Season (CDC) • Flu vaccine guidance (NCDHHS)

COVID-19 vaccine resources: 
COVID-19 Vaccines • Get your COVID-19 vaccination record (NCDHHS) • Vaccines for COVID-19 (CDC) • COVID-19 Vaccine Information (NCDHHS) • Who Is Eligible for a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot? (CDC) • COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters and Additional Doses (NCDHHS)

COVID-19 data: 
App State COVID-19 Dashboard • AppHealthCare COVID-19 dashboard • COVID-19 vaccines dashboard (NCDHHS) • COVID Data Tracker (CDC)

COVID-19 Testing and Reporting Reminders

COVID-19 testing

Remember: Get tested for COVID-19 if you exhibit symptoms, even if you are fully vaccinated.

• App State continues to holdon-campus COVID-19 testing clinics each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, inside Legends from noon-4 p.m. for students and employees who would like a COVID-19 test for any reason. Bring your AppCard and have your Banner ID ready.
  
  
• Getting tested on campus fulfills the weekly COVID-19 testing requirement for unvaccinated students and employees and your test results are automatically provided to the university.
  
  
• If you are tested off campus, the lab name or test location, your name, the test result and the test date must all be included with your test results submission. Tests must be laboratory-certified — home tests are not accepted.
  
  
• If you are tired of getting weekly COVID-19 tests, get vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit your fully vaccinated status to the university.

COVID-19 reporting

Visit the university’s Reporting page to:

• Self-report illness, exposure and quarantine orders, regardless of vaccination status.
  
  
• Report off-campus COVID-19 tests and results, whether positive or negative, regardless of vaccination status.
  
  
• Submit a care and concern report — use this form if you have health-related concerns about a student or co-worker or if you have concerns about someone who is not complying with COVID-19 safety policies and procedures.

What happens if someone isn’t following testing or reporting requirements?

The university monitors all test submissions each week — from on-campus testing clinics and those submitted from off-campus locations. COVID-19 vaccine record submissions are also monitored. 

• App State’s Department of Environmental Health Safety and Emergency Management works closely with the Division of Student Affairs and Office of Human Resources to ensure policy compliance.
  
  
• Noncompliant students and employees are contacted by the university directly with instructions, including how to upload vaccine status.
  
  
• For employees, failure to comply with university workplace safety requirements is cause for disciplinary action. Supervisors are notified if employees are not complying with weekly testing requirements.
  
  
• The Office of Student Conduct’s COVID-19 FAQ page outlines campus requirements and expectations for students, including educational sanctions for noncompliance. It also includes guidance information for faculty and staff.

Resources: 
COVID-19 Testing • Submit Your COVID-19 Test Results • COVID-19 Vaccines • Get your COVID-19 vaccination record (NCDHHS) • Reporting COVID-19 Cases • COVID-19 Testing • Submit Your COVID-19 Test Results

Additional Information

Please remember the global pandemic is dynamic and continues to be a rapidly developing situation. Continue to read your App State email regularly — the latest information is also posted to App State’s Coronavirus site.

• The university adjusts COVID-19 safety protocols, procedure and policy according to the latest federal, state, local and UNC System guidance.
  
  
• Following CDC guidance, App State uses county-based community spread data to determine when requirements can be lessened or lifted.  

Additional resources:
Latest Updates • Face Coverings • COVID-19 Vaccines • Reporting COVID-19 Cases • COVID-19 Testing