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. 29 message to campus, Chancellor Sheri Everts shared the most recent campus COVID-19 data and announced that App State’s COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated on Monday, Nov. 1 with the percentage of employees who have uploaded proof of vaccination, as well as the vaccination rate of students who are participating in on-campus classes and activities (excluding students who attend online or remotely, do not come to campus, are not traveling, and are not placed in internships, practicums, or other off-campus university assignments).

Keep reading for full details on COVID-19-related updates and information, as well as important updates for students, faculty and staff about campus operations for the fall 2021 semester.

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

Upload Required Proof of Vaccination Now!

Students, faculty and staff are required to upload proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status, even if you were vaccinated on campus. You must upload your record before the university can include you in the pool of fully vaccinated students and employees.

Instructions for faculty and staff

• Employees must upload proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status by Friday, Oct. 29 — even if you previously attested your vaccination status.
  
  
• Upload proof of vaccination now! 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.
  
  
• Employees who have not uploaded proof of vaccination must get tested weekly on campus or submit lab results of a COVID-19 test each week.

Instructions for students

• Students who have not already done so, should upload proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status via their MedPortal accounts, including students who were vaccinated on campus.
  
  
• Students who have not uploaded proof of vaccination must get tested weekly on campus or submit lab results of a COVID-19 test each week.

Can’t find your vaccination record?

• If you were vaccinated by a North Carolina provider and provided your email address, you can view, download and print your vaccine record on the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) website.

Resources: 
Submit proof of vaccination • Submit Your COVID-19 Test Results • Get your COVID-19 vaccination record (NCDHHS) • COVID-19 Testing

Unvaccinated? Get Tested at a Campus Testing Event or Submit Laboratory-certified COVID-19 Test Results Weekly!

All students and employees who have not uploaded proof of full COVID-19 vaccination are required to get tested weekly on campus or submit weekly COVID-19 tests. 

• If you don’t want to submit weekly COVID-19 tests, get vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit your fully vaccinated status to the university.
  
  
• The university monitors all COVID-19 test submissions each week — from on-campus testing clinics and those submitted from off-campus locations. COVID-19 vaccine record submissions are also monitored. 

Where can I get a COVID-19 test?

App State continues to hold on-campus COVID-19 testing clinics each week — 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.
  
  
• Testing clinics are also open to students and employees who would like a COVID-19 test for any reason. Get tested for COVID-19 if you exhibit symptoms, even if you are fully vaccinated. 

How do I submit my COVID-19 test results?

• If you are tested on campus, you DO NOT need to self report your results. These are automatically provided to the university.
  
  
• If you are tested off campus, review instructions and submit your results via the university’s Submit Your COVID-19 Test Results page. 

Resources: 
COVID-19 Testing • Submit Your COVID-19 Test Results • Reporting COVID-19 Cases

Vax Up for Flu and COVID-19!

Remember: The most important step in protecting you and your family from COVID-19 and the flu virus is to get vaccinated! These vaccines can be given at the same time, and both help to reduce severe illness, hospitalization and death. Consult your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.

In an Oct. 27 press release, Gov. Roy Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen shared that North Carolina’s COVID-19 numbers have continued to steadily improve due to North Carolinians choosing to get vaccinated and follow safety protocols. They also encouraged everyone who is eligible to get a COVID-19 booster.

Where can I get a flu and/or COVID-19 vaccine?

• Student Health Service and Wellness and Prevention Services will host an on-campus flu vaccine clinic for students on Nov. 1. Bring your AppCard and proof of insurance. No appointments are needed.
  
  
• App State’s Student Health Service provides flu vaccines for students and COVID-19 vaccines (as well as additional doses and booster shots for eligible individuals) to students, faculty and staff — call 828-262-3100 for more information.
  
  
• AppHealthCare also provides flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines — call 828-264-4995 to schedule an appointment — or find a flu vaccine provider near you.

COVID-19 Vaccine data

• As of Oct. 29, CDC’s COVID Data Tracker reports that almost 192 million Americans, or about 58%, have been fully vaccinated — about 67% of Americans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. 
  
  
• As of Oct. 29, North Carolina has administered more than 11.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Of the state’s adult population, 67% has been fully vaccinated, and 55% of the state’s total population has been fully vaccinated.
  
  
• App State’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated each Monday. Beginning Nov. 1 the dashboard will reflect:
  
  
• The rate of employees who have uploaded proof of vaccination. Remember: Employees who previously submitted vaccine attestations are still required to submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or they will be required to get tested weekly on campus or submit weekly test results.
  
  
• The vaccination rate of students who are participating in on-campus classes and activities (excluding students who attend online or remotely, do not come to campus, are not traveling, and are not placed in internships, practicums, or other off-campus university assignments).

Flu vaccine resources:
Flu vaccine finder • 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)

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

COVID-19 Booster Shots are Available!

On Oct. 21, CDC expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster doses for certain populations.  If you’re already vaccinated, booster shots are now widely available to extend and increase your protection against COVID-19.

If you received a Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Moderna vaccine:

• You are eligible for a booster six months after your second shot if you are:
• Age 18 years or older and work or live in high-risk settings, including education.
• Age 18 years or older and live in a long-term care setting or have underlying medical conditions.
• Age 65 years and older.

If you received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine:

• Everyone aged 18+ who received a J&J/Janssen vaccine at least two months ago should get a booster. 

Mixing and matching boosters:

• You may choose which COVID-19 vaccine you receive as a booster shot. CDC’s recommendations allow for mix and match dosing for booster shots. If you have questions, talk with your healthcare provider.

Additional doses:

• Additional doses of Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) or Moderna vaccines were previously authorized for immunocompromised individuals. Talk with your healthcare provider to see if you qualify.
  
  
• New CDC guidance says that most immunocompromised individuals who received an additional Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine dose may receive a single COVID-19 booster at least six months after completing their third dose.

Where can I get a booster or additional dose?

• Eligible individuals can receive a booster shot or additional dose on campus at Student Health Service (SHS) — call 828-262-3100 for an appointment. Bring your vaccination card so that SHS can verify the date when you were fully vaccinated.

Resources: 
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots (CDC) • COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters (NCDHHS) • Get your COVID-19 vaccination record (NCDHHS)

Campus Operations

Open Enrollment ends TODAY, Oct. 29

The NCFlex State Insurance Plans Open Enrollment for 2022 plan year runs through midnight, Oct. 29.

• If you have not yet completed your enrollment, visit the Benefits Enrollment Gateway.
  
  
• Choose the “Employees of the University of North Carolina and Constituent Institutions” link, then log-in via the “Appalachian State University Employees” link and follow the prompts. You can also call the enrollment support center at 1-855-859-0966 through 10 p.m. tonight.

Campus events

As App State continues to welcome alumni and visitors to campus, please remember that face coverings are required in all indoor campus locations, including Kidd Brewer Stadium’s indoor areas — CDC continues to recommend wearing a face covering in crowded outdoor settings.

• App State celebrates Homecoming through Oct. 31. Visit the Homecoming site for details, including a schedule of events.

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