Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

The COVID-19 virus is spread mainly from person-to-person, through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. There may also be instances of spreading when a person touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, and then touches their mouth, nose or eyes.

How long after exposure does it take for symptoms to appear?

• Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure, and may include:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

The quickest and safest way to minimize your risk of contracting COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. Additional measures to reduce your risk of infection include the following guidelines for good health:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough and/or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for wearing a mask or other approved face coverings.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Yes, all undergraduate and graduate students are required to be fully vaccinated to attend in-person classes and activities at St. Joseph’s College this fall.

For more information, view SJC’s COVID-19 immunization policy.

The recent spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus presents a clear and dangerous risk to the SJCNY community. According to the CDC, the Delta variant has increased transmissibility and is far more virulent than earlier strains of the coronavirus. It accounts for over 80 percent of new coronavirus cases and adults and children under 50 are 2.5 times more likely to be infected by the Delta variant as opposed to earlier strains.

This variant poses a distinct threat to unvaccinated individuals in particular, with 97 percent of new COVID-related hospitalizations occurring among unvaccinated persons. In addition, 99 percent of COVID-related fatalities are unvaccinated persons. Due to these indicators and the efficacy of vaccines in preventing the spread of the coronavirus as well as minimizing the risk of serious health complications and death, the College has decided to mandate vaccination for all students this fall.

Fully online students are exempt from this policy. However, any fully online student who comes to campus and/or any of our offsite facilities will be required to show proof of vaccination before being allowed to enter the premises.

Yes, all in-person College employees are now required to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

The College has engaged CastleBranch, a leading provider of health screening solutions, to manage the vaccination record collection process. Fully vaccinated individuals (ie: those who have completed their vaccination series of either two Pfizer or Moderna shots or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) can upload their proof of vaccination through the CastleBranch system, per the instructions sent to their SJCNY email account.

All students must submit proof of completed vaccination by Monday, September 13.

Students must receive their first dose of either the Pfizer-BioTech COVID-19 vaccine or an FDA-authorized for emergency use vaccine no later than Monday, August 16 and finish their full course of vaccination no later than Monday, September 13. Any student who fails to submit the required documentation with proof of vaccination will be contacted and reminded of the requirement. Non-compliance of this policy by Monday, September 13 will prevent you from being permitted on campus, which may also impact your enrollment in classes.

To find a vaccination center near you, please use the following links below:

• Nationwide
• New York City
• New York State

We are closely monitoring the guidance from the CDC and medical experts regarding boosters for the vaccine and will be following state and federal guidance on next steps should they be required in the future.

Medical and religious exemptions will be processed and evaluated by CastleBranch in keeping with the exemption process outlined in the College’s immunization protocols.

Unvaccinated students without an approved exemption will not be allowed to attend classes at St. Joseph’s College for the Fall 2021 semester and until further notice. Individuals requesting to switch to online or virtual modalities should contact the Academic Advisement Center on their respective campuses for more information.

Unvaccinated students who have not completed their full series of vaccination by Monday September 13 may not be allowed on campus unless granted a medical or religious exemption or a special circumstances extension by the College. Examples of students who might be considered for a special circumstances extension include an international or out of state student, whose travel to campus has prevented them from meeting the established timeline or a student who enrolled at the College close to or after the established timeline. Please note that special circumstances exemptions will only be awarded for case-by-case situations and then only on a temporary basis. Unvaccinated students will also need to participate in surveillance testing (please see below for information about surveillance testing).

Due to the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, the College will be reinstating its full mask mandate for all — including students, faculty, staff and visitors — while in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. This new policy will be effective beginning August 12, 2021 immediately. Please note that we will continue to monitor the status of the virus and re-evaluate this policy on a regular basis. Should the threat of the virus significantly decline, we may relax and/or lift this mandate in the months ahead.

All members of the St. Joseph's College community are expected to wear an appropriate mask or face covering that covers both the mouth and nose while indoors at all times. The College follows CDC guidance on what is considered an acceptable mask; gaiters, buffs, bandanas and face shields are not acceptable face coverings.