Dear Members of the Lehigh Community and Lehigh Families,
This week, we offered optional asymptomatic surveillance testing to students, faculty and staff before the Pacing Break weekend. The number of active Lehigh COVID cases, including from surveillance and all types of testing, remains low. We continue to monitor high transmission rates in Northampton County.
Given the lower rates of transmission on campus, student organizations will be permitted to host larger formal gatherings as described in further detail below.
As the weather starts to get cooler and more activity begins taking place indoors, we encourage all members of the community to continue being vigilant in following proper health and safety protocols, especially mask-wearing indoors.
On-Campus Flu Clinics
As an important preventative measure, we strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get their annual flu shot. It is possible to become infected with flu viruses and the viruses that cause COVID-19 at the same time, and health professionals anticipate that the impact of the flu may be more serious this year compared to last year as a result of people interacting at more in-person activities and events.
Students received information from the Health and Wellness Center and the Health Advancement & Prevention Strategies Office about registering for an on-campus flu clinic, which will be held on October 12.
Faculty and staff will receive information in the coming weeks about an on-campus walk-in flu clinic specifically for faculty and staff, which will be held on October 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the STEPS tent.
Student Organizations and Meetings/Gatherings
While outdoor gatherings are still strongly encouraged whenever possible, recognized student organizations are now permitted to host formal meetings and gatherings indoors in accordance with the regular capacity limits noted for reservable campus spaces (above the current 25-person limit on gatherings). These indoor meetings and gatherings must be able to mimic the classroom setting—that is, with mask-wearing and no eating and drinking. If the student organization wishes to provide food, specific approval by the COVID Response Team is required with a written explanation of how current health and safety protocols will be followed.
Pacing Break
Following Pacing Break on Monday, October 11, we will continue our expanded surveillance testing of 10% of fully vaccinated individuals. This is in addition to our symptomatic testing and the ongoing surveillance testing of unvaccinated students, faculty and staff.
-COVID Response Team