Throughout Fall Semester, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley is providing regular email update messages to keep students and parents informed about the efforts for a healthy semester.
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Elon University is known for its commitment to community and spirit of resilience. We will call upon those characteristics as we come together for the start of a new academic year and continue to mitigate the impact of the evolving COVID-19 virus. The health and well-being of all members of our community will remain the top priority.
This is the first of our regular email messages we will send this fall, to keep you updated on our efforts for a healthy semester. In each message we will bullet the highlights at the beginning of the email and include more details and links below. Please take time to read these important messages and be familiar with university announcements and information that are important to our health. The messages can also be found on the Healthy Elon website, along with other important information related to the pandemic and university guidance.
Summary of updates in this message:
- As the pandemic continues to evolve, we must remain nimble and responsive – individually and collectively
- Guidance from the CDC and State of North Carolina is shifting as the Delta variant continues to surge
- Eight key strategies you need to know and the Healthy Elon Commitment are attached to this email
Guidance from Federal and State Public Health Officials
This past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services addressed changing conditions nationally and in the state. Scientists explained the ongoing threat of the Delta variant and called on us to make adjustments in a time of rising threat.
The recommendations from the CDC and state officials remind us that:
- Vaccines are the most effective measure for reducing serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19
- Masks are an important mitigation strategy against the spread of COVID-19
- Each of us will need to make decisions about our health in every new surrounding.
As conditions change, we will rely on a wide range of tools (vaccinations, masks, distancing, testing with the BinaxNow antigen test as well as PCR tests, and more), communicating regularly and modifying policies as needed. University guidance will continue to be led by three university-wide leadership teams: the Healthy Elon Committee (formerly Ready & Resilient Committee), Data Team, and Infectious Disease Team. They will continue to stay abreast of local conditions and remain in regular communication with health experts. The Healthy Elon website will be updated regularly and our public COVID dashboard will be updated weekly.
What You Need to Know
Attached please find a quick overview of the eight key strategies we all need to know to be healthy on campus together, as well as the updated Healthy Elon Commitment, outlining the guidelines for every member of the Elon community this year. Please review these documents, familiarizing yourself with expectations regarding masking and testing for unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff; respect for those wearing masks; what to do if you feel ill; and more.
Each week the Healthy Elon Update email will be sent to you by 10:45 a.m. on Wednesdays. The next update will be sent Wednesday, Aug. 11. Additional information is always available on the Healthy Elon website at: www.elon.edu/healthyelon.
We remain confident in our ability to successfully navigate the challenges we face, just as we did last year when we knew less about the virus and effective strategies. Thanks for your continued attention and vigilance with this important information and guidance as we prepare for the coming academic year.
—
Dr. Jon Dooley
Vice President for Student Life