BY KURT MARTONE, NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant, is in New York State. St. Bonaventure University is monitoring the variant as it progresses throughout winter break, to determine policy for next semester.
“It’s just a little bit too early to tell what we should do at this point,” said Tom Missel, the co-chair of St. Bonaventure University’s COVID-19 Task Force.
The university currently sees no need to shift from its current policies, which require employees to be masked indoors, unless socially distanced and students to be masked in large crowds and classrooms, and expects the same over winter break.
Missel communicates weekly with Dr. Kevin Watkins, Cattaraugus county’s health director, who has commended Missel about the great job that the school has been doing. That comes as Cattaraugus county hit a record high eight deaths due to COVID-19 complications last week.
“He doesn’t really see, and we don’t see as a task force, any need to switch gears at the moment,” said Missel, who is also the chief communications officer for the university.
Even with a recent spike in the surrounding area, the university has hardly been affected the same way. According to St. Bonaventure’s COVID-19 tracker, the university has only had 67 positive cases as of June 1.
“We’re thrilled,” Missel said. “We are always a little skittish coming out of breaks. People going home and coming back, who knows what you’re coming back with, disease-wise, germ-wise. So you’re always crossing your fingers a week or so after break to see if there’s any spike but we have rarely seen none.”
Bonaventure is hopeful that no need arises to implement stricter policies.
“Hopefully we can stick with that [current mask policy] and don’t have to get more stringent next semester,” said Missel.
On Nov. 23, the university’s Wellness Center “strongly recommended” that all vaccinated people get a booster shot if they have not done so.
“The more people who receive boosters, the more likely we will be to have a successful spring semester,” the release said.
There are no current plans to issue a harsher recommendation or a requirement for students and employees to get a booster yet. Bonaventure is waiting for more official guidance from the county and other agencies like the Center for Disease Control.
President Joe Biden’s recently issued vaccine mandate, which requires employers who have more than 100 staff members to require vaccinations or get tested weekly, is currently being held up in court. However, the university is moving forward as if the law will go into effect on its scheduled date, Jan. 4.
St. Bonaventure is currently collecting data from faculty and staff about their vaccine status, and whether they plan to do so if they are not vaccinated. As of Wednesday, two-thirds of employees have responded, and only 3 people on payroll have said that they will not get vaccinated.
The date to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4 has already passed for people planning on getting Pfizer or Moderna shots. Those wishing to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have to do so by Dec. 21. If not fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, employees will be required to test weekly, even if they plan on getting the vaccine.
“We’ve made it clear that if you don’t choose either of those alternatives, you will be terminated,” Missel said.
While no new policy is expected to be set before the start of next semester, the COVID-19 Task Force continues to meet weekly, and will let the St. Bonaventure community know if any changes will be announced.
martonkd18@bonaventure.edu
