Dear Carls,
You’ve received a number of important emails from Carleton over the past week that require your attention. This message is no different; please read it carefully and reach out if you have questions.
COVID-19 DATA
Last week, Carleton administered 899 tests for COVID-19 and recorded 15 new cases of the virus within our on-campus community. As a result, among the College’s threshold measures, our 14-day infection rate is 0.78%, our surveillance testing positivity rate is 0.28%, and the average number of close contacts per case is 4. The campus action level is Level 2: Medium. Detailed data for the week of Sunday, April 4, through Saturday, April 10, is available on the dashboard.
VACCINATION CLINIC NEXT WEEK
Yesterday you received an email from the COVID-19 Core Team sharing that Thrifty White Pharmacy will conduct a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on campus next week to distribute 500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to members of the Carleton community. All on-campus and Northfield Option students are eligible to participate. The clinic will be held on Wednesday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Rec Center.
STUDENTS SEEKING SECOND DOSES
Students who need a second dose only of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine should not sign up for an appointment through the on-campus Thrifty White clinic. Carleton now has a dedicated resource in Student Health and Counseling focused on helping students find a second dose in Minnesota. If you received your first dose out of state, please complete the Assistance Request Form to receive an email every weekday from SHAC Care Coordinator Rachel Morrison with information about vaccine locations in the area for your specific vaccine type. If you received your first dose in Minnesota, you should plan to return to the same vaccination site for your second dose.
REPORT YOUR VACCINATION
If you have received your COVID-19 vaccine, please report it to Carleton using the Vaccine Documentation Form. You should do this as soon as possible after receiving your first dose. Currently, 43% of Carleton community members have reported receiving at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This calculation includes the total Carleton population (both on campus and remote) using information that is voluntarily reported to the College. The vaccination rate will now be updated weekly on the dashboard.
SURVEILLANCE TESTING INCREASE
With more transmissible variants of COVID-19 now widespread in Minnesota and steadily increasing case rates in Rice County, Carleton’s weekly surveillance testing sample size will be increased beginning on Tuesday, April 20. We will move from testing 600 members of our community weekly to 900 for the remainder of the month of April. Additional targeted surveillance testing of groups who may be at increased risk of exposure continues.
CAMPUS VISITORS
Despite state and national progress in vaccinating the populations most vulnerable to COVID-19, Carleton’s policy continues that visitors are not permitted on campus, including those who are vaccinated. This restriction will continue through commencement. Additional information is available on the student FAQs section of the COVID-19 website.
REMINDERS AND COVENANT UPDATE
As the weather warms, we continue to grow weary of the pandemic, and more of us become vaccinated against COVID-19, it may be tempting to relax the behaviors that have been essential to mitigating spread of the virus on campus. We’ve seen some indication of this recently with people eating in groups while seated closely together, people spending time together outdoors while unmasked and closer than 6 feet apart, and an unusual number of students not complying with surveillance testing. Generally, any student who misses two surveillance tests will be removed from campus. I urge you to continue to take your compliance with the covenant seriously.
Stay safe,
Dean Livingston