TO: Campus community
FR: Missy Brunetta, Director for Emergency Services, Associate Risk Manager, and COVID Monitoring and Compliance Lead
Thank you for doing your part to limit the spread of COVD-19 on campus over the course of this semester. This shared success at Sonoma State University is due, in part, to the fact that 91% of current students and 85% of employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of current data.
Through our combined efforts of wearing our masks, completing our daily wellness screenings, reporting potential COVID-19 exposures, utilizing the on-campus COVID-19 testing center, and practicing physical distancing, we have helped to keep our community safe. Let’s not let up on these efforts.
Sonoma State University has maintained low COVID-19 infection rates. As illustrated on the SSU COVID Dashboard, the overall number of COVID-19 infections both on and off campus has remained low – experiencing only 78 cases for our on-campus population since the beginning of the pandemic.
We understand that the new omicron variant is causing additional uncertainty as we head into the holiday season. While every new variant raises alarm in the scientific community, it is important to remember that the delta variant continues to be the primary cause of COVID cases in the United States. Public health experts are still learning about omicron but initial research is indicating that existing vaccines seem to be effective at protecting against severe illness and hospitalization. There is no data to indicate that the omicron variant itself causes more severe illness, although it may be more easily transmissible.
As we head into the winter break and begin to plan our holiday gatherings, we’d like to share a few helpful tips for celebrating the season safely:
- Get a booster if you are 18 or older and it has been at least six months since you completed the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series or at least two months since you received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- Keep indoor gatherings small.
- If your guests are unvaccinated or you don’t know their status, plan gatherings that are small, short, and outdoors.
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth under the following scenarios:
- When social distancing is not possible.
- When you might be around unvaccinated people, especially indoors.
- When around older individuals or people with medical conditions.
- When gathering inside, ventilate well. Open doors and windows, run HVAC systems, and install high-quality air filters.
- Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
- And stay home if you are sick.
We wish you a happy and healthy winter break, and look forward to a safe return to campus in January. If you have any questions about this information or COVID-19 safety protocols, please contact COVID Monitoring at covid.monitoring@sonoma.edu.
Stay safe and well.