From the COVID-19 Rapid Response Team

Good morning:

Below are some important updates regarding vaccination opportunities, testing requirements at UIS and clarification about the latest CDC guidelines for face coverings.

Vaccine Availability

• Walk-in appointments for the Pfizer vaccine are available at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in the Orr Building. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. You must be 16 or older to receive a vaccine. Schedule your appointment at scdph.org.
• Memorial Health System has vaccine appointments as early as Tuesday, May 4, at its South Sixth Street location just north of campus.

Campus Testing Requirement

Beginning the week of May 17, UIS students, faculty and staff who are currently testing twice per week may return to testing once per week if they are living, learning, working or training on the UIS campus at least one day per week. Intermittent testers should continue to test on the days they visit campus, at least once per week.

CDC Guidance for Vaccinated Individuals

• The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced updated guidance this week for fully vaccinated individuals. You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final vaccine dose. This updated guidance, in part, says vaccinated individuals do not need to wear a face covering outdoors except in crowded settings/venues or indoors if with other fully vaccinated individuals. At UIS, we will continue to wear face coverings outdoors if six feet of distance cannot be maintained, regardless of vaccination status, and we will continue to require face coverings indoors in alignment with our United in Safety guidelines. In other words, our campus expectations for face coverings indoors and outdoors remain unchanged.

The CRRT continues to evaluate opportunities to adjust our campus health and safety expectations in alignment with local, state and federal health guidance and will announce any changes as warranted.

Thank You!