Submitted by jgardezy on Jun. 23, 2022
Body:
Re: Rising COVID-19 Cases in Merced County
To: All campus
June 10, 2022
Dear campus community,
Recognizing that our community's health is dynamic and changes as waves of COVID-19 ebb and flow, we are piloting an approach this summer that we believe will create a consistent approach and shared expectation of how to mitigate risks on campus in response to transmission risks in our surrounding community.
Through Aug. 12 (the end of Summer Session 2022),
- When CDC-defined COVID-19 Community Levels are at Medium (Yellow) risk level or higher for Merced County, indoor classroom and instructional activities will require face coverings.
- Exempt Situations:
- Instructors engaged in teaching.
- Students, faculty and staff who must remove face coverings during indoor performing arts rehearsals may continue to do so. Face coverings must be worn in indoor rehearsal spaces when not practicing, rehearsing or performing.
- When CDC-defined COVID-19 Community Levels are at High (Orange) risk level for Merced County, all indoor activities will require face coverings for students, employees and guests.
- Exempt Situations (in addition to those above):
- In an enclosed private space (such as an occupant’s private office with door closed or an individual’s dorm room).
- Showering, washing their face or brushing their teeth in a residence hall or other UC Merced facility with common bathroom facilities.
- While eating or drinking.
- Engaged in indoor, approved intercollegiate athletic activities (while physically practicing or playing), where wearing a face covering could inhibit their ability to breathe, provided they observe other appropriate mitigation measures.
- Children under age 2.
- Persons with a medical or mental health condition or developmental disability that prevents wearing a face covering.
- Anyone performing a specific task that cannot feasibly be performed with a face covering. This exception is limited to the time period in which such tasks are actually being performed.
- Face coverings are required inside the Student Health Center regardless of the county’s status per the California Department of Public Health.
The CDC COVID-19 Community Levels are calculated weekly each Thursday. The current status will be posted on the Do Your Part website and we intend to reference the status in the weekly Monday Memo. Individuals are responsible for checking the status to ensure they are aware of the current risk level. If there is a significant change, we also intend to update the campus community.
Surgical and N95 masks are available for free to university affiliates at locations throughout campus.
Thank you to everyone in our Bobcat community for your commitment to our public health.
Sincerely,
Andrew Boyd
Chief Resilience Officer
