In the wake of concern about a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has strengthened its guidance related to COVID-19 boosters, recommending that everyone age 18 and older receive a booster shot six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series of vaccinations and two months after the initial J&J vaccine. We are pleased to announce that Medical School employees will be able to receive a COVID-19 booster at Employee Health clinics today through Dec. 15 on the University and Memorial campuses of UMass Memorial Medical Center. The dates, times, locations and scheduling links for upcoming clinics are listed below.
Booster shot appointments must be scheduled in advance; walk-ins are not accepted. Please take your CDC COVID-19 vaccine card, a photo ID and UMass Chan ID badge to your appointment. Anyone seeking a J&J booster or an alternative date or location may visit https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/ to schedule an appointment at one of hundreds of retail pharmacy, store and clinic locations across the state. EHS offers limited Saturday booster clinics. Please call 508-793-6400 to schedule.
|
Booster |
Site |
Date |
Time |
Link to booking site |
|
Pfizer |
Memorial |
2-Dec |
7a-3p |
|
|
Pfizer |
Memorial |
6-Dec |
11a-7p |
|
|
Pfizer |
Memorial |
7-Dec |
7a-3p |
|
|
Pfizer |
University |
8-Dec |
11a-7p |
|
|
Pfizer |
University |
9-Dec |
7a-3p |
|
|
Moderna |
Memorial |
13-Dec |
7a-3p |
|
|
Moderna |
University |
14-Dec |
7a-3p |
|
|
Moderna |
University |
15-Dec |
11a-7p |
Flu shot deadline is Dec. 15
All UMass Chan faculty, staff and students are required to receive a flu shot and provide proof of vaccination by Dec. 15. Individuals who receive their flu shots at locations other than at UMass Memorial sites via Employee Health should send documentation of flu vaccination to employeeflumailbox@umassmemorial.org. Individuals who have a medical contraindication must submit valid documentation from a qualified health care provider to Employee Health Services (employeeflumailbox@umassmemorial.org) or Student Health Services (StudentHealth@umassmemorial.org) by Dec. 10 in order to be exempted from flu vaccination. Those who have concerns due to deeply held religious beliefs may seek an exemption by contacting Matthew Lyford (matthew.lyford@umassmed.edu) in Human Resources by Dec. 10.
Holiday Travel & Testing Guidance
Due to concerns related to the Omicron variant, domestic and international air travel is highly discouraged. We recognize that during the holiday season many families may be planning to travel, so please remember that prior to any out-of-state travel of 24 hours duration or more, all faculty, staff and students must complete a travel form. In addition, a COVID-19 test is required three-to-five days after returning from travel. Anyone who does not follow these two requirements may be subject to badge deactivation.
Most school employees should use this travel form. Students should complete the student travel form. Residents and dually employed physicians should follow UMass Memorial’s travel policy. Those residents and dually employed physicians who work at school sites (LRB, ASC, Biotech 2, CRC) are also required to submit the school form and follow the school travel policy.
COVID-19 tests are required weekly for all non-clinical staff who come to campus and for all clinical school employees who work at school sites. Tests may be scheduled at this link.
Masks
Everyone is required to wear a mask indoors on the UMass Chan Medical School campus, regardless of vaccination status. The only exception is that vaccinated individuals may remove their masks briefly (15 minutes or less) while eating or drinking when alone in an office with the door closed or while at least six feet physically distanced from others. No eating is allowed at conferences, meetings or other gatherings.
On and Off Campus Gatherings
Guidelines for on-campus gatherings have not changed – until further notice, no food is allowed at any on-campus gathering and all attendees must be vaccinated. Any outside guests who attend on-campus gatherings must be vaccinated and registered in the SV3 visitor management system. In addition, the department sponsoring the gathering must gather guests’ addresses and phone numbers in case contact tracing becomes necessary.
Gatherings that involve food are inherently higher risk due to the need to remove masks. UMass Chan Medical School has seen transmission of COVID-19 among vaccinated employees and students at off campus gatherings. The safest gatherings are those that are held remotely, followed by those that are held outdoors or indoor events without food (no mask removal). Indoor events in which food is served are inherently higher risk.
Any department or group seeking to host an off campus gathering must ensure that all attendees including non-UMass Chan guest have proof of vaccination and collect attendees’ addresses and phone numbers in case contact tracing becomes necessary. To maximize safety, it is recommended that off campus events be held at an outdoor venue, when possible, that tables be spaced, and that pre- and post-event COVID-19 testing of all attendees be conducted. We also recommend that individuals who are immune suppressed or otherwise medically vulnerable abstain from attending off-campus events, which may not be as safe from an infection control perspective as those held on campus, where COVID-19 vaccination is required and masks are removed only for brief periods during meals. Below is our guidance in detail:
- WE REQUIRE THAT ALL ATTENDEES BE FULLY VACCINATED (14 days or more after one dose of Johnson and Johnson or second dose of Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine). There are no exceptions to this rule.
- WARNING: These events may not be as safe as on-campus events, so NO ONE should attend if they are immune suppressed or have other medical vulnerabilities.
- All guests must sign and submit a UMass Chan event attestation form to their point of contact, which includes their name, address and cell phone number for contact tracing, if needed.
- It is recommended that events take place outdoors. If that is not feasible due to weather, indoor eating is safest when tables are appropriately distanced. Plated meals or a served buffet are recommended.
- Mask wearing even at social events is recommended except while eating.
- All UMass Chan and UMass Memorial dually employed staff must obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of the event, and again 3 to 5 days after the event. For those who are not able to get to the testing site, we accept any commercial COVID-19 PCR tests performed within 72 hours of the event or commercial COVID-19 antigen tests performed within 48 hours of the event. As a last resort time-stamped photo of a negative home test such as Abbot BinaxNOW (available for purchase at pharmacies) performed within 24 hours is acceptable for those without access to other tests. Please keep in mind that rapid antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR in detecting infection in individuals who are asymptomatic. COVID-19 antibody tests are not accepted. Anyone who has had documented COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to the event may not need to test unless they are immune compromised. For testing related questions, please contact theresa.kane@umassmed.edu
- Employees/students who develop symptoms after the event should contact EHS at 508-793-6400 or SHS at 508-334-2818. Should employees, students or guests develop symptoms of COVID-19 while on campus or within 48 hours of the event and ultimately be diagnosed with COVID-19 or are without symptoms and have a positive COVID-19 test within 48 hours of event, they must contact the Infection Control Officer, sharone.green@umassmed.edu
- Anyone who has had close COVID-19 contact in the 14 days prior to the visit (less than 6 feet for 15 minutes over 24 hours without a mask on) should not attend the event.
- Anyone who returns from any international or domestic travel within the prior 14 days are recommended to test 3 – 5 days after arrival in MA as per the UMass Chan Travel Policy: https://www.umassmed.edu/globalassets/coronavirus-new/generic-blocks/umms-travel-policy_04_16_2021.pdf
- An Off Campus Event Request Form (attached) must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the event.
This policy is subject to change by Infection Control based upon changes in rates of community and school transmission. Please direct policy questions to sharone.green@umassmed.edu
Event request questions should be sent to Kristen.maki@umassmed.edu
COVID-19 Resources
Anyone may schedule a COVID-19 test and find travel guidance, links to virtual town hall meetings and more at https://umassmed.edu/coronavirus/.
