Dear staff colleagues,
As we look ahead to the holidays, we are carefully monitoring data and metrics about all COVID-19 variants. We will continue to closely track public health data and guidance in consultation with our colleagues at VUMC, the School of Nursing and other public health experts to make informed decisions about our spring semester plans.
Please stay safe over winter break and continue to use caution as you spend time with friends, family and others, including the good practice of masking indoors while we learn more about the omicron variant.
We will announce by the first week of January any updates about COVID-19 protocols, including an enhanced COVID-19 testing program, as well as clear guidance about their implications for your work.
I strongly encourage you to get your COVID-19 booster if you are eligible. Members of the campus community who have not provided proof that they have received their vaccine and booster will be tested more frequently in the spring semester. You can submit a record of your booster to vu.edu/submit-vaccine.
In addition to lowering your chances of having serious illness, boosters also ensure that our broader university community is as protected as possible as we begin the new semester.
I hope that you will join me and other university leaders for a virtual staff town hall, where we will discuss COVID-19 updates and staff support resources, on Friday, Jan. 7, at 12:30 p.m. You can RSVP for the town hall here. If you have not submitted your questions, you can do so through this online form.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our mission. Best wishes for a happy and restful break.
Eric Kopstain
Vice Chancellor for Administration