BREAKING NEWS: Student-facing higher education faculty and staff could start receiving COVID-19 vaccines as soon as March 21 – In a Friday afternoon press conference, Gov. Jared Polis announced updates to the state’s vaccine distribution plan – including a move to prioritize student-facing higher education faculty and staff for vaccination in a new Phase 1B.4. The target start date for Phase 1B.4 – which also includes all Coloradans age 50 and older – is March 21. Phase 1B.3 launches March 5 and will include Coloradans 60 and older. We’ll share more details on what this means for Mines as soon as we have them.
Prior to Polis’ announcement, Mines President Paul C. Johnson and Provost Rick Holz sent out a message to campus Friday morning that laid out the work that leadership at Mines and other Colorado universities had done to advocate on behalf of higher education receiving vaccine prioritization. Read the full message on the Mines Climbs Together website.
If you are part of a group that’s currently eligible for vaccination – including anyone 65 and older – Mines highly encourages you to seek appointments where possible. Several health systems and pharmacies have online registration systems. Visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment website for a complete listing and sign-up links. Some systems are also accepting sign-ups for rapid on-call and waiting lists for groups not yet eligible for vaccination.
COVID-19 Dashboard Update — The Mines COVID-19 dashboard was updated today, revealing 12 active cases on campus. A total of 2,063 tests were completed last week, with a positivity rate of 0.34 percent. Additional case details are available here.
There is currently one active outbreak on campus, in Sigma Phi Epsilon. CDPHE defines outbreaks as two or more individuals within a cohort (facility, business, non-household group) who have tested positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period. The state’s outbreak report is updated each Wednesday at covid19.colorado.gov/covid19-outbreak-data.
NOTE: Outbreaks remain active in the state database until 28 days have passed without a positive case. That means a cohort (residence hall floor or house) could have already been released from quarantine, with no additional cases/transmission identified, but is still considered an “active” outbreak by the state. We have removed cohorts that have already been released from quarantine from this message.
Students: Has your collection of face masks seen better days? Come get a new FREE cloth mask March 8-9 – Masks for Mines, the volunteer-led initiative that sewed thousands of cloth masks for students before the start of the school year, has been busy at work and has another 3,500 volunteer-sewn masks ready to distribute free to Mines students. The giveaway will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9 on the pedestrian plaza in front of the Student Center. Both Blaster and plain masks will be available, and all masks feature double-layer construction and a pocket for a supplemental filter. First come, first served. Mask up, Mines!
Looking to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine? Check out these seven tips from Jeffco Public Health – Is it your turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine? It can be challenging to know where to start. Here are the top things to know and some helpful tips for signing up. Remember that vaccine supplies are still very limited, and even if you are eligible and can sign up, you might have to wait days or weeks to get your vaccine.
- Sign up directly with a local vaccine provider. Health care providers, retail pharmacies and public health clinics have their own registration websites. You may have to create an account, and if you receive a reference code, write it down. For the most up-to-date list of providers, visit covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine. Additionally, a staff member at NREL created a COVID-19 Vaccine Finder Tool that may be helpful for finding an appointment.
- You can sign up with multiple vaccine providers if you’d like, and you do not have to be a patient or member of a health care provider to get the vaccine there.
- If you are on a wait list, check your email, voicemail and/or text messages often so you do not lose your spot in line.
- You can get vaccinated in any city or county. You are not required to get vaccinated in the community you live in.
- The vaccine is free. Providers should not ask you to pay for the vaccine or other administrative costs, regardless of your insurance status. If you have insurance, the provider may seek reimbursement from your health insurance company for these fees, but you should not be charged.
- You should not be asked to provide ID when registering or when you go to your appointment. However, you may be asked to show proof of health care worker/first responder status, if applicable, or verify your age.
- You do not need to be a U.S. citizen, and you will not need to prove lawful presence to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado.
Exceptions to university travel policy clarified – Mines’ university travel policy was updated this week to clarify under what circumstances exceptions may be requested. The new language, with changes in bold, is as follows: “University travel is not permitted, except for travel paid through a research contract or an external source. The provost or a vice president may authorize travel exceptions that are deemed to be essential to support and enhance critical university initiatives. All travel must follow CDC guidelines.”
Living on campus and asked to quarantine or isolate? Share this guide with your parents – Residence Life and the COVID-19 Response Initiator Team (CRIT) has created a new guide to on-campus quarantine and isolation, designed just for Mines parents. Answers to frequently asked questions can be found in the guide, along with helpful information and resources for supporting your student while they are under a quarantine and/or isolation directive. Find it on the Mines Climbs Together parents page at mines.edu/coronavirus/quarantine-isolation-parent-guide.
“A step in the right direction”: Jefferson County moves to Level Blue – Effective 6 a.m. Friday, Jefferson County was moved to Level Blue: Caution on the state’s COVID-19 dial. The shift to Level Blue comes after the county’s one-week incidence and test positivity rates for COVID-19 dropped into the metrics for this lower level of restrictions and then sustained those rates for a full week. From Feb. 17-23, Jefferson County had a total of 531 cases of COVID-19, or 91.1 per 100,000 residents, with test positivity rates hovering around 3 percent along with decreased and stabilizing hospitalizations. Under Level Blue, higher capacity limits will go into effect at restaurants, gyms, group sports, indoor and outdoor events, manufacturing and more. To see the full list of changes from Level Yellow to Level Blue, visit covid19.colorado.gov/covid-19-dial.
“While the move to Level Blue is a positive step and one we can all feel hopeful about, if we don’t continue to operate cautiously, we could quickly lose the ground we have gained,” said Dr. Dawn Comstock, Executive Director of Jefferson County Public Health. “The virus is still out there, and we still need to take steps to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community. We should look at Level Blue not as a ‘free for all,’ but rather a step in the right direction.”
What does Level Blue mean for Mines? No change to indoor event capacity – At this time, Campus Events and SAIL will maintain the same capacity limits for indoor events as were in place under Level Yellow: A maximum of 50 people, as long as the space is approved, with social distancing restrictions in place. The student-to-advisor ratio for indoor events has been adjusted, however, to 1 advisor per 50 students. Campus officials will continue to evaluate the situation as the semester progresses. Read the latest Meeting and Event Guidelines on the SAIL website.
ew report points to positive outcomes for 95-99% of 2019-20 graduates—A new report released by the Mines Career Center shows that, despite the global pandemic, recent Mines graduates are thriving, entering a wide variety of industries, roles and graduate schools, and continuing to earn starting salaries that place them among the most highly paid of their peers nationally. The 2019-20 Annual Report shows that 95 percent of students earning a bachelor’s degree in 2019 or May 2020 are employed in industry or government roles, enlisted in the military or continuing their education. That figure is 96 percent for students earning a master’s degree during that time, and 99 percent for PhD earners.
You can view the full report online at mines.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Career-Center-Annual-Report-2019-2020-DIGITAL.pdf. For more information on the Career Center, visit mines.edu/careers.