The University of Connecticut’s Associative Vice President and Dean of Students Eleanor JB Daugherty announced in an email Thursday afternoon that the university’s COVID-19 alert status will be switching from red to orange.
UConn’s campuses opened in red at the beginning of the Spring 2022 semester and have remained in red ever since.
Starting Friday, Jan. 11 at 6 a.m., student activities, campus dining, residential buildings and the Rec Center will be open in orange.
Under the orange level, the requirement for physical distancing is lifted but masks are still required when not eating or drinking. Campus dining will be at full capacity and Buckley will now be open for dining in. To-go containers will still be available for students who request them through the dining services website.
Daugherty also mentioned UConn students are now allowed as guests in residence halls and family members are allowed to visit in residence hall common areas. Additionally, club sports and Student Activities can travel.
Under the next color status (yellow), masks are recommended but not required, both indoors and outdoors. Daugherty said the university will discuss masking and any potential changes to UConn’s COVID-19 guidelines later in the month.
“As you know, the big difference between yellow and orange is masking,” Daugherty said in her email. “I am looking forward to discussing masking and other COVID-related topics with my colleagues later this month. We are very aware of the Governor’s recent messaging regarding K-12 and required masking. That certainly means it’s worth considering whether any changes announced for K-12 in Connecticut should be applied to UConn.”
“However, we are equally aware that masking and vaccination compliance (including getting your booster) are strong indicators to our good health,” Daugherty added.
At the end of her email, Daugherty reminded students to work with Student Health and Wellness (SHaW) and their medical providers to make sure they are meeting booster requirements.
“I know [boosters] will remain an important data point for us to consider as we move forward,” Daugherty said.
So far, nearly 17,000 UConn students have reported having received their boosters, according to Daugherty.
Students can upload their vaccination and booster records to the patient portal on SHaW’s website.