Dear Hokies,
We couldn’t be more eager for your arrival back on campus. Welcome home. We had a great fall semester — and my thanks to you cannot be overstated. I am deeply appreciative of your flexibility, generous spirt, and overall commitment to the Virginia Tech community. Thank you. I’m proud of you.
For the foreseeable future, COVID-19 will continue to be a focus for our university and each of us individually. Even though COVID remains part of our lives, together we can limit its impact and give ourselves the best opportunity for another strong semester.
As vaccines, therapeutics, and mitigation practices have become readily available and widely utilized, personal responsibility and education are as effective as they’ve ever been for reducing the impact of COVID-19.
In preparation for the spring 2022 semester, remember these four things:
- Before returning to any Virginia Tech campus, residential students must submit a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival and submit it here. If you test positive, do not return to campus for five days and until you are symptom free for five days.
- If you contract COVID-19 while at Virginia Tech, utilize your previously developed plan to isolate in place for five days and wear a face covering. After five days, and you no longer have symptoms, you may conclude your isolation. Please continue wearing your mask, in accordance with university guidelines.
- If you are a close contact with someone with COVID-19 and are vaccinated and boosted or vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster, and you do not have symptoms associated with COVID- 19, you do not need to quarantine but should always wear a mask. Unvaccinated people should quarantine for five days.
- Notify the Dean of Students Office immediately so they can provide support, including an absence verification, and monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus.
As a reminder, we are requiring booster shots within 14 days of eligibility for all students and employees. If you are eligible now, updated information is due by Feb. 1, and we urge you to get your booster as soon as possible. If you are not eligible yet, please schedule your booster as soon as you are able to do so. Students and employees need to upload their updated vaccination record as soon as they receive a booster dose. Procedures remain in place for students and employees to request medical and religious exemptions. Existing exemptions will be honored. For those with medical concerns about the booster shot, please consult your physician.
The pandemic has been a much longer journey than we could have ever imagined. The unexpected addition of the omicron variant is testing our stamina once again. As I’ve shared with my colleagues across the country, I know of no other student population who has been more helpful, supportive, and other-centric than right here at Virginia Tech. Thank you times 100,000.
And remember, there is a large cadre of Virginia Tech faculty and staff who will link arms with you and support you. Please reach out if you need help. We’re in this together.
With hope,
Frank Shushok Jr.
Vice President for Student Affairs
