Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As we wrap up our third week of the fall semester, I wanted to share an update to our COVID policies at Juilliard. We have seen a steady decline in infections in New York City in the past few weeks, as well as within our own community. In addition, the CDC has also downgraded New York City’s community alert level to low. To that end, and after consultation with our medical advisors, we are now able to make important changes to our current COVID protocols for students, faculty, and staff. Please see full details of these changes below.
Our hope is to be able to maintain these updated protocols for as long as health conditions allow. However, we would like to remind you that these updated policies should be considered temporary for now and are subject to change should the COVID landscape shift and we find ourselves confronting a new uptick in cases. As always, we remain vigilant in our approach to our community’s health and safety and continue to follow CDC and local health guidelines.
At this time, we are also strongly encouraging anyone who is eligible for the updated booster shot to receive it as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, you can always reach out to my office at [email protected].
With good wishes,
Adam Meyer
Provost
TESTING
Starting next week, we will no longer be administering on-campus surveillance testing. However, PCR or rapid testing will continue to be required in certain situations.
Please be alert to the typical symptoms of the Omicron variant of COVID, which may include: sore throat, hoarse voice, cough, fatigue, nasal congestion, runny nose, headache, muscle aches.
If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, please do not come to Juilliard. Please test immediately (rapid or PCR) and contact your health care provider. If you test negative with a rapid test but continue to feel unwell, please do not come in until your symptoms resolve or until your medical provider says you can return.
Rapid tests will be available to all students, faculty, and staff at the main security desk in the Diamond Building, and to students at the Residence Life office and Health Services.
If at any point you do test positive for COVID, you must isolate and fill out our COVID reporting form, even if you do not have any Juilliard contacts. Students who feel sick or test positive can email [email protected] to make a virtual appointment with a provider faculty and staff who feel sick should schedule an appointment with their medical providers.
Students, faculty, and staff with insurance can still receive a PCR test off-campus. LabQ and ClearMD are two good options close to campus that generally return results within 24 hours. If you are exposed to COVID, please fill out our COVID reporting form and someone from our COVID Response Team will reach out with instructions.
If you are a contact of a case, you must complete the testing requirements you receive from the COVID Response Team.
MASKS
Effective Monday, September 19, masking will be required at school in the following situations:
- All audience members attending public performances in the building, including students, faculty, and staff. This is in line with many other performing arts venues in the city, including most Lincoln Center constituents.
- Because of current Lincoln Center rules, you should continue wearing your mask until further notice when in the lobby and elevators of the Residence Hall (Rose Building).
- If you test positive, and following the required isolation period, masking may be required for additional days, even in performance—this determination will be made and communicated to you by the COVID Response team in keeping with CDC and New York State guidelines.
- Anyone identified as a close contact of a positive case will be required to wear a mask for a period of time—this determination will be made and communicated to you by the COVID Response Team in keeping with CDC and New York State guidelines.
- While visiting the Juilliard Health Services office.
- Off-campus performance venues (Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, for example) may impose different masking rules for performers – these protocols will be communicated ahead of the performance.
In all other cases, mask wearing is now optional. However, you are strongly urged to wear a mask:
- If you are at high risk
- When in crowded indoor areas off campus
While individuals in the community may now choose to remove their masks, it’s critically important that we all encourage a supportive and inclusive approach to mask etiquette. This means:
- Anyone at any time may choose to wear a mask – our medical advisors have stated that a vaccinated and boosted individual who is wearing a high-quality and well-fitting mask is extremely well protected from infection, regardless of whether those around them are wearing a mask.
- No one at any time should be told they must remove a mask – wearing a mask is a personal choice that should be respected by all.
High-quality masks will continue to be available at the Public Safety desk for anyone who needs one.