Latest Updates - Page 5 of 31 - Coronavirus Response

The message below is being sent to all Duke undergraduate students.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Dear students,

As announced to the Duke community this afternoon and following consultation with infectious disease experts, the university has updated its guidance on COVID-19. We are writing as a follow-up to that message with more information specifically for undergraduate students.

From that message, we know that our numbers of COVID-positive tests are going up. We also know that our near-fully vaccinated student (98%) and employee (92%) populations are protected from serious illness, and that we continue to see no evidence of transmission in our classrooms and other campus locations where all individuals are masked. However, not everyone can be protected through vaccination–this includes some of your peers and the children of faculty and staff who are under 12. This surge is also placing significant stress on the people, systems and facilities that are dedicated to protecting our health, safety and the ability of Duke to fulfill its educational mission, particularly our isolation space for on-campus students who test positive.

As stated in today’s university message, the following new guidelines will be in effect starting Monday, August 30, and subject to review in two weeks’ time:

Masks will now be required on the Duke campus in all indoor and outdoor locations, unless you are exercising [outdoors] alone, actively eating or drinking, or otherwise not around others. After vaccinations, masks are the best way to prevent the spread of COVID. We have seen this both on campus and in our health system.
Indoor group seating at Duke Dining facilities will be temporarily suspended. All Duke Dining facilities will transition to grab and go, and more than 25 tents have been erected across the campus to provide outdoor seating for meals and other gatherings.

Additionally, the following new limitations will be placed on student activities to reduce the possibility of COVID transmission:

All student organization programs with 50 or more attendees need to be registered and approved through DukeGroups. This continues a practice established last academic year. To reduce the risk of transmission, events should be held outside when possible. This policy applies to events already scheduled and posted in DukeGroups. If an event is not approved before the event is to take place, event hosts should plan to hold events virtually.
Undergraduate students hosting social gatherings on- or off-campus must ensure attendees are fully masked and limit attendance to no more than 50 people until further notice. Hosting larger and/or unmasked events while this policy is in place will be considered a violation of the Undergraduate Student COVID-19 Policy Plan and will result in disciplinary action for hosts and possibly for attendees.
We are postponing The Devil’s Gala scheduled for September 3. A smaller event will be held at the same time. More information will be available soon.
We urge all students to use caution in attending events that carry greater risk of infection and transmission to others. Delta is at least 2 times more transmissible than previous COVID variants, so it takes very little time for someone to become infected while unmasked.

Please know that the university remains committed to striking a balance between steps that reduce the spread of Delta with efforts to further your educational opportunities and ability to connect with one another, as well as your faculty, mentors, and campus resources. If you’re a returning student, please be assured that we’ve heard your feedback about ways to get this balance right, and we remain open to all students’ input and perspective as we find our way forward together.

We recognize fully that all students, like us, are eager to resume a more open and unencumbered approach to life on campus. To get there, we have to listen to our experts in infectious disease, public health, and medicine and continue to heed their advice as part of that effort. Thank you for doing so, too.

New Guidance on COVID-19 for the Duke Community

By Paul Grantham

On August 30, 2021

In Community Messages, Duke University, For Faculty, For Staff, For Students

August 30, 2021

Dear Students and Colleagues,

We are writing today with new information and guidance on COVID-19 and the Duke University community.

Duke’s comprehensive surveillance testing program has given us detailed insight into the pervasiveness of the Delta variant in the university community regardless of vaccination status. In the last week alone, 304 undergraduates, 45 graduate students and 15 employees tested positive for COVID-19 and are isolating. All but eight of these individuals were vaccinated, and the vast majority of them were, and continue to be, asymptomatic. A small number have minor, cold- and flu-like symptoms, and none have been hospitalized.

The good news is that we are able to identify these infections early and quickly, that our near-fully vaccinated student (98%) and employee (92%) populations are protected from serious illness, and that we continue to see no evidence of transmission in our classrooms and other campus locations where all individuals are masked.

Nonetheless, this surge is placing significant stress on the people, systems and facilities that are dedicated to protecting our health, safety and the ability of Duke to fulfill its educational mission, particularly our isolation space for on-campus students who test positive. We cannot stop COVID-19, but what we can do is adapt to our local and national realities and seek to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus.

As a result, the following new guidelines will be in effect starting Monday, August 30:

Masks will now be required on the Duke campus in all indoor and outdoor locations, unless you are exercising [outdoors] alone, eating or drinking, or otherwise not around others. After vaccinations, masks are the best way to prevent the spread of COVID. We have seen this on campus and in our health system.
Indoor group seating at Duke Dining facilities will be temporarily suspended. All Duke Dining facilities will transition to grab and go, and more than 25 tents have been erected across the campus to provide outdoor seating for meals and other gatherings.
Given the absences in some undergraduate classes due to increased number of students in isolation, faculty teaching undergraduate courses have the option to teach remotely for the next two weeks if they would prefer. This is not a requirement but an accommodation to allow for increased flexibility as needed; those who are able to continue teaching in person should certainly do so.
New limitations will be placed on student activities to reduce the possibility of COVID transmissions. Individuals and groups that violate these limitations will face disciplinary consequences. Further information will be provided directly to students.
The COVID-19 vaccination will now be required for ALL Duke faculty and staff as a condition of employment. Details will be provided directly to those employees who have not yet submitted proof of vaccination or an approved medical or religious exemption, as well as their deans or vice presidents. As of today, 92% of our 22,136 faculty and staff are fully vaccinated.

As a reminder, every faculty and staff member can participate in the Duke surveillance testing program at any time. It is free, convenient, and can offer peace of mind to those who are concerned about exposure. For more information see the Duke United website.

We want to be clear: the problem is not our people, the problem is COVID-19. Our Duke community has been extraordinarily united and resilient in fighting, and adapting to, this pandemic over the last 19 months. Your efforts have made it possible to fulfill our educational commitment to our students, to advance knowledge and discovery through our research, and to serve our region and society.

And yet, we must continue to do more. This is a time to be prudent, to take care of ourselves and each other so we can continue our important mission, which is now more important than ever.

Go Duke,

Sally Kornbluth,
Provost

Daniel Ennis,
Executive Vice President

Jennifer Francis,
Executive Vice Provost

Kyle Cavanaugh,
Vice President for Administration

Mary Pat McMahon,
Vice President/Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Gary Bennett,
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

This message has been sent to all Duke University students, faculty and staff.

COVID-19 Vaccination a Condition of Employment for University

By Paul Grantham

On August 29, 2021

In Duke University, For Faculty, For Staff

NOTE: The vaccination policy and deadline for compliance for the School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Duke University Health System has not changed. The deadline remains 10 a.m. on Sept. 21, 2021.

TO:	Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers
FROM:	Sally Kornbluth, Provost and Jo Rae Wright University Professor Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President, Administration
RE:	COVID-19 Vaccination a Condition of Employment for University

We are writing to advise you that Duke University will revise its COVID-19 vaccination policy to require all faculty and staff to have a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.

All faculty and staff members, regardless of work location, must receive and show documentation of their completed COVID-19 vaccination by 10 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2021. This requirement is consistent with the policy already communicated by the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System. As of today, more than 91% of the 22,136 university employees are vaccinated.

Faculty and staff can visit the Status Check website to ensure their vaccination status has been recorded. Those who are vaccinated outside of a Duke Employee Vaccination Clinic can upload an image of their completed vaccination card through the confidential Duke VaxTrax system so that our records can be updated accordingly. Faculty and staff who need an appointment for vaccination can find various options on the Duke COVID Vaccine website.

University faculty and staff may still apply for a medical or religious exemption, but anyone approved for an exemption will be subject to daily symptom monitoring, weekly surveillance testing, continued masking and other protocols applicable to those who have not been vaccinated.In the coming week, deans and vice presidents will be provided a list of any unvaccinated faculty and staff within their areas to ensure they understand the new policy and implications regarding compliance. Updates will be provided as we approach the deadline for compliance.

Those who are not in compliance by Oct. 1, 2021, will be subject to the following:

Individuals will be issued a Final Written Warning and placed on administrative leave. Accrued vacation or discretionary holiday time may be used if available; otherwise, the leave will be unpaid.
They will have seven days to receive either the one-dose J&J vaccine, or the first dose of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, which has now been granted full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
If an individual does not receive either the J&J or the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna within seven days after the Oct. 1 deadline, they will be terminated at the end of that seven-day period.
Those completing the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine will have up to six weeks to provide documentation that they received the required second dose. If the second dose is not administered within the six-week period, the individual will be terminated.

Those terminated for non-compliance would not be recommended for rehire with Duke in the future.

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness related to COVID-19, and it is only way we will bring an end to this pandemic. We are grateful to the thousands in our community who have already taken this step, and we want to take make every effort to support those who have not yet gotten vaccinated. Additional information and resources about the vaccines can found on the Duke COVID Vaccine website. Thank you.

Masks now required at outdoor events, and other COVID-related updates

By Paul Grantham

On August 26, 2021

In Community Messages, For Staff, For Students

Dear students,

Please pay careful attention to this email message, which was sent to faculty and staff from the Provost and VP Cavanaugh with COVID guidance. As you know, the COVID situation is changing quickly. We need to limit COVID transmission as much as possible, even among vaccinated people, in order to prevent spread to young children and to people in our community who can’t be vaccinated.

Masks will now be required at larger (100+ people) outdoor on-campus events (yes, this includes today’s Involvement Fair and Heatwave this Friday). This is to keep you and others safe, and we need your full cooperation so that everyone can enjoy these fun events as safely as possible.
- Don’t forget that masks have been required indoors at Duke since July 30—this includes in all areas of residence halls except your assigned room. Masks are also required on all buses and at bus stops.
Eat outdoors as much as possible, and find other ways to dine more safely. Here are some ideas:
- Use mobile ordering to order ahead and pick up your food to go. Most Duke Dining vendors offer mobile ordering, and more will be going live soon as soon as staffing allows.
- Merchants-On-Points (MOPS) was just extended to deliver 24/7, instead of just late-night. Check out the current vendors on the Duke Dining website.
- Duke Dining is working with Durham food truck vendors to bring food trucks to West Campus during lunch soon, in addition to dinner. Follow Duke Dining on Instagram to find out when trucks are coming to campus!
As a reminder, you can always go to the Duke United website for real-time information and updates related to the university’s COVID-19 response and guidelines.

Thanks, and go Duke!

Student Affairs

Important Steps to Reduce the Spread of COVID

By Paul Grantham

On August 26, 2021

In Duke University, For Faculty, For Staff

Dear Colleagues,

You have all seen the reports about the rapid surge of COVID cases locally and nationally as a result of the Delta variant. Duke has not been untouched by this – indeed, even with 91% of our employees and 95% of our students fully vaccinated, we have still recorded a notable increase in positive tests over the past week. Thus far, the vast majority of these positive tests have been among individuals who are fully vaccinated; the majority of those are asymptomatic, with others reporting minor cold- and flu-like symptoms.

We know that many of you are concerned about transmission on campus, and we want to take this opportunity to provide some additional information and guidance. We cannot eliminate COVID, but we can take some important steps that have been demonstrated to reduce the spread of the virus and protect the community:

Wear a mask indoors. Masks are required inside all Duke buildings, and that includes classrooms. Masks are the single most effective way to limit transmission of COVID after vaccinations. Indeed, over the past year we have seen no demonstrated cases of COVID transmission in a classroom or lab when all individuals are masked.
To further minimize your general risk and protect others, wear a mask outdoors. Masks are strongly recommended outdoors when you are in a group, even a small group. It’s OK to go maskless when you are exercising or walking by yourself. But if you are with others, even co-workers and students, please wear a mask.
Eat outdoors. Indoor group dining has been a major vector for virus transmission. We will be adding more tents across campus to accommodate larger numbers of students and employees who wish to eat together. We are also going to expand mobile ordering options at all our dining locations in the days ahead.

We believe that the on-campus, in-person educational experience is important for the educational and emotional well-being of our students. Be assured that we are constantly monitoring the environment, particularly with respect to where and when COVID transmission appears to be occurring. Our uniformly high vaccination rates, robust surveillance testing, universal masking and the absence of any documented classroom transmission indicate that we can continue safely with our classroom and residential experience. Please know, though, that we are in close and regular contact with Duke infectious disease and public health experts and will take all necessary actions to protect the health and safety of our university community.

Sincerely,

Sally Kornbluth
Provost and Jo Rae Wright University Professor

Kyle Cavanaugh
Vice President for Administration

This message is being sent to all Duke University faculty and staff

Third Dose Appointments for Immunocompromised Individuals

By Paul Grantham

On August 19, 2021

In Duke University, For Faculty, For Staff

Dear Faculty and Staff:

On Monday, Duke Employee Occupational Health & Wellness will begin administering a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals who meet the criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals.

Immunocompromised people do not always build the same level of immunity after vaccination as non-immunocompromised people, so they may benefit from an additional dose to ensure adequate protection against COVID-19 and are therefore being prioritized for additional dosing.

Faculty and staff who have the following conditions who have been fully vaccinated for at least 28 days may schedule an appointment for a third dose at the Duke Employee Vaccination Clinic located at Blue Devil Tower:

Receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
Advanced or untreated HIV infection
Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.

Other risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease, such as age (65+), obesity, diabetes, or cardiopulmonary disease, are NOT included in the expansion of the vaccines’ Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) at this time.

We hope to receive approval to begin offering a booster dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) to health care workers beginning in late September. At that time, Duke health care workers who received the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 8 months previously will be eligible to receive the booster shot. More information will be shared once we receive authorization.

At this time, we do not have an anticipated date when booster shots will be available for other patients, employees and the general public, but we will communicate that information broadly when it is available.

In the meanwhile, please continue to take every precaution to reduce the spread of infection. We have seen a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalized patients due to the high transmissibility of the Delta variant. Getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid potential severe illness related to COVID-19, and everyone should continue to wear masks indoors and in gatherings of people in close proximity.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep our community safe. If you have questions, you can contact us at stopcovid@duke.edu or visit the Duke COVID Vaccine website for more information. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kyle Cavanaugh
Vice President, Administration, Duke University

Carol Epling, MD, MSPH
Assistant Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health

Gail Shulby, RN, MA, CPPS
Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President, Duke Health

Cameron R. Wolfe, MBBS (Hons), MPH, FIDSA
Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Duke Health

Co-Leaders of the COVID-19 Vaccination Planning Work Group

Things to Keep in Mind as Duke Reopens this Fall

By Paul Grantham

On August 17, 2021

In Community Messages, For Faculty, For Staff, For Students

The message below is being sent to all Duke undergraduate students.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Welcome (back) Duke students! We truly missed you this summer—campus was not the same without you, and we look forward to welcoming the Class of 2025 and transfer students this week. We are so very excited to see you on campus as Duke reopens amid a much more typical year’s atmosphere. We at Duke have spent the summer doing everything we can to restore and resume the energy, connections, and interactions we’ve missed since March 2020.

However, as you know, the Delta variant of COVID is complicating this plan. Emerging data from Duke and national experts show that the Delta variant is highly transmissible (regardless of whether or not you’re vaccinated). We asked some of our student leaders to share some thoughts to keep in mind as we open the fall semester in the video below.

Let’s break this down:

Yes, most students are at lower risk, but that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down.
One reason we want to reduce infection is because we don’t know the long-term effects of COVID. You may not think it’s a big deal if you do get COVID, especially if you are vaccinated. However, no one knows the long-term effects of COVID. In short—you don’t want this.
We need your help in reducing spread for those who can’t be vaccinated—that includes some of your immunocompromised peers and staff and faculty with young children (who can’t be vaccinated). It is up to all of us to keep the most vulnerable among us safer.

We’re committed to creating a community in which Duke students can learn and thrive. Duke wants to support as many opportunities for you to connect with your faculty and mentors, to explore research and leadership opportunities, and just have the chance to be together and have fun. We’re going to do everything we can to safely promote events and opportunities for connection this year, particularly outdoor events.

A few reminders of what you need to do:

For the time being, everyone needs to be masked while indoors, including in residential common areas. This is also a local Durham ordinance.
Eat outside as much as possible, or take your food to-go. We’re still seeing higher transmission rates indoors and over shared meals, so do what you can to mitigate any risk for yourself and others while eating.
Participate in surveillance testing weekly. Most breakthrough cases are asymptomatic or resemble a mild cold, so you might not know you’re positive without the surveillance test. Student Health will contact you within 48 hours if you’ve tested positive for COVID.

We also hope you’ll think with us about all that we’ve learned in the past 15 months.

We have learned a lot in the past year and recently we shared some thoughts with our faculty. We’ve also been talking with students about ways many of you have built intentional practices, gained new skills, and found ways to connect to your passions and purpose in the pandemic. How do we go forward from here and build on that learning? There will be opportunities to connect and engage this fall, and we’re eager to be in conversation with your student groups and residential communities to think about how we can encourage your growth here at Duke.

Thank you for helping us kick off this academic year as safely as possible. We can’t wait to see you at the Blue Devil Return or on the plaza soon!

Go Duke,

Mary Pat McMahon
Vice Provost of Student Affairs

Gary Bennett
Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education

Third Dose of COVID Vaccine for Immunosuppressed Individuals

By Paul Grantham

On August 13, 2021

In Duke University, For Faculty, For Patients, For Staff, For Students

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

On Thursday, Aug. 12, the FDA reviewed and authorized an expansion of its emergency use authorization for the currently available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna. This action is designed to allow immunosuppressed individuals to receive an extra dose of the vaccine.

We are closely monitoring these developments. Before we administer any additional doses of authorized vaccine, Duke experts will review all available safety and efficacy data to ensure the science supports its use. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice is meeting on Friday, Aug. 13, to review the data.

In anticipation of this expansion of emergency use authorization, we are preparing for Duke to participate in the equitable and efficient distribution of the additional dose to the immunosuppressed population. We expect to learn more during the upcoming CDC/ACIP review process about these patients, as well as specific guidance for administering an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

We are encouraged by the authorization of this additional dose to help us keep immunosuppressed patients safe and protected from COVID-19. Once the expansion is approved, we will notify all our team members, patients and the community of the qualifying criteria and how to schedule their additional dose of the vaccine. (UPDATE: The CDC has now issued criteria for those moderately to severely immunocompromised who are recommended for a third dose of the mRNA vaccine. See qualifying criteria link above.)

We hope this early information helps you understand how Duke is preparing for the distribution of the additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to the qualifying patient population once it is available. If you have questions, you can contact us at stopcovid@duke.edu.

Please continue to take every means to reduce the spread of infection and protect yourself, your loved ones and our Duke community. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, wash your hands, avoid crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces, stay at least six feet apart from others, and stay home and get tested when you are feeling ill. Thank you for all you are doing to keep yourself, your family and our community safe.

Sincerely,

Kyle Cavanaugh
Vice President, Administration, Duke University

Carol Epling, MD, MSPH
Assistant Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health

Gail Shulby, RN, MA, CPPS
Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President, Duke Health

Cameron R. Wolfe, MBBS (Hons), MPH, FIDSA
Associate Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Duke Health

Co-Leaders of the COVID-19 Vaccination Planning Work Group

Two Clusters of COVID Cases Identified Among Students

By Paul Grantham

On August 13, 2021

In Community Messages, Duke University, For Students

Duke and Durham County Department of Public Health have identified two clusters of COVID-19 cases related to gatherings of two groups of students over the last week. A “cluster” is defined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as five or more related cases that are deemed to be in close proximity of time and location, such as a residential hall or apartment complex. 

For more information, visit the story on Duke Today.

Building Access for the Fall Semester

By Paul Grantham

On August 10, 2021

In Community Messages, For Faculty, For Staff, For Students

TO: Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers
FROM: Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President, Administration
Jim Churchman, Vice President, Supply Chain Management
RE: Building Access for Fall Semester

In preparation for the fall semester, Duke University will return to its normal building access for campus buildings effective Monday, Aug. 16. Research labs in the School of Medicine will continue to require an active DukeCard for access.

Buildings that are normally open to public access will return to that status on August 16. DukeCards will not be required during regular business hours.
Buildings such as residence halls that were in a controlled-access state before the pandemic will remain so after August 16. Any other modifications to building access should be made to the DukeCard Office.
Individuals who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to complete symptom monitoring to activate their DukeCards.
Individuals who are NOT vaccinated WILL be required to complete symptom monitoring every day to reactivate their DukeCards.
All students, faculty and staff should continue to report any COVID-related symptoms using the SymMon app or by contacting Employee Occupational Health and Wellness or Student Health.
Schools and departments should ensure appropriate staffing in buildings during normal operating hours. Delivery companies and vendors will begin delivering packages directly to buildings that are open.
Numerous packages still remain unclaimed at the central receiving location set up by Procurement & Supply Chain last year at the Golden Drive Warehouse. Inquiries about missing packages should be directed to deliveryinquiries@duke.edu with any available tracking information and original recipient/location details. The Golden Drive Warehouse location will begin phasing out its redelivery status once the buildings are open on August 16, 2021.

Thank you for your attention to these changes.