Weekly Testing Update – April 16, 2021

Dear FSU Community,

The University administered 881 COVID19 tests on this week, resulting in two positives. All of our latest data is now viewable on our COVID19 Dashboard.

Reminder: Due to the Patriots' Day Holiday on Monday, April 19, our testing days will shift to Tuesday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and Wednesday (noon to 4 p.m.) next week. We will return to our regular Monday and Tuesday schedule the following week.

Also starting Monday, everyone in the state over the age of 16 will be eligible to get vaccinated. Register now for your vaccine appointment on the state's website, if you haven't already. I cannot emphasize this enough – vaccines are our best weapon against COVID 19. They are safe and effective and we strongly urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Many of you have inquired about why we aren't requiring everyone to get the vaccine. At the moment, the University does not have the authority to issue that mandate. We will wait for further guidance from state authorities on this, but regardless of that, it is in the best interest of our campus community for everyone to receive the vaccine as soon as they are eligible.

If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, Dr. Gabriela Vargas, Framingham State's Consulting Physician from Boston Children's Hospital in the Adult/Young Adult Program, has volunteered to discuss the COVID vaccine and vaccine hesitancy in the BIPOC community. This event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, at 4:30 p.m. You can register for the event at the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/KPswtLp9Za

Keep wearing your face masks indoors and outdoors, practicing social distancing and good hygiene, participating in COVID testing, and avoiding large gatherings all remain crucially important. We expect all of this whether or not you have been fully vaccinated. Monitor your health daily and if you are showing any symptoms, no matter how mild, you should contact the Health Center.

Stay safe,

Javier