Dear Kenyon students and colleagues,
This semester, the College will publish COVID-19 case data on the Kenyon website every Monday, starting Aug. 30, once everyone has returned to campus. In the meantime, we wanted to provide you with a snapshot of the Kenyon population to date.
Vaccination status (entire community)
Students
90% are fully vaccinated
1% are partially vaccinated
0.8% have requested an exemption
8.2% not yet determined
Employees
While not required, more than 80% of employees have reported that they are fully vaccinated.
Active confirmed cases (campus community)
2 students
2 employees
As a reminder, in accordance with the CDC and local public health guidance for largely vaccinated populations, the College’s testing program is focused on rapidly diagnosing symptomatic students and regularly screening unvaccinated students. Students who do not provide proof of vaccination prior to moving in are tested upon arrival and screened weekly thereafter until they are fully vaccinated. Arrival screening has not revealed any cases of COVID-19.
Because of the possibility of breakthrough infections, it is important that all members of the community, regardless of vaccination status, take steps to minimize their risk of transmitting the virus. This includes wearing masks indoors and monitoring their health for symptoms of COVID-19.
Students exhibiting symptoms should:
- Immediately seek a medical assessment.
- Call or email the Cox Health & Counseling Center (740-427-5525, health@kenyon.edu) to schedule an appointment.
- On the weekends or after hours, call Campus Safety (740-427-5000) to be connected with the COVID Support Coordinator or other on-call staff member to discuss options.
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Wear a mask at all times indoors and remain in your room as much as possible until you can be assessed.
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If you receive a positive test result, immediately inform Campus Safety (740-427-5000), who will assist you in moving to isolation housing. While in isolation, you are not permitted to go to class or participate in athletics or other extracurricular activities; your meals will be delivered and you must wear a mask indoors at all times.
Employees should follow the return to campus protocols if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Over the past 18 months, our situation, both locally and more broadly, has changed in dramatic and incremental ways, and our policies have changed with it. What has not changed is the fact that we all must work together to ensure the health and safety of the Kenyon community. This fall, we are again faced with unique challenges and considerable uncertainty. But we have learned a lot about navigating uncertainty, and making this next leap together will require all of us both to put those lessons into action and to take innovative new steps as necessary.
Sincerely,
Drew Kerkhoff
Chair, COVID Steering Committee
Associate Provost and Professor of Biology