Dear Members of the Campus Community:

Fordham University COVID-19 Guidelines on the web: fordham.edu/fordhamforward

Here are the five things you need to know about Fordham’s COVID-19 precautions, vaccinations, and University operations.

On-Campus Cases: In the last 7 days, 34 members of the University community tested positive for COVID-19, as listed on the University dashboard.
Mask Mandate: Governor Hochul will review the statewide school mask mandate in early March. Her decision will likely inform whether Fordham maintains the mandate, relaxes it significantly, or eliminates it altogether. New Yorkers are divided on the issue.
COVID-19 Precautions for Performances and Athletic Events: all attendees must be up-to-date on vaccines,† and are required to wear face masks at all indoor performances and athletic events. Performers/athletes are not required to wear masks while on the stage/field. Only current students, faculty, and staff, and fully vaccinated parents and immediate family members may attend on-campus performances/competitions.
University COVID-19 Policy Decisions: The campus community has seen pandemic conditions change—sometimes rapidly—over the course of the last two years, with appropriate adjustments to University policy. Our practice has been to make incremental policy changes and observe the effects on campus health. This process has proven effective: Fordham has managed to hold in-person classes during the pandemic with zero deaths and very few serious illnesses.
Spring Break Return to Campus Requirements: All students who need to enter campus will be required to submit COVID-19 test results no later than March 30 regardless of whether or not they traveled during the break. The test must be a FDA EUA authorized PCR saliva or nasal swab test, not an antigen or antibody test, and it must be performed no earlier than 3 days prior to their return to campus and no more than 5 days after. Students who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, you do not need to have a new test. (Employees who have traveled out of state—aside from routine commuting—at any time are expected to submit COVID-19 PCR test results within 4 days of their return.)

†“Up-to-date” means the individual has received a full series of COVID-19 vaccines, and a booster shot, if eligible.

Every issue of Five Things is archived on our news site: news.fordham.edu/tag/five-things/

Marco Valera
Vice President for Administration & COVID-19 Coordinator