I've enjoyed catching up with some of you as we cross paths in the hallways and across campus these past weeks and months. While it remains quiet, campus is certainly starting to come back to life. I hope many of you are adding events to your calendar like the City Heights Residence Hall and Learning Commons Dedication and Convocation (details below in the events section).
This week's ruling in support of the University of Illinois' vaccine mandate brings back into focus how important it is for all of us to get vaccinated and to help our students understand the importance of vaccination. While it feels remote, the first day of class is now only 31 days away. As previously announced all CU campuses will require COVID vaccinations for students, faculty, and staff before the start of the fall semester. Those individuals who want to apply for an exemption must self-disclose their status and submit to routine COVID-19 testing effective August 23rd.The vaccine exemption and self-disclosure process is being finalized now, in the meantime if you know of anyone who will not be fully vaccinated by start of term please ask them to promptly email vaccineexemption@ucdenver.edu.
As has been widely reported, delta is now the dominant Coronavirus variant in the US and across the world, causing over 74% of infections in Western states, including Colorado. The good news is that current vaccines appear to be highly effective at protecting against delta infections bringing on serious infection, hospitalization, and death. Last week Laurel Hartley did a stellar job explaining the origins of variation in the Coronavirus and the evolution of COVID as a part of the CLAS Conversations About COVID series. Yesterday, Jennifer Reich added vital facts to the dialogue in her presentation about vaccines and vaccination politics. I hope all of you will join us next week for the final session where Kristin Kilburn will discuss the mental health challenges brought on by and the lasting ramifications of the COVID pandemic. And I'd like to thank Marjorie Levine-Clark again for her work moderating and organizing this incredibly important and educational series.
