On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced new recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals. The recommendations include wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas with substantial or high transmissibility and for testing within 3-5 days following exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. On July 28th, Governor Murphy and Health Commissioner Persichilli announced the need for New Jerseyans to follow the CDC recommendations. These recommendations were made due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and based on new data suggesting that fully vaccinated individuals who contract the COIVD-19 virus may be as likely to transmit infection as unvaccinated individuals.
Therefore, based on this governmental guidance and in the interest of maintaining a safe campus environment, and effective on August 2nd, NJIT will require masks to be worn in all indoor public and common areas regardless of vaccination status, subject to exceptions that have previously existed, such as when employees are at separated workstations or private offices or when eating or drinking.
Employees and students who test positive for COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are reminded that they must stay home, isolate, and notify Human Resources at HR@njit.edu or the Dean of Students Office at DOS@njit.edu, respectively. Employees and students will be contacted by Campus Health Services with next steps and contact tracing. An exposure is defined as being within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or more within a 24 hour period.
Please understand that if you are fully vaccinated you remain well protected from severe illness, hospitalization and death. We are taking these precautions in the interest of maintaining as safe an environment as is possible for our entire community. We will continue to rely on the three pillars of our Pandemic Recovery Plan — adherence to governmental mandates, reliance on guidance from health experts and agencies, and our own collective informed judgement — and will apply these principles to keep our community safe.
Deneen Scuderi, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Director, Campus Health Services