Staying Strong Updates January 2022

Staying Strong updates include important COVID-19 reminders that will be helpful during the Spring 2022 semester. Items are either of interest to faculty/staff or on topics about which students may ask questions. 

Boosters Strongly Encouraged
The CDC recently released a schedule and definition for what it means to be up to date on COVID vaccinations. If eligible, please complete the regimen and submit that information in Meredith’s COVID portal. If you are already up to date on your vaccinations and have not already uploaded your booster information into the portal, you are urged to do that as well. This will allow Meredith to keep our campus vaccination rate information up to date.

At-Home COVID-19 Tests Available
The federal government has made at-home COVID-19 tests available by request. Information about the at-home testing program is available at COVIDtests.gov. Employees who would like to request a set of four tests per household can do so online at https://special.usps.com/testkits or by calling 1-800-232-0233. Requested kits will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service within 7 to 12 days.

The free tests are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR tests. These tests give results within 30 minutes and should only be used when the individual is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Please note that these tests cannot be used for required testing following possible COVID exposures. Health care experts also recommend someone who is symptomatic should confirm any negative at-home test result with a PCR test.

As a reminder, if you believe you may have been exposed to COVID, experience what could be COVID-related symptoms, or test positive for COVID, please contact the Office of Human Resources immediately (hr@meredith.edu, #8898). Do not share medically related information with your supervisor.

Masking Guidance
Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. The appropriate use, storage, and cleaning or disposal of masks are essential to make them as effective as possible. Given the high contagion rates of the Omicron variant, employees are encouraged to avoid wearing washable masks in favor of more effective masks such as surgical or N95, KN95, or KF94 masks.  All these masks provide more protection from COVID than the cloth versions. The federal government is making free masks available at various distribution points throughout Wake County.

Things to remember about wearing a mask:

• Clean your hands before you put your mask on, as well as before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
• Make sure it covers your nose, mouth, and chin at all times.
• Ensure your mask fits properly by eliminating gaps where air can pass through. Because no matter how good your mask is at filtering the air, if it doesn’t fit, it does not work. Review how to check the fit of your mask.
• When you take off a mask, store it in a clean place, and every day either wash it if it’s a fabric mask or dispose of a medical/surgical mask in a trash bin after every use.

Visit meredith.edu/staying-strong/masking-guidance/ for more information.