COVID-19 message amid start of fall semester

As Auburn  prepares to begin another academic year and welcome students back to campus, the university remains focused on cultivating the best learning and work environment possible for all students, faculty and staff. The university continues to monitor public health conditions locally and nationally, in order to assess the potential impacts of COVID-19 to Auburn’s campus. Like the flu and other common viruses and illnesses, COVID-19 is now one illness among many that university employees and students manage on a regular basis. Auburn will continue to monitor and inform its community on the guidance and resources available, all while moving fully into normal university operations.

As such, with the start of the fall semester, the university will no longer require self-reports or offer contact tracing for positive test cases. Additionally, testing data will no longer be published on the COVID-19 dashboard. Individuals who test positive should follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for quarantine/isolation and follow the treatment advice of their primary care physician. Quarantine housing will no longer be offered to students who are living on campus and have been exposed to COVID-19. Students, faculty and staff should handle COVID-19-related absences the same way they handle any other health-related absence. Students who test positive or need to quarantine should contact their instructors to discuss missed classes, assignments, tests, etc.

While the virus will continue to evolve, Auburn is confident in its plans and resources to help mitigate the risk to the campus community and university operations. The health and safety of the campus community remains a priority, and Auburn asks that you continue your efforts to protect yourselves and those around you. Although infection rates have lessened on campus and locally, individuals should remain vigilant in protecting their personal health. This includes self-monitoring for symptoms, making informed decisions about high-risk situations and self-isolating after a positive test. University health officials will continue to monitor community spread of the virus and can return to its expanded COVID-19 offerings for the entire university community if a need arises.

Before the start of the new semester, please take a moment to review the following COVID-19 information.

• COVID-19 Resource Center. Answers to many of your questions can be found on the COVID-19 Resource Center website. Additionally you may call 334-844-6000 or email to covidresourcecenter@auburn.edu with your questions.

• Get Vaccinated. We strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and stay up to date on boosters. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself against severe COVID-19 infection and to protect your friends, loved ones and community. If you need to schedule a vaccination you may contact the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center at 334-844-4099 or use the online scheduler to make or change an appointment. Vaccines are also available through the Auburn University Medical Clinic and numerous pharmacies and health care providers in our community.

• Testing. If you need to schedule a COVID-19 test you may call the Auburn University Medical Clinic's Covid line at 334-844-9825. Additionally, the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Covid-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard and COVID-19 Table provides a list of testing sites in Alabama. At-home COVID-19 test kits are available to Auburn faculty, staff and students through the AU Employee Pharmacy and the AU Student Pharmacy.

• Face Coverings. Face coverings are optional for all individuals on Auburn University’s campus; however, faculty members may require face coverings in their classroom if the faculty member has a face coverings requirement in the course syllabus.

• Isolation Housing. Isolation housing will be available for students who are living on campus and have a confirmed COVID-19 positive case.