Santa Clara County Moves to Red Tier Effective March 3; Updated Vaccination Information

Sent: March 3, 2021
From: President Mary A. Papazian

SJSU campus community,

Effective today, Santa Clara County moved to the Red (Tier 2 - Substantial) in the state of California’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy. With this move to the Red tier, the county is aligning with the state and has lifted most of their directives, including the Mandatory Directive on Travel (which required a 10-day quarantine if an individual traveled more than 150 miles from the county) as well as other directives which affected our overall operations. 

We are currently assessing the revisions and working toward revising our approach to many programs and activities. SJSU will continue to align with state and county requirements, while safely allowing for increased activity on campus. 

Generally, operations will remain the same, including the Spartan Food Pantry, Athletics and Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (RSCA) projects. Notable changes are:

• Spartan Recreation and Aquatics Center (SRAC) will re-open at limited capacity on March 15.
• The Dining Center will open for indoor dining services at limited capacity on March 22.
• At this time, the Bookstore will continue to operate remotely with shipping or a pick-up service available.

We continue to evaluate other necessary adjustments to campus programs and will provide additional updates as plans are finalized.

I would also like to re-emphasize the message from our County Health Officer. To keep yourself, your family, your friends and neighbors, and our broader community safe, follow these core principles:

• Stay outdoors for activities. Outdoor activities are far safer than indoor ones. 
• Stay masked. Consistent use of face coverings both indoors and outdoors, especially double-masking, is very effective at preventing spread of the coronavirus.
• Maintain at least 6-foot distance from others. Physical distancing from those who do not live with you is effective at keeping the coronavirus away.
• Avoid crowds. The fewer people you encounter and the fewer interactions you have, the lower the chance the virus will spread.
• Get vaccinated when it is your turn. All federally approved vaccines work well and will help keep you, your family, and your friends safe. Getting vaccinated is highly encouraged.

Additional Vaccination Information

Last week, we shared information about vaccination eligibility for the education sector for residents of Santa Clara County. Yesterday, March 2, Santa Clara County announced they will offer vaccinations for individuals in the education sector who live or work in Santa Clara County.  This announcement means all employees at SJSU can choose to register to get the vaccine in Santa Clara County. You can still choose to get vaccinated in your county of residence.  

The information below is designed to assist you with navigating the pathway to vaccination.

• Register at the California Department of Public Health’s MyTurn website.
• Review available COVID-19 vaccine information available on your county’s public health website. Many of these websites also provide opportunities for registration as well as vaccine site information. The following are links to the most common counties of residence for our campus community:
  • Santa Clara County 
  • Santa Cruz County
  • San Mateo County
  • City and County of San Francisco
  • Contra Costa County
  • Alameda County
  • San Joaquin County
  • Stanislaus County
  • Merced County
  • San Benito County
  • Monterey County
• If you choose to go through your healthcare provider, review available information and, where directed, ensure you follow their guidelines and requirements to register for a vaccine or be notified when eligible.  
• Monitor third party websites for companies also approved to provide vaccinations (i.e. CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens) to check your eligibility and availability of appointments.
• You may be asked to present proof of your employment in the education sector. This can generally be provided through your SJSU ID or a paycheck stub.  
• As a reminder, sick time may be applied for vaccination appointments.

We continue to encourage all who are eligible and able to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine to do so to protect themselves and their loved ones, as well as the campus and greater community as a whole. Please note that the education sector eligibility does not include students unless they are working in the Education Sector. As more information becomes available regarding student vaccine availability, we will update the campus community.

Vaccination Site Update

As mentioned in a previous campus message, SJSU and Santa Clara County were in discussions about space on campus to serve as a vaccination site. After further discussions, it was determined that the site was not best positioned to achieve their goals and SJSU will not serve as a vaccination site. We remain committed to helping our campus community and support the efforts of Santa Clara County to keep our community safe. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mary A. Papazian
President