Dear Faculty and Staff,
With Thanksgiving almost here, we hope everyone enjoys the break and the time spent with loved ones.
To promote community health and safety, we also want to convey the latest information from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Officials are warning that COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise, and they are now highly recommending use of face masks for indoor public places. The new COVID-19 subvariants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, are comprising a growing number of cases in the county. The county also is reporting high levels of transmission of flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
If you have not already done so, we strongly recommend that everyone who is eligible receive the new bivalent vaccine booster for COVID-19. Flu shots also are highly recommended. Appointments for both are widely available through the state appointment site.
This week, staff and faculty COVID-19 testing will be available 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 22 at the Hamilton Health Box clinic at 118 8th Street. Regular testing hours will resume next week.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive through another source, such as your doctor or a home test, please let Nurse Stephanie Garcia-Barragan (stephanie.garcia-barragan@pomona.edu) in the Hamilton Health Box clinic know immediately.
As we reach the final weeks of the semester, let’s continue to work together for community health. We will continue to post updates at our COVID-19 web, including FAQs on masking, vaccination and other topics.
Sincerely,
Melanie Wu, VP for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
Bob Robinson, Assistant VP for Facilities & Campus Services