COVID-19 Shift to Alert Level Green

Email Highlights:

• As conditions continue to improve, DU is moving to Alert Level Green on Friday, Feb. 18
• Masking requirements will continue to ease, please see details below
• If conditions on campus and in the region continue to improve, we anticipate moving to Alert Level Clear in the near future

Dear DU Students, Staff & Faculty,

COVID-19 conditions on campus, in Denver, Colorado, and the nation continue to improve. In response to these improving conditions, we are moving to alert level green effective Friday morning, Feb. 18.

In moving to alert level green, masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals are reduced. Specifically,

• Fully vaccinated DU students, personnel, and visitors may remove their High Quality Masks (N95 or KN95 masks or surgical masks that are three-ply or better) indoors in groups of 4 or fewer, and in larger groups when actively speaking/performing at 6 feet or more distance from others. They may also remove their masks when actively moving through hallways and when in common areas where six-foot distancing can be maintained.
• Everyone is required to wear a High Quality mask in class and in groups of 5 or more when not actively speaking/preforming at 6 or more feet distance, and the requirement to wear a High Quality Mask remains the same for Unvaccinated and Not Fully Vaccinated DU students, personnel, vendors, and visitors during alert level green as in alert level blue.

As we have throughout the pandemic, and in consultation with our health care partner, National Jewish Health, we have carefully evaluated factors including transmissibility and consequences of illness for individuals and our health care systems. At each stage, we have considered the balance of mitigation measures that reduce transmission with those that support engaged in-person experiences and the well-being of our community. At this time, we feel quite comfortable moving to alert level green. We hope to soon move to alert level clear  – where masking will not be required indoors for fully vaccinated individuals in most cases. With cases sharply falling, we anticipate Denver will move from high transmissibility to lower levels very soon. Reduced transmissibility in Denver alongside very low positivity on campus and supported by ongoing testing and tracing will allow us to continue to relax restrictions.

Thank you to everyone in our community who has worked so hard and complied with additional requirements to allow our in-person activities to continue despite difficult conditions in the surrounding community. It is the direct result of our collective commitment to a community of care that now enables a transition to alert level green, and to anticipate a transition to alert level clear as soon as possible.

Thank you, all.

Please direct all questions to COVIDCoordinator@du.edu or 303-871-COVD (2683).

Sarah Watamura & The COVID-19 Response Team