51茶馆

December 14, 2021

Dear Members of the Boston College Community:

We write today to provide updates on the University鈥檚 plans related to COVID-19 during the second semester.

Spring Semester Initial Testing

As we did this past August, the University will require that all individuals who plan to participate in activities on campus during the spring semester be tested for COVID-19 prior to the first day of classes on January 18.

Faculty and staff will test between Monday, January 10, and Friday, January 14 (see schedule below).听 Testing for students who reside on campus will occur during their move-in January 15-17, as scheduled through Residential Life.听 Undergraduates who live off campus and graduate/professional students should test as soon as they return to the area and before engaging in on-campus activities, preferably during the January 10-14 period.听 All COVID-19 tests will take place in the Margot Connell Recreation Center鈥檚 MAC Courts during the following times:

Monday, January 10听 听 听 听 听8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 11.听 听 听 听 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 12听 听6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 13听 听 听 听8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, January 14听 听 听 听 听 听 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 15听 听 听 听 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 16听 听 听 听 听 听8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Monday, January 17听 听 听 听 听 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

COVID-19 Vaccination Boosters

Boston College has benefited from an extremely high level of vaccination this semester (99.3%) that has helped keep our community safe and has enabled our students, faculty, and staff to experience as normal a year as possible.听 Vaccinations and boosters are helping to make COVID-19 a manageable illness.听 Accordingly, members of our community who plan to be on campus at any point during the spring semester听must obtain a COVID-19 booster vaccination when eligible and upload their card (see below) by February 9, 2022,听which is six months from the August 2021 date when students were required to have received their second Pfizer or Moderna dose, or single Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine.听

The only exception to this booster requirement will be for those who previously obtained a University-approved religious or medical COVID-19 vaccination exemption and have not since been fully vaccinated. 听Those few community members who were approved by UHS or Human Resources to receive their last Pfizer or Moderna shot after August 9, 2021, and may not be eligible for a booster by February 9, should contact UHS (students) or HR (faculty and staff) for approval on their early second semester booster timetable.

COVID-19 Vaccination Booster Clinics & Card Uploading Instructions

Boston College will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination booster clinics early next semester, including each day during the initial testing period January 10-17 (information and appointment sign-up will be forthcoming).听

We encourage you to receive a booster shot as soon as you are eligible at one of the 51茶馆 booster clinics or at a local pharmacy during the Christmas break.听 Those who have already received their booster or who receive it at home in the coming weeks should upload their vaccination/booster card and information as soon as possible.听

Students should upload COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards to the Agora Health Services Portal following the steps below:

Go to Agora Portal - Other Services - Health Services听

1. Select the IMMUNIZATION ICON on the Agora Health Services portal.听 Choose via the drop down menu the COVID vaccination booster icon, and record the vaccination booster date.听 Click SUBMIT to save;
2. Take a picture of the vaccination card or document and save it on your computer or phone to upload into the Portal (), found under OTHER SERVICES;
3. Choose the UPLOAD ICON and upload the picture under the COVID vaccination booster in the drop-down menu (Note: the drop-down menu is below the list of "documents available to upload"). Click SELECT FILE, choose the file that you are uploading, and hit the UPLOAD button.听

Faculty and staff听should also upload their Vaccination Cards via the听:

1. Click the "PeopleSoft Human Resources Services" link located in the "My Services" section;
2. Confirm your identity through 51茶馆's 2-Step Verification process;
3. To log in to PeopleSoft Human Resources while off campus, you will need to connect to a听51茶馆 VPN听and confirm your identity through听51茶馆's 2-Step Verification;
4. From the 鈥淢ain Menu鈥� select 鈥淪elf Service鈥� then 鈥淧ersonal Information鈥� and select 鈥淯pdate COVID-19 Record鈥�;
5. To upload your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, follow the instructions on the page and click 鈥淪ave";
6. If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please include your positive test date under the 鈥淐OVID-19 Testing Record鈥� tab;
7. If you have any questions, please reach out to听HR@bc.edu.

For COVID-19 testing or vaccination/booster questions, students should contact University Health Services at听covidtesting@bc.edu听and faculty/staff may contact Human Resources at听HR@bc.edu.

As we know, COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and we must learn to live with the virus. We assure you that the University will remain vigilant and flexible in our approach.听 We are grateful for all those who have helped safeguard the health of our campus community and we ask for your continued cooperation and assistance.