May 29, 2021

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

I write to you with our weekly update from the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group (CRAG). We have highlighted essential points in yellow.

New Cases at Reed

Since our last update, we have identified no new confirmed COVID-19 cases at Reed. We continue to report all associated COVID-19 cases online, found in the "Total Cases" section of the dashboard.

Multnomah County moves to Low Risk

Effective yesterday (Thursday, May 27) Multnomah County moved from the High Risk to Low Risk category for COVID-19 risk. This follows several weeks of declining COVID activity and increasing vaccination rates across the Portland metro area. Currently, the Oregon Health Authority reports 67.5% of Multnomah County residents have been vaccinated with at least one dose, with 55.5% having completed a full vaccination series.

Campus reopening to the public

Starting Tuesday, June 1, Reed campus will officially re-open to the general public after over a year of closure. We are excited to welcome our larger community back to enjoy Reed's outdoor spaces. As a reminder, non-Reed community members are not permitted in indoor spaces on campus.

Face covering requirements

Per the governor's updated guidance announced last week, face coverings are not required in uncrowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. Please continue to wear face coverings in all indoor spaces on Reed campus.

Surveillance testing next week

Next week, surveillance testing will take place on Tuesday and Thursday, June 1 and 3, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the Student Union. The sign up sheet for these dates will be sent via email today.

At this time, all students, faculty, and staff members who will be interacting with others in person on campus should complete one test per week, regardless of vaccination status. For more information about the Reed COVID-19 surveillance testing program, please visit our website here.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Important: All Reed community members should seek COVID-19 vaccination that is now widely available in the Portland metro area.

Eligible community members should visit the Oregon COVID-19 Vaccination webpage and sign up with the Get Vaccinated Oregon portal, or contact their healthcare provider. Same or next day appointments are currently available at mass vaccination sites in the Portland area, including PDX Airport and the Oregon Convention Center.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines and Reed's vaccination planning, please review the Reed Vaccine FAQ.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group at coronavirusquestions@reed.edu.

Sincerely,

Madison Riethman, MPH, CPH
COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Health Project Manager
Health & Counseling Services
Reporting on behalf of the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group

PS: As a reminder, you can track all our COVID-19 communications to members of the Reed Community here.