October 29, 2021

Dear students, faculty, and staff,

Welcome back! We hope everyone has returned from break refreshed and ready for the fall ahead. As cold and flu season approaches, we encourage everyone to continue investing in the tried and true measures that keep our community healthy-- wash your hands, get vaccinated, wear a mask, and stay home if you're sick. Below, we report to you three things you need to know today.

• TWO NEW COVID-19 CASES: This week, we were notified of two new COVID cases among Reed community members. A small number of individuals were identified as potentially exposed and were contacted promptly with next steps. We continue to report all associated COVID-19 cases online, found in the "Total Cases" section of the dashboard.
• COVID-19 BOOSTERS NOW AVAILABLE: Certain individuals are now eligible to receive Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson booster vaccinations against COVID-19. These boosters are available at various community locations (including healthcare offices and pharmacies), as well as for eligible students at the Health & Counseling Center. Faculty and staff can assess their eligibility and make an appointment using the Kaiser app or by phone at 503-813-2000. Eligible students should contact the HCC by secure message in the Student Health Portal, through email to health-services@reed.edu, or via phone at 503-777-7281.
• SURVEILLANCE TESTING NEXT WEEK: Next week, surveillance testing will be available Tuesday, November 2 and Thursday, November 4 from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM in Greenwood. Prior to attending testing, please know how to access your Predictive Labs account at client.predictivelabs.com.  

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

In health,

Madison Riethman, MPH, CPH
COVID-19 Response Coordinator
Reporting on behalf of the COVID-19 Risk Assessment Group:

Gary Granger, Director of Community Safety
Mandy Heaton, Executive Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Karnell McConnell-Black, Vice President for Student Life
Kathy Oleson, Dean of the Faculty & Professor of Psychology
Tawana Parks, Dean of Students
Hugh Porter, Vice President for College Relations & Planning
Madison Riethman, COVID-19 Response Coordinator & Health Project Manager
Suzy Renn, Professor of Biology
Timmie Rochon, Medical Services Director
April Sams, Director of Risk Management & Environmental Health and Safety
Lynn Valenter, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer

PS: Our COVID-19 dashboard includes current information on the total number of cases, vaccination rate, and other public health indicators. Additionally, all our COVID-19 communications are cataloged here.