COVID-19 Weekly Update: January 11, 2022The College sends COVID-19 dashboard updates and a tip to students, faculty, and staff every week.

Posted on January 11th, 2022 by Barb Larson Taylor

SUBJECT: COVID-19 Weekly Update

Omicron Impacts: While the on-campus case rate is higher than this fall due to the Omicron variant, our community’s response has been aided by the fact that symptoms generally aren’t as severe and by the updated CDC guidance that shortened isolation time for vaccinated individuals whose symptoms have improved. These two factors, along with the diligent work of our Health Service, Athletic Training, and case management staff, have allowed Gustavus to continue to successfully manage the uptick in cases. Considering on-campus conditions and updated guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health, the COVID-19 Response Leadership Team and College leadership believe that we can continue to manage the surge without making the pivot to online classes and events as long as the community recommits to diligently following the College’s mitigation strategies.

• We have a highly vaccinated campus
• The Omicron wave is expected to be short, peaking in the next two to three weeks
• Infections from Omicron are generally not as severe
• We have approximately 2/3 of our student population on campus this month for January Term, which means the surge can be dealt with on a more manageable level