COVID-19 Resources

COVID vaccination

The university strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to receive all COVID-19 vaccinations that are recommended by the CDC and for which they are eligible.

The updated COVID vaccine will be available in the fall; it provides protection against the currently circulating variants. Vaccine reduces (but does not eliminate) the risk of infection; it reduces the severity of infection for those who may become infected and reduces the risk of long COVID. By being vaccinated, you also reduce the risk of transmission to vulnerable others.

Vaccination may be scheduled through Yale Health. Additional information will be available in the early fall. Schedule an appointment.

See Yale University’s COVID-19 vaccination policy.

Flu vaccination

A flu shot is required for all students and can help reduce the impact of respiratory illness for you and for the community.

A close contact is an individual who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, masked or unmasked. All household contacts, including roommates or suitemates, are close contacts due to shared living spaces. 

Use the CDC’s exposure calculator to assess a close contact.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are identified as a close contact, you can continue activities which can be performed fully masked. You do not need to isolate but you must observe these precautions for 10 days:

• Contact the YSM COVID staff at covidresources.music@yale.edu
• Mask around others. If you share a residence, mask except when in your room alone. Masks must be well-fitting N95-equivalent or ASTM masks.
• Test: Take three RA tests : upon notification of exposure, on Days 3 and 5.
• Monitor: Monitor for symptoms. If symptoms develop, isolate. See Symptomatic Individuals and Positive Cases.
• Close contacts should not eat in dining halls or other indoor spaces.
• Social gatherings are discouraged during this period.
• Take precautions if traveling.

Singers: additional guidance

• Observe all precautions above.
• You can continue all activities which can be performed fully masked in a N95 mask (available from the Opera office and the ISM office).
• In some circumstances masking can be reduced from ten days to five days. If all three tests are negative and you have no symptoms, you may be allowed to unmask for dress rehearsals and performances from Days 5-10. Confer with the YSM COVID staff.

Winds & brass: additional guidance

• Observe all precautions above.
• Because instruments with mouthpieces cannot be played while fully masked, you are excused from indoor music making with others while monitoring as a close contact.

• If you are in Philharmonia, alert the Philharmonia manager.
• Reschedule with your chamber music coach and the members of your chamber ensemble.

• In some circumstances masking can be reduced from ten days to five days. If all three tests are negative and you have no symptoms, you may be allowed to unmask for dress rehearsals and performances from Days 5-10. Confer with the YSM COVID staff at covidresources.music@yale.edu.

See Yale University’s Close Contact Policy.

Transmission of respiratory infections causes significant disruptions when parts need to be reassigned or activities need to be postponed or canceled.

If you are experiencing symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, observe these precautions to avoid infecting others:

Contact the YSM COVID staff at covidresources.music@yale.edu

If your symptoms are mild, take two RA tests 48 hours apart and mask around others.

• Test #1: If it is negative you are encouraged to stay home, but you can resume activities which can be performed fully masked.
• Masks must be well-fitting N95-equivalent or ASTM masks.
• Test #2: Take a second RA test 48 hours after the first test. If both tests are negative and symptoms have significantly diminished, you can resume unmasked activity.

If your symptoms are severe, stay home, mask, and take two RA tests 48 hours apart.

• Test #1: If it is negative, stay home. Monitor for 48 hours.
• If you share a residence, mask except when in your room alone. Masks must be well-fitting N95-equivalent or ASTM masks.
• Contact your primary care provider if you have concerns about your symptoms.
• Test #2: Take a second RA test 48 hours after the first test. If both tests are negative and symptoms have significantly diminished, you can resume unmasked activity. If both tests are negative but significant symptoms persist, contact your primary care provider.

Manage your absence.

• Alert your academic instructors to your absence and make arrangements for assignments.
• If you are in Philharmonia, alert the Philharmonia manager. 
• If you are in a vocal ensemble, alert the ensemble manager.
• Alert your chamber music coach and the members of your chamber ensemble.
• Reschedule any secondary wind/brass/voice lessons directly with the instructor.

Singers: additional guidance

• Observe all precautions above.
• You are strongly encouraged to stay home but may continue all activities which can be performed fully masked in a N95 mask (available from the Opera office and the ISM office).

• Winds & brass: additional guidance

• Observe all precautions above.
• Because instruments with mouthpieces cannot be played while fully masked, you must refrain from indoor music making with others.
• If you are in Philharmonia, alert the Philharmonia manager. 
• Reschedule with your chamber music coach and the members of your chamber ensemble.
• You can resume music making once your symptoms have diminished significantly and you have received two negative tests spaced 48 hours apart.

If you test positive, take these steps:

• Isolate immediately. You must isolate for at least 5 full days.
• Contact covidresources.music@yale.edu right away so the YSM can identify your YSM close contacts and excuse your absence from class.
• Report your case to the university. This triggers important guidance for you and your roommates.
• Contact Student Health at 203-432-0312 if you have an underlying weakened immune system or are experiencing severe symptoms (such as high fever, shortness of breath, vomiting).

Manage your absence:

• The YSM COVID staff will email your instructors and ensemble managers to excuse you from your classes during isolation.
• You should contact:

• your academic instructors to make arrangements for assignments.
• your chamber music coach and the members of your chamber ensemble to postpone.
• your secondary lessons instructor to reschedule your lesson.

Practicing:

• A locked, dedicated practice room in Sprague is reserved exclusively for the use of COVID-positive students who cannot practice in their residence. Until you are inside the practice room, you must remain masked, gloved, and distance yourself from others.

Ending isolation:

• You can return to class/work on Day 6 if your symptoms have significantly improved and you no longer have a fever.
• After leaving isolation, you must remain masked until Day 10, but you can resume all activities which can be performed fully masked.
• With the permission of the YSM COVID staff, you can unmask before Day 10 if you are not experiencing any symptoms and you receive two negative RA tests 48 hours apart (e.g. on Days 6 and 8, or Days 7 and 9).

See Yale University’s Isolation Guidance.

Guest performers and guest instructors may participate in YSM activities as follows.

YSM visitors must:

• be hosted by YSM faculty or staff, or a YSM student.
• be added to the visitor list in the Adams security office. Hosts must email guest name(s) and date(s) of visit to ysm.operations@yale.edu.
•  check in at the Adams Center security office upon arrival.

All visitors

• are asked to take a RA test 30-60 minutes prior to activities involving YSM students. Tests are available at the Adams security office.
• are strongly encouraged to be up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations as recommended by the CDC
• must mask, isolate, and test immediately if they develop any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 while on campus; individuals who test positive cannot come to campus until isolation ends.
• must follow all university health and safety guidelines and any additional measures required by their host unit while on campus or participating in a university event.

See Yale University’s Visitor Policy.

• You are encouraged to self-administer RA tests upon returning from travel, and 3-5 days later.
• Monitor for symptoms; if symptoms arise, isolate and test immediately. See Symptomatic Individuals.

See Yale University’s Travel Policy.

• Campus COVID Resource Line: 203-432-6604, toll free 866-924-9253
• Community Messages
• Yale Mental Health & Counseling​​​​​​​: Yale offers many resources to support your physical and mental well-being. We encourage each of you to take time to care for yourself. Students, for support, please reach out to Mental Health and Counseling, Yale Well, and The Good Life Center. Faculty and staff resources include Being Well at Yale, Yale’s Personal Wellness Signature Benefits, and Magellan’s Behavioral Health Services (for Yale Health members). 
• Yale Health website