COVID-19 Resources

Information for students, faculty, and staff

Policies are current as of March 18, 2024. During the 2023-2024 school year, refer to this page for complete and up-to-date details, as well as the YSM weekly student newsletter.

YSM HEALTH AND SAFETY: FUNDAMENTALS

Respiratory infections significantly disrupt YSM curricular activities when parts need to be reassigned or activities need to be postponed or canceled. Because of the close-proximity aerosol generation inherent to music-making, please observe these precautions to minimize transmission of airborne infections:

  • Contact covidresources.music@yale.edu with questions about health policies and precautions. YSM health officers liaise with Yale's public health experts to determine the appropriate precautions for YSM activities and manage YSM COVID cases. Krista Johnson is the Health and Safety Leader (HSL).
  • Vaccination: You are strongly encouraged to receive all COVID-19 vaccinations that are recommended by the CDC and for which you are eligible, as well as the flu shot. See Vaccination below.
  • Testing: You are encouraged to test if you are experiencing symptoms, after major travel, and whenever you are concerned about a possible exposure. Free rapid antigen (RA) tests are available from the Adams security office.
  • Masking: A well-fitting N95 or ASTM mask provides excellent protection against airborne disease. Whether you unmask or remain masked, please respect one another’s choices. Free masks are available from the Adams security office. See Yale’s masking guidance.
  • Symptomatic individuals: If you experience symptoms, you are strongly encouraged to stay home. See Symptomatic Individuals below.
  • Privacy: Please help protect one another’s privacy by holding a person’s health status in confidence unless they give permission to share it with others.
  • Policies are subject to change as informed by current public-health conditions at the University or in the community.  

See the sections below for complete details.

Student Resources

Vaccination

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 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. 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.

Close contacts

While the CDC language continues to evolve, we continue to suggest that if you test positive for COVID, you notify those whom you consider to be close contacts so they can take precautions, especially if they are at increased risk for severe illness.

The CDC provides actions to take to help protect yourself and others from health risks caused by respiratory viruses. These are especially helpful when you or the people around you were recently exposed to a respiratory virus, are sick, or are recovering. 

  • monitoring for symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others, 
  • practicing good personal hygiene like covering your coughs and sneezes and washing your hands, 
  • wearing a mask while sick or around others who are sick, 
  • increasing physical distancing from others, and/or 
  • testing when you have symptoms of a respiratory virus or have been around others that have symptoms. 

Symptomatic individuals

Individuals experiencing symptoms of viral respiratory illness can infect others. Transmission of respiratory illness disrupts activities when parts need to be reassigned or activities must be postponed or canceled.

Observe these precautions if you’re experiencing symptoms:

1. STAY HOME and away from others.

2. Take a COVID test (available from the Adams security office). If it is positive, contact covidresources.music@yale.edu.

3. Connect to health care if your symptoms worsen, if you have an underlying weakened immune system, or if you are experiencing severe symptoms. You may be eligible for COVID or flu anti-viral treatments. 

  • Students, contact Student Health. 203-432-0312 (after hours, 203-432-0123. 
  • Faculty/staff, contact your PCP.

4. Manage your absence by contacting:  

  • your ensemble manager
  • your academic instructors to make arrangements for assignments
  • your primary teacher
  • your chamber music coach and chamber music partners

Returning to your daily routine after illness

Returning to your daily routine, with precautions:

1. You can resume your daily routine:

  • after you have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-lowering medications –AND–
  • your symptoms are improving

2. For five days, observe the following precautions to prevent the spread of infection to others:

  • Wear a well-fitting mask.
  • Practice good hygiene (frequent hand washing and sanitization)

Winds/brass: If your COVID test was positive, postpone music-making with others for these five days (because you can’t mask completely while playing an instrument with a mouthpiece). It may be possible to unmask sooner with negative test results; confer with covid.resources@yale.edu for details.

3. If your fever returns or symptoms worsen, return to the stay-at-home phase until the fever ends.

Visitors

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.

Additionally, YSM visitors:

  • are encouraged to take a RA test 30-60 minutes prior to activities involving YSM students. Tests are available at the Adams security office.
  • are 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.

Travel guidance

  • 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 Guidance and Resources.

Faculty and Staff Resources

If you test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19, you should manage your isolation and care individually by referring to the the Yale University COVID-19 InformationMedical questions, including questions about your symptoms, should be directed to your primary health care provider. 

Effective treatments are available for those with mild or moderate symptoms who may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness, including individuals who are over age 50 or have other risk factors. Treatment must be started within the first 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms. Contact your primary care provider to see if you are eligible for treatment.

Instructors of positive students should also review the University's Guidance about academics and instruction for those who test positive.

More information

Yale Health resources

 

Important ID access reminders

  • You must have your Yale ID with you to enter University buildings. 
  • Always swipe in individually.
  • Do not follow someone else into a building or hold the door open for anyone else.
  • If your ID doesn’t work, contact ysm.operations@yale.edu.