Transitioning to summer

Dear Members of the Yale Community,

This holiday weekend marks the unofficial start of summer for many. For Yale, it marks the transition from a busy spring semester to the beginning of summer programs. As the campus cadence slows a bit, with fewer students and scholars in residence, I anticipate replacing my regular weekly messages with targeted updates to the community when there is a shift in pandemic conditions, new information about vaccines and treatments, or a change in public health guidance. Yale’s COVID-19 website remains an essential resource for current COVID-19 guidance and related programs on campus.

As you contemplate your own transitions to the summer season, please remember that COVID-19 Community Levels remain high in our region and in many places across the country and around the world. I encourage you to:

• Take advantage of widely available COVID-19 testing services and kits and consult your health care provider if you test positive;
• Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters;
• Watch for symptoms and, if they develop, test and isolate;
• Keep high-quality, well-fitting masks on hand;
• Travel wisely; and
• Familiarize yourself with practices to reduce your risks of becoming infected or transmitting infection to others.

Most importantly, I hope you will find time and ways to relax, reflect, and recharge after this busy, pandemic-challenged academic year. As always, I want to thank you for your unwavering commitment to keeping our campus and community as safe as possible.

Stephanie S. Spangler, M.D.
Vice Provost for Health Affairs and Academic Integrity
Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
University COVID-19 Coordinator