The latest information about COVID-19 protocols at Manhattan School of Music
MSM Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
MSM Students, Faculty & Staff
Updated August 22, 2022
Individuals claiming religious or medical exemption from the Policy should make a request as outlined below. All exemption requests should be submitted to covidresponse@msmnyc.edu no later than August 10, 2022.
To claim a religious exemption, individuals must submit a statement affirming a sincerely held religious belief that precludes being vaccinated. The statement should explain the religious principle(s) that guide the objection to immunization. A letter from the claimant’s clergy or religious leader stating the religion’s belief concerning the COVID-19 vaccine may be required. If required, this letter must be on the clergy or religious leader’s letterhead.
Personal and/or philosophical objections to vaccinations that are not tied to a sincerely held religious belief are not considered sufficient justification for granting an exemption.
To claim a medical exemption, individuals must submit documentation of a medical condition that is a contraindication to the COVID-19 vaccine and, if applicable, the expected duration of the qualifying medical condition. The document must be signed by a qualified medical provider. The School reserves the right to contact the medical provider for purposes of authentication or clarification, as may be needed. Any medical information obtained in connection with a request for medical exemption will be maintained as confidential.
All claims for medical exemption will be reviewed carefully, and the School will engage in a good-faith, interactive dialogue with the claimant in order to fully understand the claimant’s specific circumstance. The School will then conduct an individualized assessment of the exemption request, determining the legitimacy of the claim, and if the claim is accepted, determining the feasibility of implementing a reasonable accommodation that will also allow for risk mitigation.
If an exemption is granted to enable an unvaccinated person to be present on campus, the unvaccinated person will be subject to adhering to federal, state, and institutional guidance for unvaccinated individuals. These requirements at MSM currently include submitting to weekly PCR testing. The unvaccinated person may also be required to observe additional safety precautions that are considered in the medical and scientific community to reflect best practices.
Exemptions granted under this section may be revisited at intervals to determine whether exemptions remain warranted. Individuals entering campus pursuant to a medical exemption may be asked to submit updated documentation for periodic reevaluation and confirmation of medically exempt status.
COVID-19 Protocols for Students, Employees, and Independent Contractors Updated: October 1, 2022
If you are experiencing COVID symptoms:
OR
If you test positive:
If MSM identifies you as a close contact:
If someone outside of MSM identifies you as a close contact:
August 22, 2022
Dear MSM Community,
The fall semester is almost here! As we gear up to welcome the MSM Community back to campus, we write with a brief overview of our policies relating to the ongoing navigation of COVID-19. As vaccinations and medicines have been developed to combat the effects of the disease (particularly minimizing severe illness and death), most of our past restrictions have been scaled back for the upcoming academic year; as always this has been done in concert with guidance from our state and local health officials.
Please carefully read the following guidelines to learn about updates (and please take a couple of minutes to review the updated COVID-19 Vaccination Policy on our website):
Daily Health Screening via Envoy HAS ENDED
Students, faculty, and staff entering campus will only be required to show their MSM ID to gain access to campus.
Please note, however, that if you test positive for COVID-19, you must notify MSM’s COVID Response team immediately by filling out this form. Upon receipt of any such email, COVID Response will respond to explain current guidelines for those who test positive.
Vaccines and Boosters REQUIRED
All MSM students, faculty, and staff entering the MSM campus must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, everyone ages 18 and older must have received at least one COVID-19 booster vaccination (details can be found here).
Everyone in the MSM Community should by now have submitted proof of their vaccination and booster status (or exemption request) using this form. Most of you already submitted this information last year, or more recently through the Admission process or New Hire process. If you have not submitted this documentation, do so immediately.
Vaccine Exemption Testing Continues
To access campus, Community members with approved vaccine exemptions must continue to submit weekly PCR test results to the COVID Response Manager following the instructions provided by the Manager.
“Mask Optional” Policy in Effect
Masks are optional on campus (please respect the decision of those in the Community to wear a mask or not). MSM will continue to monitor city, state, and CDC guidelines, and may reinstate a mandatory masking policy or other protocols as appropriate.
Thank you for your ongoing adherence to MSM’s health and safety protocols relating to COVID-19. We look forward to having the whole MSM Community back on campus in the days ahead. Meantime, enjoy what remains of summer!
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