With the new semester comes new changes, and COVID-19 is no exception. While Northeastern University previously announced at the end of the Fall 2021 semester that students would be required to receive the booster shot, there have since been many amendments to the university’s COVID policies.
One major change that has been implemented is that students who test positive for COVID are now only required to quarantine for five days, per CDC guidelines. If a student is asymptomatic, they are able to leave isolation after five days. In addition, those who test positive through the Cabot Testing Center will now be notified through email, as opposed to a phone call. Anyone who has tested positive outside of a Northeastern testing center is also able to submit their positive test result in order to be exempt from testing for a 90-day time period.
Unlike last semester, students who test positive for COVID this semester will be instructed to quarantine in their own residences. However, they can leave isolation in order to get tested, pick up food, or go to a medical appointment. Additionally, they will have to attend all of their classes virtually through Zoom.
On Feb. 8, 2022, an email was sent to all Northeastern students regarding various COVID regulations that have been lifted. For one, events and gatherings can now be in-person and do not need to be reviewed and approved beforehand. This will allow clubs and other organizations to hold more in-person events, encouraging students to connect with their community. However, these gatherings will still be subject to local health guidelines. Additionally, starting Feb. 9, students are allowed to host non-Northeastern guests. This has been a huge source of debate for the university in the past semester, with many students complaining about not being able to bring friends and family into their residence halls. Now, as long as they are in compliance with Northeastern’s vaccination requirements, any guest is able to visit and enter a residence hall. Finally, regulations against university-sponsored travel have been lifted. However, trips to higher-risk destinations will still be reviewed.
An email sent out by the university to all active students on Feb. 18, 2022 addressed changes to the testing protocol. While students have previously had to get tested weekly, the university has decided to lift the testing cadence for asymptomatic students. This change will go into effect on Feb. 28, with the Daily Wellness Check no longer required. However, students with symptoms are still required to get tested and to fill out the Daily Wellness Check before they do.
While COVID-19 is still very much a prevailing issue, increases in vaccinations and improvements in case numbers have allowed the university to lift some regulations. Northeastern students should continue to get tested if they have symptoms and mask up in appropriate locations, however, we can now celebrate some of the new freedoms that come with lifted restrictions.