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Masks now required on campus

August 2, 2021 | Emily Keeler

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Kristina M. Johnson, PhD

President

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Since December, we have celebrated the introduction of safe, effective and free COVID-19 vaccines that have helped contain the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they remain the best way to protect your family, friends, colleagues and yourself.

In recent weeks, the Delta variant has rapidly become the most common form of the virus in Ohio – and across the nation. The Delta variant is much more contagious than previous versions of the virus, causes infected people to have substantially higher amounts of the virus in their system, and can be transmitted to others even by fully vaccinated people who contract the virus. Therefore, we are updating our mask protocols to enhance the health and safety of our campus community as well as to reflect updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Effective immediately, students, faculty, staff and visitors to all Ohio State campuses and medical facilities are required to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. Masks continue to be required outdoors for unvaccinated individuals when they cannot maintain physical distancing. Vaccinated people are not required to mask outdoors.

Throughout the pandemic, Ohio State has adapted its actions based on new information and expertise from local, state and federal health officials as well as our own medical and public health experts. We will continue to follow this approach as we prepare for a robust, in-person experience in the upcoming academic year.

In addition to masking, the best way to prepare for Autumn semester is to get vaccinated as soon as possible. More than 73% of the Ohio State community is completely vaccinated. I know we can do even better – and to continue to combat this pandemic, we must do better. The vaccines have proven to be exceptionally effective at preventing serious illness and death, even when people contract the Delta variant. I urge everyone who can be vaccinated to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment as soon as possible.

As a reminder, all students, faculty and staff are required to report their vaccination status to the university by this Thursday, August 5. This data will inform our public health decisions, including when and whether we can consider easing requirements such as the testing requirements for students that were announced last week and the mask requirements I am sharing today.

REPORT YOUR STATUS

Students, faculty and staff who are vaccinated and have reported their status can also enter the vaccination prize drawing for a chance at $50,000 in prizes. The first drawing will take place next week, with winners announced August 12.

I can’t wait to see everyone on campus this month – classes start August 24!

Sincerely yours,

Kristina M. Johnson, PhD
President

COVID-19 Resources

Wellness Resources

Safe and Healthy Buckeyes: Mental Health and Wellness.
Faculty and staff can use the Human Resources Keep Well website, the Chief Wellness Officer Health and Wellness page and Your Plan For Health.
CCS also provides guidance for ways for faculty and staff to support students.
The Ohio State: Wellness app is designed for students but offers tips and guidance useful for all members of our community. It is available for Android and iOS devices.

Donate blood at mobile blood drives in August

July 29, 2021 | Emily Keeler

The entire country is currently experiencing a blood shortage and the situation is especially serious in central Ohio. Whether you’re a regular blood donor or not, we urge everyone to donate today. Search today for blood drives near you. Find an upcoming blood drive on or around the medical center campus.

Urgent need for blood donations

June 24, 2021 | Emily Keeler

The entire country is currently experiencing a blood shortage and the situation is especially serious in central Ohio. One donation of a pint of blood can save up to three lives. In central Ohio, some hospitals are approaching critical shortages and may soon have to take steps to conserve blood supplies. Whether you’re a regular blood donor or not, we urge everyone to donate today. When donating blood with Versiti, all donations go to Ohio State.

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May is American Stroke Month

May 4, 2021 | Emily Keeler

May is American Stroke Month, which is a great time of the year to raise awareness about the warning signs and risks for stroke and to emphasize healthy lifestyle behaviors you can adopt to control your risk and improve overall brain health.

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of long-term disability among Americans. Although some risk factors for stroke cannot be changed, such as age, family history, race and sex, up to 80% of strokes are preventable through adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors and, in some cases, medication. High blood pressure is the number one controllable risk factor but there are many other controllable risk factors like high cholesterol, smoking, poor dietary habits and physical inactivity.

We have the power to take action the moment we notice something is wrong. To quickly and easily recognize when your loved one or friend is having a stroke, use F.A.S.T. to remember the warning signs of a stroke. Quick identification of these signs is crucial since the faster they receive treatment, the more likely they are to recover without permanent damage.

Book your COVID-19 vaccination today

April 29, 2021 | Emily Keeler

Help us end this pandemic by joining the millions who are already vaccinated against COVID-19. Now’s the time to schedule your vaccination appointment.

Why?

It’s safe, easy and effective.
It helps protect you and your loved ones from the damaging and potentially deadly complications of COVID-19.
It helps us all get back to enjoying the things we’ve missed over the past year — parties, shared meals, warm hugs.

At Ohio State, we offer two convenient ways to schedule your appointment:

Log in to your MyChart account. Go to the Appointments section and look for the “COVID-19 Vaccine” option. Don’t have a MyChart account? Sign up now.
Call 614-688-8299 (VAXX), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You can also check coronavirus.ohio.gov to find COVID-19 vaccination availability at other health care providers or clinics.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise in some Ohio counties, getting your vaccine is more important than ever. Don’t wait to schedule your appointment — book your vaccination today.

New CARES grant funding supports programs to boost student mental health

April 22, 2021 | Emily Keeler

A partnership among the Office of the Chief Wellness Officer, Office of Student Life and College of Nursing has received a second round of CARES grant funding to develop and expand programming to help undergraduate and graduate/professional students build coping and resiliency skills, decrease stress and improve academic performance. Those who participate will be able to enter a raffle to win a Peloton App or HelloFresh subscription. Questions? Contact Phil Saken.

Tackling Challenges with Coach Day: Mental Health During a Pandemic

February 23, 2021 | Emily Keeler

Join us for “Tackling Challenges with Coach Day: Mental Health During a Pandemic,” a virtual keynote address with Coach Ryan Day, on Thursday February 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Hear from Coach Day as he discusses the importance of breaking the stigma of mental health, while sharing how mental health has affected him personally and recognizing the mental health challenges we all face during the pandemic. Coach Day will also be answering questions attendees submit ahead of time. You can submit your questions at go.osu.edu/CoachDayQuestions.

Registration is required to attend. All Ohio State students, staff and faculty can register using Zoom.

Free safety devices for students

February 17, 2021 | Emily Keeler

The Office of Student Life’s Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services offers students free window and door alarms and light timers to increase their home security. Deterrence tools can play a big role in helping to prevent crimes. Access to the devices is easy. Students fill out a simple form and arrange a time to pick up the devices at the Ohio Union.

Ride Sharing Safety Tips

February 12, 2021 | Emily Keeler

Ride sharing safety tips

Before you step inside a ride sharing vehicle, it is important to familiarize yourself with tips to help keep you safe. In this week’s Safety Spotlight, OSUPD’s Lt. Marjorie Rizalvo discusses what safety precautions to take when using ride sharing services. The university also offers students discounted late-night rides via Lyft Ride Smart at Ohio State. Watch the video and know before you go.

Free webinar helps you learn to grow fresh produce

February 9, 2021 | Emily Keeler

Growing your own healthy fresh produce

Many people turned to growing vegetables as a way to maintain social distance while producing fresh healthy produce. Growing Franklin was there to help by teaching virtual online classes from spring through summer, fall and even winter. All of these classes, links and events are now available in seasonal order to help you get started growing or build on your new veggie skills. Spring is almost here! Visit Growing Franklin to learn how to live your best 2021 gardening life.

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