December 1, 2021
Dear Spring 2022 student,
Syracuse Abroad is closely monitoring news of the Omicron variant and the evolving COVID-19 policies and measures taking place in our program locations. We are contacting you today to let you know what steps we are taking to address this development for students scheduled to go abroad this upcoming spring semester.
We are currently proceeding as planned for the spring semester, and look forward to welcoming you abroad. As always, the Office of Global Safety & Support at Syracuse University is carefully monitoring developments in close cooperation with various offices on the local, national, and international level. While at present, we have no formal guidance on the risks associated with the Omicron variant or its impact on local policies or regulations, infectious disease experts indicate that more definitive information on the new strain should be available in the next two weeks or so. In the meantime, we ask all to remain alert and flexible and we will provide additional information when it is available. Rest assured, if we feel that your health is at risk beyond our ability to reasonably mitigate that risk, or that border closures will be prolonged, we will notify you of program modifications or cancellations.
Please note that all spring 2022 Syracuse Abroad students are required to obtain the Covid-19 vaccination for participation in Syracuse Abroad programs. We strongly recommend all spring 2022 participants receive a COVID-19 booster shot as soon as possible to maximize protection if it has been more than six months since their single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. All spring 2022 Syracuse Florence participants will be required to obtain the booster in order to participate in the program and in order to meet stringent entry and Green Pass requirements. Our onsite staff have also put together Covid Plans which outline additional steps we’ve taken since spring 2021 to keep students safe in each of our respective locations.
We know that you may have questions about academic and other contingency plans, etc. and we encourage you to visit our Covid-19 FAQ page where you will find more detailed information. We will update this FAQ page with any modifications or changes, so please check back frequently for the most up-to-date information for your study abroad location. You may also contact Syracuse Abroad at SUAbroad@syr.edu with any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Seth A. Tucker
Director, Global Safety and Student Services
