As of March 26, the University of �鶹��ý 10-campus system is indefinitely suspending the UH COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policies for students and employees. Regular testing for COVID-19 will no longer be required of students and employees with approved vaccine exemptions. Testing will continue in the student residence halls until the end of the semester. A March 23 mail to the 10-campus system notified students, faculty and staff of the policy updates.

“The UH Officers made the decision to suspend the policies based on guidance provided by the UH COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing Working Group, a team of UH medical and public health experts,” stated the email signed by the UH Officers, the leadership team with representation from the 10 campuses led by UH President David Lassner. “The move reflects the latest COVID-19 guidance from the state and federal government.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccines have proven to be highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against severe illness caused by the COVID-19 virus. The combination of vaccinations, boosters and exposure to the virus has built up immunity locally and nationally, resulting in fewer COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths. The CDC strongly recommends everyone to get vaccinated, and to stay up to date with their vaccination.

Updated UH COVID-19 Guidelines take effect March 26

The latest update to the UH COVID-19 Guidelines also take effect on March 26 and include the following requirements:

• Face masks indoors in classrooms, shared laboratories, other instructional spaces and tightly confined educational spaces. This includes advising offices and campus venues when the number of attendees is close to maximum capacity or if it is anticipated that high numbers of higher-risk persons will be attending (required until May 13, the end of the spring 2022 semester). Instructors or presenters may remove their masks while teaching, provided that they maintain 6 feet distance from others.
  • Campus officials may further specify areas where face masks are required to enhance safety.
• For those returning to campus after quarantine or isolation, face masks must be worn around others in all settings, for the remainder of the 10-day period.
• If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home and isolate for at least 5 days (until you are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your symptoms are improving).
• Full or Up-to-date vaccination for employees and students in specific UH programs or courses (i.e., medical, nursing, social work, dental hygiene, allied health, etc.) where they are embedded within partner institutions that require vaccination. Officers will determine which programs may require student, faculty, or patient vaccination status.

We strongly recommend that you stay home when feeling ill, whether with COVID-19 or not, to recover and prevent community spread.

No longer required

The following are no longer required as of March 26:

• The daily COVID-19 health screening via the LumiSight UH health app.
• Face masks indoors (except as identified above)
• Face masks outdoors, including outdoor campus events.
• Visitors providing proof of vaccination or negative test results to access campus events.
• Uploading of negative tests for those students and employees with approved vaccine exemptions.
• Campuswide notification of positive COVID-19 cases reported on a UH campus

“As we transition to personal responsibility for managing COVID-19 infections and exposures, individuals are strongly urged to report their cases/exposures to their designated campus official,” said the email.

UH COVID-19 Guidelines and related policies are subject to change depending on the status of the pandemic. UH will continue to monitor the conditions in �鶹��ý and implement mitigation measures, as needed. Those measures may include vaccination or testing, expanded requirements for mask wearing, etc. More information can be found on the UH COVID-19 Dashboards and the UH COVID-19 Response Based on CDC Community Level website.

Editor’s note: Christmas Eve and New Yearʻs Eve are observed holidays since both Christmas and New Year’s Days land on a Saturday. UH faculty and staff DO NOT have to request vacation time for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. The message from Friday, December 17 had mistakenly stated otherwise.

This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of �鶹��ý system on December 17, 2021.

Aloha,

As we end a year that, once again, threw us for surprise after surprise, I want to thank you all for your amazing efforts to ensure a successful semester! We continued to provide a remarkable University of �鶹��ý education for our students while conducting world-class research addressing the challenges and opportunities facing �鶹��ý and the planet.

After an explosive Delta surge slowed down our pandemic recovery, we enjoyed a period of relative calm through much of the fall. Unfortunately, we are once again seeing dramatically increasing case numbers across the islands, including in younger individuals. Given what is happening in the communities in which we are embedded it is not unexpected that we have also had several small clusters within our UH campuses, including travel-related.

We generally see surges in case counts after holidays and times of celebration, but we are already seeing these increases now. However, unlike last year at this time, we now have it within our power to prevent major surges in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. The single most important step you can take is to get vaccinated and if you are already vaccinated, then get a booster shot. Vaccinations and boosters are available throughout the state at no cost to persons age 16 or older. Locations and times are available at .

In addition to getting vaccinated and boosted, please, please exercise restraint at all in-person gatherings and holiday celebrations. Continue to wear a mask when indoors, or outside near others, except when actively eating and drinking. And then mask up again when you are done eating. Remember that outdoors is always safer than indoors and this is an advantage we all can enjoy in �鶹��ý. Another important way to protect yourself and the community is to get your flu shot, which you can do at the same time you get your COVID-19 booster. And if you experience any symptoms at all please isolate yourself and get tested.

It is also recommended that you avoid any unnecessary travel given the additional risks posed. If you do travel, be especially cautious. You should test for COVID-19 immediately after a trip and then again 3-5 days later. Information on free testing in �鶹��ý is available at: . Or you can use an inexpensive rapid antigen self-test at home.

Best wishes to all of you and your families and friends for a relaxing, rewarding, healthy and safe holiday season. I look forward to seeing you back on a UH campus next year!

Aloha,
David Lassner
UH President

Free vaccinations, booster shots and COVID-19 tests will be available at two upcoming Maui vaccination clinics sponsored by the University of �鶹��ý Maui College . The clinics will be held on Tuesday, December 7, 5–8 p.m. and on Saturday, December 11, 8–11 a.m., at the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center, located at 780 Oneheʻe Ave. in Kahului. No appointments are necessary, but they are recommended.

The clinics are open to the public. Remember to bring an I.D. If this is not your first shot, also bring your vaccination card. For more information, call Alfred Evangelista (808) 242-8100 or Chelsea Guzman (808) 268-4557.

University of �鶹��ý President David Lassner provided an update on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the spring 2020 semester, the employee telework policy and the expected increase in online offerings in his monthly report to the Board of Regents on November 18.

Lassner also explained how UH may see an increase in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act.

• COVID-19 update ()
• COVID-19 guidance by team of UH experts ()
• Vaccination requirement for spring 2022 ()
• Telework policy update ()
• Spring 2022 will include online courses ()
• Attendance at UH athletics events ()
• Tenure task force work underway ()
• Legislative inquiries continue (5,000 pages provided to date) ()
• Astro2020 Decadal Survey ()
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ()
• Build Back Better Act ()
• Federal budget bill ()
• Reimagining UH project update ()
• Philanthropy update ()
• Intramural funding update ()
• UN Climate Change conference in Glasgow ()
• UH wins multiple academic events ()
  Entomology champions
  Hackathon winners
  eSports collegiate title
  Rocketry flies high

See previous president’s reports to the Board of Regents.

The University of �鶹��ý shared a message reminding employees, including those teleworking, that they must either be fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus (two weeks after the final dose) or have an approved medical or religious exemption by January 3, 2022. Employees who are fully vaccinated should upload their vaccination information to the app. Employees who are partially vaccinated as of January 3, will be required to provide a regular negative test result until two weeks after their final shot.

For employees planning on getting vaccinated:

• Employees must receive the final COVID-19 vaccine dose by December 20, 2021 to be considered fully vaccinated by January 3. If employees are vaccinated after that date, they must provide proof of a negative test weekly until they are considered fully vaccinated.
• Once fully vaccinated, employees should upload their vaccination information to the app. Because information validation can take up to 24 hours, and January 3 follows the New Year’s holiday, it is recommended that vaccination information be uploaded by Wednesday, December 29 to ensure it is valid on January 3.
• Vaccination sites can be found at the .

For employees planning to apply for an exemption and regularly get tested:

• Medical or religious exemption applications should be submitted to their human resources office by Monday, December 6, 2021 to allow time for the forms to process. All requests will be held in strict confidentiality and only shared with those who will be in the decision making process.
• Employees with exemptions will be required to show proof of a negative test on a regular basis. Employees are responsible for any costs associated with testing and are encouraged to take advantage of offered by the State of �鶹��ý. For more information on the exemptions and testing requirements, please go to the UH Human Resources website on the vaccination policy.

On January 3, 2022, employees who are not fully vaccinated or have not obtained an approved medical or religious exemption:

1. Will be unable to report to campus.
2. Will not be allowed to perform the duties and responsibilities of their assigned position.
3. May be subject to progressive discipline for non-compliance and/or violation of this policy, up to and including discharge.

For more information, go to the UH Office of Human Resources website on the vaccination policy. For further questions or concerns, contact COVID19@hawaii.edu.

The University of �鶹��ý announced a mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for employees that will be effective January 3, 2022. Under the new policy, all UH employees, including those who are teleworking, will be required to be fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus OR have an approved medical or religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Students are also required to be fully vaccinated OR have an approved exemption by January 3, 2022 to be on a UH campus or property. They are required to have their final dose of the vaccine before they are able to register for in-person classes for the spring 2022 semester. Spring registration begins in early November.

The new employee policy states: “the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are highly effective at preventing COVID-19, as well as at preventing serious illness even in those who do contract COVID-19. A fully vaccinated campus community enables the best opportunity for a healthy return to high-quality face-to-face teaching, learning and research.”

“The policy is based on the latest federal and state guidance and made in consultation with the UH President COVID-19 Team and the UH Health and Well-Being working group, made up of UH medical and public health experts,” according to an email sent to employees from the UH Office of Human Resources (OHR).

The policy will replace the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policy adopted August 23, 2021 that is effective through January 2, 2022. Employees who do not comply will be subject to progressive discipline, up to and including discharge. Those employees who are partially vaccinated as of January 3, 2022, will be required to provide a regular negative test result until two weeks after their final shot.

Employees who receive an approved medical or religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccination will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test weekly for a PCR test or every three days for an Antigen test. Employees seeking medical or religious exemptions related to the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy should inquire with their human resources office.

The OHR website has been updated with additional guidance related to the January 3 policy.

• Employee information related to the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
• Supervisor information related to the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

If only 60% of University of �鶹��ý students at all 10 campuses were fully vaccinated, it is estimated an additional 3,000 cumulative COVID-19 cases could have been detected in Honolulu County over a six-week period (August 10–September 30), according to a compartmental mathematical model developed specifically for the State of �鶹��ý. This is one of several findings from a study by UH ����ԴDz�’s and the work group to show the effects the entire UH student population has on the wider community. The study used an optimistic vaccination rate of 95%, which is close to the actual estimated vaccination rate, for comparison.

According to a survey of UH students in August, more than 90% have been vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus or plan to be. About 27% of the 45,930 students registered for the fall 2021 semester responded to the survey. The findings are similar to the student survey from late June.

“The bottom line is that not only will there be significantly less cases in Honolulu County if more of our students are vaccinated, but there will be significantly less asymptomatic cases in unvaccinated individuals,” UH Mānoa Department of Mathematics Professor Monique Chyba said. “This would lead to less unvaccinated asymptomatic individuals eventually developing symptoms followed by a possible hospitalization, alleviating additional stress on the health care system.”

Positive effects of vaccinated UH students

The study used a 95% UH student vaccination rate in its modeling and it predicted 23,093 cumulative cases in Honolulu County during a six-week period from August 10–September 30, of which 15,059 would have been unvaccinated individuals. However, if only 60% of UH students are vaccinated, the cumulative case count for the same time frame was predicted to be 26,068, of which 16,443 would have been unvaccinated. Also, the modeling showed a 25% decrease in the daily case count for September 30 for Honolulu County, if 95% of registered UH students were vaccinated compared to 60% (332 cases vs. 248 cases).

Unvaccinated asymptomatic cases

The UH model also factored in the amount of asymptomatic cases in the UH student population and in Honolulu County in those who are unvaccinated depending on the percentage of UH students vaccinated. At the model’s highest asymptomatic peak for cases among unvaccinated UH students on August 30, there could have been 30 cases if 95% of students were vaccinated, compared to 324 if only 60% were vaccinated, a 90% reduction.

For Honolulu County, it is estimated an 8% reduction in active unvaccinated asymptomatic cases at the highest peak or a significant difference of 412 active asymptomatic cases on August 22, if 95% of UH students are vaccinated compared with 60%.

This work is an example of UH ����ԴDz�’s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

University of �鶹��ý students must be vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus before registering for in-person (and hybrid courses) in the spring 2022 semester. Students who have not submitted their vaccine information or received a medical or religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine student health requirement will only be able to register for online classes. The weekly COVID-19 testing option currently available for unvaccinated students who are on campus for the fall 2021 semester will no longer be available as of January 3, 2022.

“Whether you still need to get vaccinated or are going to request an exemption, please plan ahead so you will be able to register for the spring 2022 courses that you need or want,” said UH Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Hae Okimoto in a September 21 email to students.

STAR registration carts for student registration will be available in October, with registration beginning in early November. In order to register for on-campus (including hybrid) courses, students must upload their COVID-19 vaccination information and card to the daily health check app by their registration date.

Students may request exemptions for (PDF) or reasons. Exemptions should be submitted through the UH FileDrop system to their campus Student Health Services or Registrar’s Office for review and approval (contact info for each campus is below). Students who receive exemptions will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test weekly to be on campus.

• (PDF)

The COVID-19 vaccine was added in May 2021 to the student health clearance requirements that already required a TB clearance and immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis and varicella. Meningococcal conjugate vaccinations are also required for first-year students living in on-campus housing.

An August survey before the start of the fall semester found that nearly 90% of UH students were either vaccinated or had started the vaccination process.

Campus contact information

• UH ����ԴDz�—uhsm.covid@hawaii.edu
• UH Hilo—uhhsms@hawaii.edu
• UH West Oʻahu—uhworec@hawaii.edu
• �鶹��ý Community College—hawccar@hawaii.edu
• Honolulu Community College—honrec@hawaii.edu
• Kapiʻolani Community College—kapinfo@hawaii.edu
• Kauaʻi Community College—arkauai@hawaii.edu
• Leeward Community College—leeshc@hawaii.edu
• UH Maui College—uhmcar@hawaii.edu
• Windward Community College—winccar@hawaii.edu

Two COVID-19 vaccination clinics that are open to the public are scheduled to be held at the University of �鶹��ý Maui College. Both will be held in the Pāʻina Building on UH Maui College’s Kahului campus. All three vaccines will be available—Moderna, Pfizer (limited quantities) and Johnson & Johnson.

Vaccination clinic dates:

• September 25, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• October 2, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

These clinics will be for first, second and booster doses. Please note that the for boosters will be followed. These currently focus on the immunocompromised, elderly/nursing home residents, healthcare and frontline workers. According to the �鶹��ý Department of Health, these deadlines are .

“Please get vaccinated,” said Denise Cohen, a former UH Maui College nursing professor. “This virus is a threat to everyone in our community, our state, our country and the world. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the vaccines are effective and safe. And since August 23, the Pfizer vaccine has been fully approved by the FDA.”

For those wanting to get their first or second dose, and for those who meet the current CDC guidelines for boosters, .

A student is the latest winner of $5,000, a reward for being vaccinated, which is part of the .

According to a release from American Savings Bank, which provided the prize, Waiʻanae resident Angela Yao received her check from Ann Teranishi, American Savings Bank president and CEO, in September.

Yao said she plans to share her winnings with her sister and family and save some for the future.

“I felt it was important to get vaccinated to help protect my younger siblings and grandparents. It’s a personal choice, and I think everyone should get vaccinated so �鶹��ý can get back to normal again,” Yao said.

American Savings Bank provided three $5,000 prizes for the vaccination incentive contest.

“American Savings Bank is committed to doing our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant in our community and prevent further strain on our health care system,” Teranishi said. “We’re glad to support the #HIGotVaccinated campaign and encourage everyone to get vaccinated so we can end this pandemic nightmare.”