COVID-19 Spring 2023 Policy Updates

Hello MVSU Family, 

As we prepare to ring in the New Year with our friends and family, let us continue to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19. The best protection against the virus is keeping your vaccination record up to date, continuing to wear masks as needed, getting tested if you have symptoms, and washing your hands. We ask that everyone do their part in keeping MVSU safe by getting tested for COVID-19 prior to returning to campus.
 
COVID-19 tests, vaccinations, and boosters are available at the health center. The health center hours are Monday – Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. To set up an appointment to be tested, please call: (662) 644-4865.  
 
Over the counter/home COVID-19 tests are available at the MVSU COVID-19 office, so please call to request a free take home test while supplies last. The MVSU COVID-19 office is located inside the health center, and the number is: (662) 299-8542. 
 
Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 should get tested immediately if their vaccination record is not up to date or if they are experiencing symptoms. Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to retest for 90 days. Upon testing positive and completing 5 days of isolation, the CDC recommends wearing a mask for 5 days.
 
If you are a MVSU employee who tests positive, please contact the COVID-19 Director and complete a sick leave form since there is no more COVID-19 leave.
 
If you are a MVSU student who tests positive, contact the COVID-19 Director and your residential hall leader immediately, and be prepared to isolate off campus for 5 days. Provide medical documentation or test results to the COVID-19 Director and Student Affairs to be excused from class absences. Communicate with all your teachers and let them know you are ill, but will submit an excuse upon returning to campus.  
 
MVSU Employees and Students: Once the COVID-19 director is made aware of your positive test, the contact tracer will contact you for a list of individuals you have been around or in close contact with and identify what offices and buildings you have been in so these areas can be sanitized. The contact tracer will contact the individuals listed as close contacts to alert them of possible COVID-19 exposure, but your name will remain confidential.  

 

Please refer to the COVID-19 website for additional resources: Community tracker, community transmission rate, university case numbers, mask policy, online symptom checker, 3rd dose, 1st, and 2nd booster information and eligibility, and to view the “when to isolate or quarantine” flow chart decision maker tool at:  https://www.mvsu.edu/mvsu-coronavirus-response or click MVSU COVID-19   

 

To view questions and answers about COVID-19 boosters, 3rd does, mixing vaccines, how do you know if your vaccination record is up to date, and more scroll past the COVID-19 team contact information or visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

 

COVID-19 Response Team Contacts:

Dr. Kathrine Ann Pigeon | COVID-19 Director 
kathrine.pigeon@mvsu.edu or mvsucoviddirector@mvsu.edu 
662-299-6091 (Phone) 

Ms. Monica Miller | COVID-19 Support Assistant and Contact Tracer
lamonica.miller@mvsu.edu 
662-299-8542 (Phone) 

Mr. Jaylan Bledsoe | COVID-19 Driver and Inventory Clerk 
jaylan.bledsoe@mvsu.edu 
662-299-6314 (Phone) 

FAQ:

When is your vaccination record Up to Date?

You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines when you have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended for you, when eligible.

Adults ages 18 years and older

Pfizer-BioNTech

Primary Series:
2 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech given 3–8 weeks apart [ 1 ]

Fully Vaccinated: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series

Boosters:

1 booster, preferably of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For most people at least 5 months after the final dose in the primary series

2nd booster of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For adults ages 50 years and older at least 4 months after the 1st booster
  • Up to Date: Immediately after getting all boosters recommended for you [

Moderna

Primary Series:
2 doses of Moderna given 4–8 weeks apart 

Fully Vaccinated: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series.

Boosters:

1 booster, preferably of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For most people at least 5 months after the final dose in the primary series

2nd booster of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For adults ages 50 years and older at least 4 months after the 1st booster

Up to Date: Immediately after getting all boosters recommended for you

 

Johnson & Johnson's 

Primary Series:
1 dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen

Fully Vaccinated: 2 weeks after vaccination

Boosters:

1 booster, preferably of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For most people at least 2 months after a J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine

2nd booster of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

  • For adults ages 50 years and older at least 4 months after the 1st booster

Up to Date: Immediately after getting all boosters recommended for you

People ages 18 through 49 years who received a J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for both their primary dose and booster can choose to get a 2nd booster of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months after their 1st booster. The 2nd booster is not required to be considered up to date for people ages 18 through 49 years who got a J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for both their primary dose and 1st booster.

Up to Date: Immediately after getting all boosters recommended for you

 

Novavax

Primary Series:
2 doses of Novavax

Fully Vaccinated AND Up to Date:  2 weeks after final dose in primary series, since a booster is not recommended at this time for anyone who has completed the Novavax COVID-19 primary series

Children and teens ages 12–17 years

Pfizer-BioNTech

Primary Series:
2 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech given 3–8 weeks apart

Fully Vaccinated: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series

Boosters:
1 booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is recommended at least 5 months after the final dose in the primary series

Up to Date: Immediately after getting 1st booster

 

Moderna

Primary Series:
2 doses of Moderna given 4-8 weeks apart 

Fully Vaccinated AND Up to Date:  2 weeks after final dose in primary series, since a booster is not recommended at this time for any children or teens who have completed the Moderna COVID-19 primary series

Children ages 11 years and under

Pfizer-BioNTech

5–11 YEARS

Primary Series:

2nd dose is given 3-8 weeks after 1st dose

Fully Vaccinated: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series

Boosters:
1 booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is recommended at least 5 months after the final dose in the primary series

Up to Date: Immediately after getting 1st booster

6 MONTHS–4 YEARS

  Primary Series:
  3 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech

  • 2nd dose is given 3-8 weeks after 1st dose
  • 3rd dose is given at least 8 weeks after 2nd dose

Fully Vaccinated AND Up to Date: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series, since a booster is not recommended for this age group at this time

Moderna

Note: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use different age groups for their children’s vaccines.

6–11 YEARS

Primary Series:
2 doses of Moderna given 4-8 weeks apart

Fully Vaccinated AND Up to Date:  2 weeks after final dose in primary series, since a booster is not recommended at this time for any children who have completed the Moderna COVID-19 primary series 

6 MONTHS–5 YEARS

Primary Series:
2 doses of Moderna given 4-8 weeks apart

Fully Vaccinated AND Up to Date: 2 weeks after final dose in primary series, since a booster is not currently recommended for children in this age group who have received the Moderna primary series

Talk to your healthcare or vaccine provider about the timing for the 2nd dose in your primary series.

  • People ages 6 months through 64 years, and especially males ages 12 through 39 years, may consider getting the 2nd primary dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) 8 weeks after the 1st dose. A longer time between the 1st and 2nd primary doses may increase how much protection the vaccines offer, and further minimize the rare risk of heart problems, including myocarditis and pericarditis.
  • People ages 65 years and older, people more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, or anyone wanting protection due to high levels of community transmission should get:
    • the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 3 weeks (or 21 days) after the first dose, or
    • the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 4 weeks (or 28 days) after the first dose. 
    • People ages 18 years and older should get their second dose of Novavax 3-8 weeks after the first dose.
    • People ages 18 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get the second dose of Novavax 3 weeks after the first dose.

 If you have completed your primary series—but are not yet eligible for a booster—you are also considered up to date.

Mixing COVID-19 Vaccine Products

CDC does not recommend mixing products for your primary series doses. If you received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 for the first dose of your primary series, you should get the same product for all following primary series doses.

Boosters

People ages 18 years and older may get a different product for a booster than they got for their primary series. Children and teens ages 5 through 17 years who got a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series must get Pfizer-BioNTech for a booster.

Timing of COVID-19 Vaccination After Infection

People who have COVID-19 should wait to receive any vaccine, including a COVID-19 vaccine, until after they recover and complete their isolation period.

Additionally, people who recently had COVID-19 may consider delaying their next vaccine dose (primary dose or booster) by 3 months from when their symptoms started or if they had no symptoms when they first received a positive test. Reinfection is less likely in the weeks to months after infection. However, certain factors, such as the personal risk of severe disease, local COVID-19 community level, and the most common COVID-19 variant currently causing illness, could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later.

Vaccination Outside the United States

If you received COVID-19 vaccines outside the United States, whether you are up to date depends on which COVID-19 vaccine (and how many doses) you received. Learn more about when people vaccinated outside the United States are considered fully vaccinated.

Allergic Reaction to a COVID-19 Vaccine Product

If you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or if you have a known (diagnosed) allergy to a COVID-19 vaccine ingredient, you should not get that vaccine. If you have been instructed not to get one type of COVID-19 vaccine, you may still be able to get another type.

Scheduling Your COVID-19 Vaccines

To find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.

There are several ways you can find a vaccine provider. You can get your COVID-19 vaccines at the same location, or at different locations.

  • If you need help scheduling your 2nd primary dose or a booster, contact the location that set up your previous appointment. It is never too late to get the added protection offered by completing your primary series or getting a COVID-19 booster.
  • Some community vaccination clinics have closed. You can get your 2nd primary dose or a booster at a different location.