COVID-19

In compliance with a public policy directive issued by Governor Hochul on December 31, all full- and part-time faculty, all non-teaching instructional staff (which includes, among others, NTAs, CLTs and those in the HEO series), and personnel in the Executive Compensation Plan, are required to be fully vaccinated (two dose Pfizer or Moderna regimen, or 1 dose J&J) in order to remain employed by the University, except if a medical exemption, religious exception or reasonable accommodation has been granted.

Additional details are forthcoming regarding the deadlines for faculty and staff to upload proof of vaccination.

 

The CUNY Access Pass Has Replaced Everbridge

All BMCC employees, and affiliated partners, must sign up for Cleared4. Everyone is now required to upload their vaccination credentials to “CLEARED 4”.

COVID-19 Reporting Form.

To report an instance of COVID-19, use this form.

For answers to FAQ regarding COVID visit the CUNY information page.


Covid Vaccinations

All CUNY employees are now eligible to receive the COVID Vaccine.  Additional locations are currently underway, and we will updated site information as it becomes available.  To book a vaccination appointment either use:

  • Bronx/Queens/Staten Island
  • Brooklyn/Manhattan
    Enter your employee ID number (this is the number you used to set up your NYCERs account) to unlock appointments at employee-only clinics.  Reserve an appointment at a location that is most convenient to you.

Vaccination Verification

BMCC Faculty and staff must upload their proof of vaccination through CUNYfirst. Once uploaded, the Office of Human Resources will review the verification.

  • Approval status should be available after 24 hours in CUNYfirst. If your submission was not approved, please read the reason for rejection carefully and resubmit.
  • Once approved, your BMCC Photo ID will be synced with the verification so you can simply swipe your ID on the turnstile (as you did before) when you enter the BMCC campus.

Remember:

  • In order to upload a photo of your vaccination card, you must have received either BOTH doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
  • To be considered FULLY vaccinated, you must wait 14 days after your SECOND dose (Pfizer or Moderna) or SINGLE dose (Johnson & Johnson) coming to the BMCC campus.
  • To check your CUNYFirst account within 48 hour of submission to confirm you received approval.
  • You must also fill out the Cleared4 questionnaire, which will be sent in a separate email by no-reply@cleared4work.com.

If you have not been vaccinated, Faculty and Staff need to take a weekly COVID test, and test negative within the past 7 daysto be allowed onto any BMCC campus.  The test MUST be performed by one of the 20 CUNY-approved locations.

Vaccination Verification Guide for CUNY Employees (pdf).

  • If you have not received the registration email, send an email to officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu.
  • For a visual step-by-step guide to submitting information to CUNYfirst, please visit here.
    • PLEASE NOTE: Results from the COVID-19 tests may take one to two days. For more information, please see the Testing FAQ.

The CUNY Access Pass has replaced Everbridge.

All BMCC employees, and affiliated partners, must sign up for Cleared4.  Everyone is now required to upload their vaccination credentials to “CLEARED 4”.  Once you have uploaded your Vaccination information into CUNYFirst, you should receive an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com.  The email will contain your personalized link to complete your registration in Cleared4. 

If you have not received an email from no-reply@cleared4work.com, or you have not uploaded your vaccine information to CUNYFirst, you must use this link to upload your digitized information. 

Once completed, you can access or print your pass by pasting your personal link into any web browser and clicking on your Show Access pass. You can also show your pass on your phone or smart device.

To learn more about using the Cleared4 system, search for “Cleared4” on the cunyithelp.cuny.edu website.

CUNY continues to follow the latest CDC guidance on isolation and quarantine. Any students, staff or faculty who test positive with COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 must follow these guidelines, as outlined below, prior to returning to campus. If you are required to isolate or quarantine, you must receive a negative test or doctor’s certification prior to returning to campus.

Test results will be accepted from CUNY testing sites or other licensed test providers.

• Isolation Guidelines if You Test Positive for COVID-19—Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

  • Stay home for 5 days (day 0 is your first day of symptoms, or the day of your first positive test if you do not develop symptoms).
  • If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
  • In order to return to CUNY after isolation, you must receive a negative PCR or Antigen test (we strongly recommend an Antigen test, if available).
    • Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved.
    • If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. Following day 10 you must receive a negative PCR or Antigen test before returning to CUNY.
    • In lieu of a negative test, individuals may provide a doctor’s certification that they have recovered from COVID-19.
  • Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 additional days; if you cannot wear a mask, continue to isolate for 5 days.
  • If you have a fever, continue isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
  • If you were severely ill with COVID-19 you should isolate for at least 10 days. Consult your doctor before ending isolation.

• If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19

Population: What to do:
  • If you have received a booster, OR
  • Completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine within the last 5 months or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months, OR
  • Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months, OR
  • Tested positive for COVID-19 with a viral test within the previous 90 days and subsequently recovered and remain without COVID-19 symptoms
  • You do not need to quarantine.
  • Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days.
  • Get tested at least 5 days after your close contact (the date of your exposure is considered day 0); if you test positive, stay home and isolate per guidelines above.
  • If you develop symptoms, get a test, stay home and follow the isolation guidelines above.
  • For those who have completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine over 5 months ago or Moderna vaccine over 5months ago and are not boosted, OR
  • Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted, OR
  • Are unvaccinated
  • You must quarantine.
  • Stay home for 5 days and get tested at least 5 days after your close contact (the date of your exposure is considered day 0); if you test positive, stay home and isolate per guidelines above.
  • In order to return to CUNY you must receive a negative PCR test at least 5 days after your exposure.
  • If you are unable to stay at home you must wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days.
  • If you develop symptoms get a test, stay home and follow the isolation guidelines above.
  • Do not travel during your quarantine period.

Travel

  • All individuals should follow the CDC domestic travel recommendations and international travel recommendations before reporting to work or campus and notify their manager in advance of the travel dates and should quarantine be required.
  • Any students, faculty or staff engaging in official travel on behalf of CUNY must follow the latest approval requirements for domestic and international travel.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the HR office (officeofhumanresources@bmcc.cuny.edu)

Preparing for your visit

Visitors coming to campus must first receive an invitation by a BMCC faculty/staff member through the “Visitor Portal” system, located on the BMCC Portal. The invitation email sent to the visitor, will include a link to the Cleared4 Access Pass. Once there, please follow the directions carefully and upload the proof of Vaccination (CDC Card or NYS Excelsior Plus Pass) or a Negative PCR COVID-19 Test (Rapid tests not accepted).

The City University of New York
COVID-19 Campus Safety Policy – Visitor Access to Campus (rev. 1/12/2022)

This policy is informed by CDC, New York State Department of Health, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene guidelines relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency. It aims to provide a consistent approach to density management that is in parallel with the processes that are or will be in place for all City University of New York (CUNY) community members who are on campus.

The federal, New York State and New York City rules, regulations, policies, procedures and laws (collectively, “Laws”) regarding the matters covered by this policy change frequently. In the event that the U.S. Government, New York State or New York City adopt Laws applicable to CUNY that are stricter than those set forth in this policy, these stricter Laws shall supersede those in this policy.

This policy is written broadly with the expectation that individual campuses will adopt procedures for implementation of it.

Definition of Visitor

A visitor to a University campus is someone who is not a CUNY student, faculty or staff member. Examples of visitors include, but are not limited to:

  • vendors and other individuals coming to campus to perform activities related to a contract with or in support of the University;
  • employees of related entities of CUNY including without limitation auxiliary enterprise corporations, colleges associations, and child care centers;
  • unpaid college interns;
  • community members and other individuals coming to a campus to use University facilities such as pools and gyms, or to attend activities on campus; and
  • family members or friends of CUNY students, faculty, or staff.

Rules for Visitors

Subject to the exceptions in this policy, every visitor to a CUNY campus, whether accessing indoor or outdoor spaces, must provide proof to CUNY that they (i) are fully vaccinated or (ii) have had a negative COVID-19 molecular (PCR) test performed by an accredited lab no more than 7 days prior to the visit. “Fully vaccinated” means:

  • Two weeks after a second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; or
  • Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine; or
  • At the time specified in either the FDA licensure or World Health Organization approval, after the final administration of any other vaccines.

Visitors are also required to comply with all other University policies and codes of conduct, as well as government and/or campus-specific rules and protocols, applicable to individuals on campus that are intended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including by way of example:

  • any masking and social distancing requirements; and
  • complying with any applicable federal, state or local quarantine rules.

Before coming to a CUNY campus, visitors are encouraged to consult the campus’ website to review the most current access rules and protocols. You can find links to each campus reopening plans here: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/reopening-guidelines/guideline-safe-campus-reopening/

Exception for Short Visits with No Close Contact

Visitors who are on campus for 30 minutes or less per visit do not have to comply with any COVID-19 vaccination or surveillance testing requirements applicable to CUNY staff unless the visitor expects during that time to be less than 6 feet distant of another person for a total of 15 minutes of more.

Exceptions for Visitors under 5

At present there is no vaccine available to individuals under the age of 5. The requirements for these children are as set forth on the attached Exhibit 1.

***

Failure to comply with this policy will result in the denial of access to the campus.

Any modifications of the protocols set forth in this policy must be approved in advance by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer.

EXHIBIT 1
VISITOR POLICY GRID: UNDER 5 POPULATION

TYPES OF UNDER 5 GROUPS DESCRIPTION CUNY PROTOCOL
1. Accompanying a visitor Children accompanying a visitor who have business to tend to on campus for a limited time.
  • Exempt from testing.
  • Require masking for those 2 and up.
2. Attending events Children attending an event, performance, or assembly where a large group will congregate for an extended period.
  • Exempt from testing.
  • Limit access on campus.
  • Require masking for those 2 and up; enforce social distancing.
3. Enrolled in programs Children who routinely come to CUNY facilities to participate in a program.
  • Require Weekly Testing.
  • Require masking for those 2 and up.

Any modifications of the protocols set forth in this policy must be approved in advance by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer.

The NYS Department of Health COVID Testing Protocol

The New York State Department of Health has revised the COVID-19 testing protocol.   Individuals who fit the prioritization categories (pdf) and do not currently have access to testing should call the New York State COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 to be screened for eligibility, and if eligible, to have an appointment scheduled at a DOH testing site.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

For information about Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under the Families First Coronairus Response Act’ (FFCRA or ACT), click on the following link.  If applying for the FFCRA leave, return the Emergency Paid Sick Form, and Emergency Family Medical Leave and Expansion Act Attestation Request  with supporting documents to Gloria Chao (gchao@bmcc.cuny.edu)

English:  English (pdf) | Spanish (pdf)