Health Resources

In our close-knit musical community, viral respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, flu, and COVID are transmitted easily. If you are experiencing symptoms, you can infect other people. Please observe the following University and CDC precautions for ANY respiratory illness to avoid transmitting infection. We ask you to be considerate of the health of everyone around you: don’t put others at risk!

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS:

1. Isolate: STAY HOME and away from others.
2. Follow these self-care instructions. Contact Student Health if you are immunocompromised or experiencing severe symptoms.
3. COVID testing is recommended for symptomatic individuals: the results can help you decide how to manage your illness. Consider waiting 1-2 days after symptoms begin to avoid a false negative test. If you test positive for COVID, notify your close contacts so they can monitor their health. Get free tests from the Hendrie security office or purchase them at the Yale Health pharmacy for $5.
4. Manage your absence by contacting your ensemble manager, class instructors, major teacher, coaches, and chamber music partners. Instructors are encouraged to be as accommodating as possible—to the extent pedagogically and practically feasible—with students who must miss curricular activities because they are experiencing symptoms.

RESUMING ACTIVITY SAFELY:

1. You may leave isolation only after you have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-lowering medications and your symptoms are clearly improving.
2. Upon leaving isolation, you must wear a well-fitting mask around others for 5 full days. You may still be infectious during this time! Free masks are available from the Hendrie security office. You can unmask on Day 6.
3. Wash your hands frequently. When possible, distance from others and take steps for cleaner air.

• Winds/brass: During these five masked days, postpone routine music-making with others (lessons, coachings, playing in seminar, and rehearsals). Singers: During these five masked days, you are encouraged to postpone routine music-making with others when possible; however, you can sing around others if you wear a N95 mask. Winds/brass/singers/conductors: If you no longer have any symptoms, it may be possible to unmask sooner for major activities such as dress rehearsals, recitals, and concerts; consult your teacher and seek guidance from healthresources.music@yale.edu.

IF YOU ARE A CLOSE CONTACT:

1. You may attend class or work if you have no symptoms but should monitor yourself closely.
2. Mask around others whenever possible. Winds/brass/singers/conductors: if you have no symptoms, you can unmask for music-making.
3. If you share a residence with someone who has symptoms or tested positive, mask at home.
4. Take steps for cleaner air and wash hands frequently.

RESPIRATORY ILLNESS PREVENTION

• Masking A well-fitting N95 or ASTM mask provides excellent protection against airborne disease. Masks are recommended for close contacts, in crowds, in poorly ventilated places, and for those with immune compromise. Free masks are available from the Hendrie security office.
• Ways to reduce risk include handwashing, distancing and improving ventilation by opening windows or using an air filter.

VACCINES

• The university strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to receive the updated COVID vaccine which provides protection against the currently circulating variants. See Yale’s vaccination policy and schedule your appointment here.
• A flu shot is required for all students and can help reduce the impact of respiratory illness for you and for the community.
• Vaccination reduces (but does not eliminate) the risk of infection, reduces the severity of infection for those who may become infected, and reduces the risk of transmission to vulnerable others. Vaccination also reduces the risk of long COVID.
• Flu and COVID vaccinations are available now through Yale Health. Yale's vaccine program is free of cost and open to all current students, faculty, and staff regardless of insurance coverage.

GENERAL GUIDANCE

• Questions? Contact Health and Safety Leader Krista Johnson at healthresources.music@yale.edu. YSM health officers liaise with Yale's public health experts to determine the appropriate precautions for YSM activities.
• Please protect one another’s privacy by holding a person’s health status in confidence unless they give permission to share it with others.
• Policies are subject to change as informed by current public-health conditions at the University or in the community. 

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS:

• If you have symptoms of respiratory illness, you should manage your isolation and care individually by referring to this University health page. Medical questions, including questions about your symptoms, should be directed to your primary health care provider. 
• Effective treatments are available for COVID-positive individuals who may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness, including individuals who are over age 50 or have other risk factors. Treatment must be started within the first 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms. Contact your primary care provider to see if you are eligible for treatment.

GUIDANCE ABOUT ACADEMICS AND INSTRUCTION:

• Faculty and instructors are encouraged to be as accommodating as possible—to the extent pedagogically and practically feasible—with students who are required to miss class because they are experiencing symptoms or are in isolation. 
• While faculty and instructors may make short-term individual arrangements for remote instruction for students who are isolating, they may not approve such arrangements for a period of more than two weeks.
• Longer term absences must be approved by the Deputy Dean. Deans or their designees have the agency to determine reasonable school- or unit-specific arrangements.
• If a student discloses the nature of their illness to the instructor, instructors may not notify others in the classroom. They may discuss with the student whether there is a need for classroom close contact notification. The instructor may assist with that notification only with the student’s explicit consent.