Community Messages
Miss an email? Find messages to the community archived here:
Miss an email? Find messages to the community archived here:
The College requires that all community members be fully vaccinated and that those who are eligible receive a booster. The only exceptions to the booster/vaccination requirement are those granted on medical or religious grounds.
Students who have not yet verified their vaccination and/or booster should submit documentation through our patient portal by logging in and clicking on the “Upload” tab and selecting “COVID vaccine documentation” to upload the paperwork immediately.
Learn more about the vaccine and booster requirement and verification.
Updated 8/5/22
Beginning August 15, we will transition to symptomatic testing for faculty, staff and students. Weekly surveillance testing will no longer be required.
Anyone in the community who wishes to test more frequently is welcome to do so, with tests available at the Testing Center.
Testing is also recommended for anyone who is notified that they are a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or who has traveled extensively, particularly on public transportation.
Members of the community who receive a positive test result from a self-administered antigen test should report their results to the College via the Self-Reporting Form.
If you have any questions about testing or your results, please contact covidtesting@amherst.edu.
Find more information about testing requirements.
Anyone who tests positive through Amherst’s testing program will be given instructions on how to identify and notify their close contacts. The College is no longer informing people’s close contacts for them. A person is considered a close contact if they have been within six feet of a COVID-19 positive person for 15 minutes or more during what is considered the infectious period, which starts 48 hours prior to positive diagnosis or onset of symptoms. If you are informed that you have been identified as a close contact, please consult the Contact Tracing page for details of what to do.
Find the latest requirements for isolation.
Amherst continues to update its mask requirements in response to the evolving impact of COVID-19. See our latest mask requirements and related information.
Updated 8/5/22
All community members, regardless of vaccination status, should follow good hand hygiene. This includes washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean hands BEFORE and AFTER:
All community members, regardless of vaccination status, should follow good respiratory etiquette. This includes covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean. To help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses:
Updated 8/5/22
Anyone who travels is encouraged to follow appropriate COVID-19 protocols and testing is recommended for anyone who has traveled extensively before coming to campus, particularly on public transportation.
See the results of testing of Amherst College faculty, staff, and students who are being tested routinely on campus. The data are updated every weekday.
Would you like a “Thank you for masking” sign for your office door or an event? This PDF can be printed on letter-size paper.
Amherst College is anticipating and responding to the impact of COVID-19. We continue to monitor the situation and are in contact with state and local public health officials, colleagues at the Five Colleges, and other relevant parties. This site is updated regularly and includes information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other trusted sources. If you have questions, please email: covid19-info@amherst.edu