Dear KAUST Community,
It’s the mid-point of the fall semester. I hope this time of year finds you thriving in your projects and in your health. The seasonal shift will soon bring cooler weather, which I know we will all welcome.
Since our transition to Tier 1A on September 6, 2021, we have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Saudi Arabia and KAUST.
Nationally, cases have dropped from 200 per day in early September to around 50 per day in the past week, and 56% of the entire population is fully vaccinated.
In KAUST, our cases remain low, with those few acquiring COVID-19 over the past month either being below 12 years of age or an international returner. 98% of our KAUST community over the age of 12 and 100% of our service provider staff are fully vaccinated. Thank you for doing your part in Keeping KAUST Safe during this time.
Progressing to Tier 0.5
Effective today, Monday October 11, 2021, we are moving to Tier 0.5 in our phased approach to normal conditions. This new level has been created between Tier 1a and Normal to allow the release of additional controls, while also recognizing we aren’t fully at normal conditions yet. For example, children under 12 don’t have access to the vaccine, and we must still follow some controls set in place by the Kingdom.
Click here for a full explanation of the phased approach.
During this Tier 0.5 period, the emphasis is on making informed decisions based on your circumstances:
- Face coverings are required when indoors and not seated stationary.
- Physical distancing no longer carries a prescribed distance.
- Department and private events no longer require a maximum numbers of attendees.
- Current controls and mitigations will remain with TKS and Daycare, which have large populations of community members under the age of 12.
Review the Keeping KAUST Safe guidelines for more details.
We will monitor how these changes have impacted the community and make any adjustments where needed. I want to stress that your actions are still critical during this time. Please continue to keep our KAUST community safe by following precautions, staying up-to-date with the latest information, and reporting issues to Health, Safety & Environment.
Many of you look forward to traveling during the fall break. Make the most of your vacation, and thank you in advance for making the most of your health! May you return rejuvenated and enthusiastic for the remaining semester ahead.
Sincerely,
Tony F. Chan
KAUST President
Chair, KC3
