COVID Information & Resources

Campus Updates October 27nd: COVID Testing & Face Covering Requirments

COVID Community Symptom Testing:

Every Wednesday throughout the semester, beginning 8/18

Otero Gym

Noon-4pm

Otero College is extending its face-covering mandate indefinitely and asks that all faculty, staff and students wear face coverings for indoor group settings and when in close proximity to others. As students from across the country and across the world have made their way back to campus, we are taking extra precautions to ensure that our campus remains safe, preventing any possible transmission of COVID.

According to Otero Public Health Department, 70% vaccination is considered herd immunity. If the campus community is able to meet the herd immunity threshold of 70%, Otero College will lift the mandate. Otero College strongly encourages those who have not been vaccinated to do so, with the hope of reducing restrictions, while maintaining a safe environment for our campus community.

Otero College continually monitors the information coming from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Colorado Governor's Office and the Otero County Health Department.

COVID-19 Weekly Status Update In Our Community

CDPHE currently has Otero County categorized as meeting the Red levelthreshold. (COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates)

The pandemic is not yet over, so we still must maintain a vigilant and proactive stance by abiding by Orange Level Caution guidance.

Otero is not in an Outbreak Status with any athletic teams or other campus cohorts.
According to the Colorado Public Health & Environment Department, on November 8, 2021, Otero County had 2824 positive cases of COVID-19 and which included 84 deaths; Crowley County had 2417 positive cases (97 in Crowley County Correctional Facility) and included 24 deaths. Total Crowley and Otero County COVID-19 cases: 5241
Up 102 cases from last week.
(Cumulative summary of positive cases since March 2020)

The CARES Act is the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for Higher Education. Otero was awarded funds that were required to be used only as direct grants to students to provide emergency relief aid for hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic as they look to continue their education.