Covid-19

• Since the fall of 2021, we have required that all Branson employees and students be fully vaccinated for Covid-19, unless they are exempted by a documented medical condition or a sincerely held religious belief.
• Boosters are strongly recommended for all, but are not currently required.
• Exempted employees or students must provide specific documentation, are required to submit regular Covid testing (pursuant to County Health guidelines), and may be subject to other requirements.
• Campus visitors are no longer required to show proof of vaccination.
• All guidelines are subject to change.

Branson is mask optional, indoor and outdoors.

• Masking is still strongly recommended for those experiencing symptoms of illness but it is not required. This is true regardless of your vaccination status. 
• Some individuals may choose to continue to wear a mask, and we ask our community to please be respectful of everyone’s personal choice. Shaming of individuals based on whether they choose to wear a mask or not will not be tolerated.
• Students may still bring masks in their backpacks each day in case they are needed.
• A limited number of masks are still available upon request in the library, Commons/College Counseling office, and Richardson Hall for those who need them.

*When Should I Still Mask? 

• In 1:1 meetings with faculty, staff, or students, if one party would prefer masking, then both individuals should mask.
• If you have Covid-like symptoms, you should mask, stay home, and test.

Recommended Masks:

• When masks are worn, we recommend the following:
  • N95/KN95 masks that are NIOSH-approved or on the CDC’s NPPTL list. If on the list, they should score above 95% in the filtration test.
  • Surgical masks that are 3-ply AND covered by an additional cloth mask. 
• We do not recommend the following masks:
  • Surgical masks alone or doubled (they do not seal tightly enough)
  • Cloth masks (unless over one of the mask types listed above)
  • Cloth gaiters or other single-ply cloth masks.

Stay Home When You’re Sick!

• If a member of community experiences Covid-like symptoms, we ask that they please wear a mask, stay at home, and get tested.

The following guidance is effective as of January 22, 2024:

In Case of a Positive Covid Test

• If a student or employee tests positive for Covid, contact David Hanson at covid@emersonthorpe.com immediately for further guidance.
• Positive cases (students and employees) are expected to stay at home until they feel better and are fever-free for 24 hours without the need for fever-reducing medicine.
• The County recommends that a Covid-positive individual mask for 10 days unless they have 2 sequential negative tests at least 1 day apart.
• For Branson, we will require masking on campus for 5 days after return for anyone who has tested positive, but returns to school because they are fever-free.

In Case of Covid Exposure/ Close Contact

• Close contact is still defined as 15 minutes within 6 feet (indoors) of someone who tests positive for Covid-19.
• Close contacts should test if they have symptoms.
• If there are no symptoms, then they should test within 3-5 days of the close contact.
• Branson no longer sends notices to close contacts of Covid-positive individuals.

Social distancing is no longer required, though we advise common sense when in crowded spaces, indoor or outdoor.

Currently, Marin Public Health does not advise surveillance testing on school campuses. If this guidance changes and testing on campus is necessary, we will advise our community.

At-home Covid tests are available at local drug stores. No-cost testing is also available nationwide at health centers and select pharmacies.

• Our campus remains open to visitors, with no vaccination or masking requirements.
• Non-Branson groups using the Branson campus after hours (CYO, etc.) may be subject to different rules.

• Athletics is subject to rules based on the following governing bodies – Marin County Athletic League (MCAL), North Coast Section (NCS), California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and venue requirements. 
• Currently, there are no masking or vaccination requirements for home games at Branson or College of Marin.
• Other venues where Branson athletes play may be subject to different rules; please check with the venue in advance.