On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced guidance stating that fully vaccinated individuals do not have to wear face coverings indoors / outdoors nor physically distance. This guidance has been formally incorporated into Argonne policy as of May 26.

The APS is looking forward to welcoming onsite significant numbers of external users (e.g., APS users who are not Argonne or APS internal employees or staff, nor collaborative access team directors and their direct-reporting staff) in the coming weeks and months and, because of the nature of beamline work, these users are likely to work in close proximity to Argonne staff and to each other. Accordingly, the APS is enacting proof of vaccination requirements for external users in accordance with Argonne policy.

This guidance will be transmitted to external users when they are issued a gate pass, a temporary badge, or when access is granted via other means. Users will be informed that Argonne may ask for proof of vaccination via their employer; non-compliance will be considered a violation of Argonne safety rules.

External users who are NOT fully vaccinated are required to wear face coverings and observe social distancing at all times while on the Argonne site.

External users arriving at the APS should be prepared to show proof of vaccination to the beamline Point of Contact (POC) identified on an Experiment Safety Assessment Form (ESAF). 

This review of vaccination proof is defined as follows:

• Requires only a visual confirmation in-person between the beamline POC and external user
• Physical proof is presented in the form of a vaccination card or other proof of vaccination
• The time at which the proof is provided is at least 14 days after final vaccination shot 
• The beamline POC has an operational need to confirm vaccination status in order to maintain COVID protocols and information will only be shared by the beamline POC when operationally necessary to enforce COVID protocols
• Proof of vaccination will not be recorded, stored, uploaded, or transmitted electronically by any Argonne, APS, or CAT personnel

Anyone who is unable to be vaccinated for personal reasons or who fails to show proof of vaccination to the beamline POC upon request will be required to comply with all COVID protocols applicable to an unvaccinated user (e.g., mandatory face covering and social distancing).

While we are confident that our user community will see the necessity for this policy, nonetheless, non-compliance will be treated as a safety violation and escalated through applicable division management with notification to Argonne Worker Safety & Health representatives.

This enhanced policy will take effect at the APS as of the date of this email.

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