W&J’s COVID-19 Response-Fall 2020

fall 2020 reopening

Your Safety Is Our Priority

Throughout this challenging and unprecedented time, the safety of our community has remained top-of-mind. We’ve implemented a number of new protocols designed to keep our campus safe, and our faculty, staff and students healthy. Please check this page regularly for updates about our safety plans and protocols, including information about visiting campus, our cleaning procedures, and health monitoring. The Helpful Links section includes quick access to information from the federal CDC, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health, and local healthcare partners, whose guidance we closely followed to formulate our Fall 2020 plans, and continue to follow as we finalize our Spring 2021 plans. We’ve also provided a COVID-19 case tracker to keep you informed about cases on our campus. The below tracker was last updated on Dec. 3, at the end of W&J's fall semester. It will be updated on Jan. 28 when student quarantine ends.

Update for Fall 2022

July 14, 2022
The COVID response team is currently reviewing strategies for the Fall 2022 semester and will post any changes to policies and procedures here, to this page. We appreciate your patience while the team reviews the latest guidance and data. Read More

Additional Information

Reopening Campus

The College is following the guidelines of the federal CDC, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health, and local healthcare partners to implement the appropriate measures to mitigate the spread of the disease as we reopen campus. We are continually monitoring the situation as it develops and will continue to update our procedures to continue to follow guidelines.

No institution can eliminate all risk while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. In addition to the measures the College is instituting, the students, faculty and staff are expected to take the necessary precautions, and to be mindful and respectful of each other to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

Mask Policy
Cleaning
Pledge to Promote Safety
Health Monitoring
Visiting Campus

COVID-19 Case Tracker

# of active student cases in isolation

# of active faculty/staff cases in isolation off campus

W&J College is committed to providing weekly updates to the W&J Community and surrounding areas as it relates to COVID-19 active cases on campus. Updates will resume on Jan. 28, 2021 when student quarantine ends. COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 Case Tracker is a component of the W&J College plan to identify and report, if any, the number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections (active cases) among students and employees on campus. The Tracker will be updated weekly on Thursday. Active on-campus student cases will be immediately isolated for a period of no less than 14 days in designated campus housing (the 14-day isolation is recommended by the CDC). Commuting students and faculty/staff who have been identified as active cases will also be required to isolated in their home locations for the 14 day time period.

%

% of positive tests reported from random sampling

Testing Schedule:
October 25 and November 8

Random sampling of the on-campus student population will begin on September 13, 2020 and continue every two weeks throughout the Fall semester. A 25% random sampling of clinically well students will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 every two weeks in accordance with CDC and The American Collegiate Health Association guidelines. W&J College Student Health and Counseling Service will reach out to provide daily assistance to students in isolation and will also be open and available to all students daily and to schedule testing as clinically indicated.

Footnote: During the time period of August 22 - September 2, 2020, students who opted-in to staying on campus were tested for COVID upon move-in and required to quarantined for a 10-day time period. During this quarantine period, there were three positive cases reported in our on-campus student population. These students were placed in isolation and had no contact with others on campus.

All students, faculty and staff are required to take the daily screening survey if they are on campus for classes or work. For more information about our health & safety guidelines, visit our Fall 2020 Reopening page at https://washjeff.dev/wj-fall-2020-reopening/

Helpful Links

Health Care Tips from the Centers for Disease Control

  1. Wash your hands often with soap and hot water for 20 seconds, and make sure you wash your thumbs, wrists, and in-between your fingers. This is the best defense against the spread of all viruses.
  2. Stay home when you are ill. This will help you to recover more quickly and decrease the spread of illness when on campus.
  3. Use a tissue or the crook of your arm when you cough or sneeze. Promptly wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  4. Get plenty of rest/sleep.
  5. If you have not had the flu vaccine, please consider getting one. While this will not protect against the coronavirus, the vaccine may prevent against the flu.