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COVID-19 Protocols & Policies

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Campus COVID-19 Policies

The University has established new policies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Protocol for Employees, Contractors, and Volunteers Returning to Campus

  • Complete required SafeColleges training PRIOR to returning to campus properties.
  • Wear a face covering – required for all employees, contractors, volunteers and visitors.
    • Must wear face coverings whenever inside unless in private workspace alone and when outside whenever physical distancing is not possible. See full Mask Policy.
  • Conduct daily health assessments by individual (self-evaluation) to determine if “fit for duty.”
    • Be aware of COVID-19 symptoms.
    • Check temperature prior to reporting for work.
      • DO NOT report to work and notify supervisor if experiencing fever above 99.9F or other COVID-19 symptoms
  • Maintain good hygiene at all times – hand washing, sanitizing, and physical distancing.
  • Clean and sanitize workplaces/workspaces throughout workday and at the close of business or between shifts where applicable.
  • Practice physical distancing, in public areas, common work areas, restrooms, and during rest/meal breaks.
  • Limit capacity to meet physical distancing guidelines.
    • Establish maximum capacity in all areas.
    • Use appointment setting where possible to limit congestion.

Protocol if an Employee, Contractor, or Volunteer Has Been Exposed to a Confirmed Case of COVID-19

  • Stay home – self-quarantine for 14 days after the exposure.
    • Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
    • If no symptoms after 14-day quarantine, return to normal activities.
  • If COVID-19 symptoms begin:
    • Call your health care provider for guidance
    • Contact your supervisor and human resources at hure-mail@wittenberg.edu to make them aware of your situation.
    • Seek testing
      • If test is negative, complete the 14-day quarantine then return to normal activities.
      • If test is positive, follow PROTOCOL for positive tests.
  • While waiting for test results
    • Continue to self-quarantine.
    • HR will call individual to gain additional details and maintain contact with individual until a negative test result is received and the 14-day quarantine has been exhausted or refer to PROTOCOL for a positive test.
  •  If a positive test:
    • HR will notify COVID Response Team (CRT)
    • HR will notify Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD) for guidance if the individual resides in Clark County and/or has been on campus in past 14 days.
    • HR will work with CCCHD and CRT to initiate contact tracing protocol if appropriate
      • A public health worker will work with individual to fully implement contact tracing and to document ongoing condition
      • All individuals identified as exposed may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor COVID-19 symptoms
      • CRT will initiate shutdown of impacted area AND cleaning and sanitizing protocol if appropriate
      • CRT will contact University Communications to initiate appropriate communication to the campus community.
    • Once individual has met applicable symptom-free benchmarks, they should obtain a release from their personal health care provider OR CCCHD to emerge from quarantine requirements.

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Protocol if an Employee, Contractor, or Volunteer has Symptoms of COVID-19

  • Stay home – self-quarantine.
  • Call your health care provider for guidance
    • Contact your supervisor and human resources at hure-mail@wittenberg.edu to make them aware of your situation.
    • Seek testing
    • If test is negative, return to normal activities.
    • If test is positive, follow PROTOCOL for positive tests.
  • While waiting for test results
    • Continue to self-quarantine.
    • Notify:
      • Your supervisor AND
      • Human resources at hure-mail@wittenberg.edu AND
      • If after hours switchboard/dispatch at 937-327-6231
      • Switchboard/Dispatch will record contact information including name, position at Wittenberg, and appropriate phone number(s)
      • Switchboard/Dispatch will call human resources (HR) contact to inform.
      • HR will call individual to gain additional details and maintain contact with individual until a negative test result is received or refer to PROTOCOL for a positive test.
      • HR will notify Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD) for guidance if the individual resides in Clark County and/or has been on campus in past 14 days.
      • HR will work with CCCHD and CRT to initiate contact tracing protocol if appropriate
      • A public health worker will work with individual to fully implement contact tracing and to document ongoing condition
      • All individuals identified as exposed may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor COVID-19 symptoms.
      • CRT will initiate shutdown of impacted area AND cleaning and sanitizing protocol if appropriate
      • CRT will contact University Communications to initiate appropriate communication to the campus community.
  • Once individual has met applicable symptom-free benchmarks, they should obtain a release from their personal health care provider OR CCCHD to emerge from quarantine requirements.

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Protocol if an Employee, Contractor, or Volunteer Has Positive Test for COVID-19

  • Individual who tested positive for the COVID virus with symptoms will remain in isolation until:
    • 3 days with no fever AND
    • Symptoms are improved AND
    • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
  • Individual who tested positive and had no symptoms will remain in isolation until:
    • 10 days have passed since the positive test and continues to have no symptoms.
  • Immediately notify:
    • Your supervisor AND
    • Human resources at hure-mail@wittenberg.edu AND
    • If after hours switchboard/dispatch at 937-327-6231
      • Switchboard/Dispatch will record contact information including name, position at Wittenberg, and appropriate phone number(s)
      • Switchboard/Dispatch will call human resources (HR) contact to inform.
      • HR will notify Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD) for guidance if the individual resides in Clark County and/or has been on campus in past 14 days.
      • HR will work with CCCHD and CRT to initiate contact tracing protocol if appropriate
      • A public health worker will work with individual to fully implement contact tracing and to document ongoing condition
      • All individuals identified as exposed may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor symptoms.
    • CRT will initiate shutdown of impacted area AND cleaning and sanitizing protocol if appropriate
    • CRT will contact University Communications to initiate appropriate communication to the campus community.
  • Once individual has met applicable symptom-free benchmarks, they should obtain a release from their personal health care provider OR CCCHD to emerge from isolation requirements.

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Protocol for Employees, and/or Their Dependents, That Have a Higher Risk for Severe Illness from COVID-19

  • Employees, and/or their dependents, that may have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should follow the steps below to identify any need for further assessment and/or accommodation:
    • Review the CDC information related to people who need to take extra precautions.
    • Reach out to their personal health care provider to discuss risks associated to COVID-19 and any precautions needed.
    • Read Appendix F: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on pages 86-88 in the Staff Manual.
    • Read Appendix A: Family and Medical Leave Policy (FMLA) on pages 75-81 in the Staff Manual.
    • Employee wishing to request an accommodation related to their, and/or their dependents, disability or limitation as a result of COVID-19 must notify their supervisor AND human resources at hure-mail@wittenberg.edu of their need to begin the interactive process.
    • Employee requesting an accommodation must be willing to participate in the interactive process of identifying a reasonable accommodation that will assist them in performing the essential functions of their job.
    • Employee requesting an accommodation must be willing to participate in the FMLA process whenever applicable.
    • ADA and FMLA policies may run concurrent depending upon the individual circumstances.
    • Employee must complete the COVID-19 Pandemic ADA Accommodation Form and submit appropriate documentation related to their request.

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Mass Testing Event Results (September 2020)

Wittenberg was approved to host a mass-testing event on Sept. 9. All testing was managed by the Ohio National Guard with Mako Medical analyzing the tests and providing the results. What we learned is as follows:

  • There were 416 people tested, fewer than we hoped.
  • Among those tested were 98 faculty and staff; there were no positives in that group.
  • There were 318 students tested; there were 49 positives in this group, 11 of whom were contacts already identified.
  • The positivity rate among the students tested was 15%, at the upper end of the range of 2-16% CCCHD said we could expect.
  • No cases among faculty and staff, and no cases traced to classrooms, organized campus activities, or the dining hall all suggest that the risk-mitigation strategies we implemented in the places we can really control are working. We cannot eliminate the risk, but we seem to have reduced it.
  • It seems our contact tracing is working well. We were able to anticipate the increase in cases and move to remote instruction to allow for a more equitable learning model.
  • Contact tracing suggests our cases are arising among students in their living and social environments.

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