Public Well being Preparations for the Fall Semester

Pricey UMass Amherst Neighborhood,

As we strategy the autumn semester, we’re excited to welcome everybody again to campus. This marks the beginning of a 3rd tutorial yr through which COVID-19 is current, and our understanding of the virus together with instruments to mitigate its influence continues to enhance. As well as, the campus is intently following developments associated to the monkeypox (MPV) virus and has developed university guidance on monkeypox. Your persevering with dedication to greatest public well being practices will assist guarantee a profitable launch of the varsity yr.

According to our strategy all through the pandemic, the college’s policies and protocols are primarily based on federal CDC and Massachusetts Division of Public Well being steerage, and that observe will proceed as we monitor native situations and circumstances this fall. Beneath are the important thing features for the autumn semester.

Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Testing

• All college students are anticipated to check earlier than arriving on campus. College students can take both a PCR take a look at inside 72 hours of arrival or an antigen (at-home) test inside 24 hours of arrival. In the event you take a look at optimistic earlier than returning to campus, you need to isolate per CDC guidelines previous to returning to campus and likewise notify the UMass public well being crew at testing@umass.edu. In the event you take a look at optimistic after arriving on campus, you’ll be required to isolate. Please see particulars within the Isolation Administration part beneath.

Ongoing COVID-19 Testing

• College students, college, employees and members of their households who want testing as a result of they’ve signs, have been uncovered or had shut contact with somebody who has COVID-19 can both take an antigen (at-home) take a look at or go to University Health Services (UHS) for a PCR take a look at. Testing will probably be billed to a person’s insurance coverage and most insurance coverage firms cowl COVID-19 testing administered for well being causes at no further price to you. College students, college and employees ought to proceed to report their optimistic take a look at outcomes to testing@umass.edu. Elective PCR testing (similar to testing for journey) is out there for $25 per take a look at at UHS, a worth considerably decrease than is obtainable by pharmacies and different suppliers. 

Masking and Antigen (At-House) Assessments

• Masks are welcome on campus and masking is strongly inspired throughout the first few weeks of the autumn semester, significantly in crowded settings, or for people who’re at elevated danger of extreme sickness from COVID-19. In accordance with public well being steerage, masks will probably be required at College Well being Companies (UHS), the Public Well being Promotion Heart, the Heart for Counseling and Psychological Well being, the Heart for Girls and Neighborhood, and the Heart for Language, Speech and Listening to.
• UMass is a masks welcome campus, and we encourage everybody to respect the alternatives that people make about their very own masking. Mask welcome signs can be found for obtain. Please notice that people and departments can’t create masks necessities separate from or extra restrictive than college necessities.
• Free KN95 masks and antigen (at-home) assessments can be found in merchandising machines situated on the decrease degree of the Campus Heart. As well as, each residence within the U.S. is eligible to order free antigen at-home tests by way of the federal authorities. We encourage college students to carry these at-home assessments with them to campus. To assist stop people from spreading COVID-19, the FDA recommends when utilizing antigen assessments to repeat the take a look at following a unfavorable end result, whether or not or not you will have COVID-19 signs. 

Vaccinations

• College students, college and employees are required to have accomplished a World Well being Group (WHO) permitted COVID vaccine main collection previous to accessing campus or to efficiently apply for a UMass-approved medical or spiritual exemption. The college additionally extremely recommends COVID-19 boosters when eligible per CDC tips. Vaccines and boosters are available on the PHPC vaccine clinic. College students can view the University Health Services Immunizations website for extra info on easy methods to add your vaccine data. College and employees can go to the Human Resources vaccine website for added info.

Isolation Administration

• People who take a look at optimistic for COVID-19 will probably be required to isolate for no less than 5 days earlier than returning to class, work or attending occasions. They need to then proceed to put on a masks for a further 5 days. For extra info, consult with the guidance on isolation and precautions for individuals with COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19. The campus doesn’t keep isolation house for people who take a look at optimistic or have been uncovered to or have been in shut contact with somebody who has COVID-19.
• On-campus college students who take a look at optimistic for COVID-19 are anticipated to isolate in an off-campus location, similar to their everlasting residence, if they’re able to journey there by personal automobile. On-campus college students who’re unable to go away campus to isolate on account of distance or having high-risk family members, no matter on-campus residing state of affairs, might want to isolate in place at their assigned campus residence. For extra info, consult with the guidance on isolation and precautions for individuals with COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19.
• We strongly advise that each pupil put together a self-isolation package earlier than their arrival. It ought to embody acetaminophen (Tylenol) ibuprofen (Advil) a thermometer, snacks, prescription medicine, private care objects (cough drops, contact lens fluid, tissues), masks, disinfectant wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and antigen take a look at kits.

Self-Monitoring

Everybody should proceed to observe themselves for COVID-19 symptoms every day earlier than coming to campus. Anybody who’s experiencing COVID-19 signs ought to put on a masks, keep residence and get examined.

Medical Lodging

The campus continues to have a course of for requests for COVID-19-related medical lodging. These requests will probably be reviewed beneath the common ADA course of that’s administered by the Accessible Office Workplace within the Workplace of Equal Alternative and Entry. College and employees who’re looking for a medical lodging ought to e mail accessibleworkplace@umass.edu. College students looking for lodging (together with college students with on-campus employment similar to a graduate assistantship) ought to go to the Disability Services website for extra info. 

Monkeypox Virus

The college can be intently monitoring the native, regional and nationwide public well being conditions relating to the worldwide outbreak of monkeypox (MPV). The campus is dedicated to informing the UMass neighborhood about well being points which will have an effect on them. We acknowledge that there’s danger for stigma or discrimination when speaking a few new illness outbreak. All of us have a duty to reject any stigmatizing phrases or actions associated to the monkeypox (MPV) virus, and as an alternative share correct info so that folks could make one of the best selections for his or her well being and the well being of our neighborhood.

Monkeypox shouldn’t be a sexually transmitted illness, as it may be transmitted by any direct bodily contact between somebody’s rash, scabs, bodily fluids and one other particular person. This contact can embody sexual exercise and likewise any touching of the lesions/rash and even touching of clothes or bedding that an contaminated particular person used. Now we have printed university guidance on monkeypox (MPV) that focuses on subjects similar to what’s monkeypox, the way it can unfold, what the signs are, what to do if people expertise signs and the way people can cut back their danger and forestall unfold.

As now we have completed all through the pandemic, we are going to regularly monitor public well being steerage and native situations and make changes as wanted. The pandemic has exacted an ideal toll, and on the identical time now we have discovered easy methods to mitigate COVID-19’s severity by way of scientific advances and the every day mitigation efforts of our total campus neighborhood. We thank everybody for his or her persevering with assist to maintain the campus protected as we embark upon a brand new tutorial yr.

 

Sincerely,

Co-Administrators of the Public Well being Promotion Heart (PHPC)

Ann Becker, Public Well being Director
Jeffrey Hescock, Government Director of Environmental Well being and Security