Spring 2021 COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan
Dickinson’s Health and Safety Plan for the spring 2021 semester consists of several components. The following measures allow the college to quickly identify and isolate infected individuals and their close contacts:
- Daily monitoring of symptoms
- Regular testing of students and employees on campus (i.e., screening tests)
- Exposure management (i.e., contact tracing)
- Campus Community Compact
Daily monitoring of symptoms
Daily monitoring of symptoms will occur through Dickinson’s Symptoms Tracker for employees and students, which is accessible via the Gateway. Directions for using the tool are availablehere.
Any member of the Dickinson community who is living or working on campus is required to complete the Symptoms Tracker daily. This includes employees who may only come to campus intermittently. Students at home and employees working 100% remotely are also encouraged to use this tool.
Students will need to show their completed Symptoms Tracker for the day when entering the following areas on campus:
- Kline Fitness Center
- Wellness Center
- Dining Hall
- ATS (for screening testing)
Regular Testing
Regular testing of students and employees on campus will be conducted throughout the spring 2021 semester as part of our screening program.
Students
Dickinson’s testing protocol consists of testing students prior to and upon arrival to campus, as well as conducting twice weekly testing of all students in the following categories:
- Students who will be living on campus
- Approved commuter students who will be coming to campus for any reason, including but not limited to:
- Attending one or more classes with scheduled in-person meetings
- Planning to access campus facilities
The Wellness Center will also be testing students who develop symptoms of COVID-19 or who are close contacts of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Employees
In addition, employees who fall into the following categories will be tested weekly throughout the semester:
- Individual routinely works on campus
- Job responsibilities require regular contact with students, children, other employees and/or the public without the continuous use of a physical barrier (e.g.., plexiglass)
Employees who develop symptoms of COVID-19 or who are close contacts of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 will need to contact their healthcare provider about scheduling testing off campus.
For more information about student pre-arrival testing, please click here.
For more information about our COVID-19 screening program, please click here.
All required testing will be provided at no charge to students and employees.
Exposure management
College staff will contact students and employees on campus who report symptoms of COVID-19 (such as fever, cough or shortness of breath) on their daily Symptoms Tracker and/or have tested positive for COVID-19. Please see the CDC’s website for a complete list of COVID-19 symptoms.
The college’s Exposure Management Plan will be used to identify and separate these individuals to mitigate further spread of the virus. This plan includes information about quarantine and isolation, as well as steps for following up with close contacts of students and employees who have tested positive within the Dickinson community. Please note that Dickinson College will not share the identity of the person who tested positive with any of their close contacts.
Campus Community Compact
Students will be required to sign a Community Campus Compact and review the COVID-19 Addendum to the Community Standards that explains expectations of students living on campus. Employees working on campus will be expected to follow similar expectations.