Return to Campus: Health and Safety

A number of safety measures have been instituted throughout all campus facilities. The following is not exhaustive, and additional measures may be implemented following federal, state, and local guidance. Signage is posted throughout campus to support hygiene, disinfection, and wayfinding for social distancing, and capacity has been reduced in all classrooms, public spaces and residence halls accordingly.

• An aggressive once-daily cleaning/disinfection with a second high-touch area cleaning/disinfection protocol for classroom and common spaces (including restrooms) is being enacted throughout campus, including in residence halls. Spaces are disinfected using an electrostatic sprayer weekly, and should a member of the campus community test positive for COVID at any time, heightened cleaning protocols, including electrostatic sprayers, will be enacted.
• Residence hall common areas and bathrooms will be fully cleaned and disinfected daily, with a second high-touch cleaning/disinfecting daily; suites at the SCRH and Suites building interior suite bathrooms will be cleaned once weekly. Individual room cleaning is the responsibility of the occupants; it is not included in the cleaning protocol due to individual sleeping habits and personal items in the rooms.
• Safety Stations have been installed in public spaces throughout campus, containing hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, gloves, paper towels and trash barrels, as well as extra temporary masks. *Please note that these temporary masks are available in public spaces in case of emergency; however, we ask that members of our community plan to utilize the reusable masks that will be provided by the College (or their own masks) whenever possible and in private spaces.
• All HVAC systems are currently being updated for increased fresh air makeup, HEPA filters, ionization units and UV disinfecting lighting.
• Bathroom hand dryers and drinking fountains have been disconnected.
• Plexiglass or other clear dividers have been installed in open public spaces throughout campus to protect employees and student interactions.
• Masks are required for all members of the Curry community at all times in public spaces (indoor and outdoor).

Masks are required for all members of the Curry community at all times in public spaces (indoor and outdoor). The College has sourced personal protective equipment (PPE), including reusable cloth masks and level 3 surgical masks, which will be provided to employees (including student employees). All students will be provided with masks and required to wear them at all times in public spaces (with exceptions for dining, and will be required to sign the Community Agreement to that effect upon entry to campus this Fall.

Temporary masks are available in Safety Stations installed in public spaces throughout campus, which also contain hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, gloves, paper towels and trash barrels. These temporary masks are available in these public spaces in case of emergency; however, we ask that faculty and staff plan to utilize the reusable masks that will be provided by the College (or their own masks) whenever possible and in private spaces. Following this guidance whenever possible will ensure that the College is able to continue to provide enough personal protective equipment to fulfill our requirement that all community members wear masks while on campus this fall, and help us to keep Curry safe and healthy as we resume living, learning and working on campus.

We understand that some members of our community may have underlying health issue that makes it difficult for them to wear a mask, or may have disabilities that makes it difficult for them to understand those wearing them. We will work with individual students with specific needs pertaining to personal protective equipment. Please contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 or the Office of Disability Services at 617-333-2990 with questions related to individual student circumstances.

Based on current public health and scientific guidelines, Curry College understands testing, contact tracing and isolation to be three key elements of a health and safety protocol designed to help keep our community safe. With that in mind, we have established the following:

• Testing: The College is partnering with the Broad Institute to facilitate testing throughout the semester for students, faculty, vendor employees and staff (see Testing Protocols section below for details). All tests will be conducted using the nasal swab process.
  
  

• Daily Health Checks: All students, faculty, staff, vendor employees and visitors are required to self-monitor and submit a required daily symptom check through CoVerified, either via the app on a smartphone or the website on a computer (please note this has replaced the College’s previous email-based health check system as of September 21). CoVerified will assign each individual one of three status labels: Remote (gray), Cleared (green) or Restricted (red).

  “Remote” designates an individual who is not on campus and therefore is not expected to follow the daily symptom check and testing expectations. Individuals will be “Restricted” if they do not complete their daily symptom check, miss testing days, and if they are in quarantine or isolation.

  *Please be aware that in various places on campus, students may be asked to show the app status screen or a website printout to demonstrate their campus status as “Cleared.”

  Faculty, staff and vendor employees who are designated “Restricted” via the app regarding possible COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result are advised not to report to campus and to contact their primary care provider. Undergraduate students should call Health Services at 617-333-2182 (8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.) or outside business hours, call Public Safety at 617-333-2222.

  More information about and instructions for CoVerified

• Contact tracing: The College continues to explore options to establish and maintain contact tracing for the campus community including working with the School of Nursing and the Broad Institute.
  
  
• Isolation: As previously noted, several residence hall spaces are reserved should isolation/quarantine housing become necessary at any time due to the COVID outbreak. In this event, the College is prepared to follow the Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response Plan developed by the College’s Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Testing Protocols

In establishing a baseline for conducting surveillance testing in the Curry community, the College has used guidelines issued by the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group. The Testing Group is an initiative of the Massachusetts Higher Education Working Group, which was formed as part of Governor Baker’s Reopening Advisory Board Framework for Reopening Higher Education in Massachusetts.

The Testing Group guidance establishes a baseline for institutions to determine the level of risk for COVID-19 infection or transmission among campus student, faculty and staff populations. Testing is one element, along with contact tracing and isolation protocols, in a proven approach to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections within a community. Using these guidelines, the College has determined that the individuals on campus at high risk for infection or transmission should be tested on a weekly basis. Individuals at the highest risk for infection or transmission are residential students and those that may have prolonged exposure to residential students. Please see the Report of the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group for more details.

All residential and commuter students have been onboard tested upon return to campus this Fall. The College also tested all faculty and staff (including resident vendor employees such as dining services, cleaning services and Bookstore services) as the semester commenced.

On a weekly basis throughout the Fall semester, the College plans to conduct testing for the following groups in partnership with the Broad Institute’s Fall Testing Program:

• All residential students;
• Commuter students who are:
  • Student-athletes practicing during the Fall semester;
  • Undergraduate Nursing/Education students participating in clinicals/field placements (except ACCEL students);
  • Student employees who work for Public Safety, the Curry Early Childhood Center (CECC), Sodexo; Athletics; and the Student Center including the Fitness Center;
• Staff members from Public Safety, Residence Life, Health Services, Facilities, the Student Center (including the Mail Room, Bookstore and Fitness Center), Athletics staff (including coaches), and the CECC, along with contract janitorial and dining services workers and other staff members on an individual basis who meet the criteria in the Testing Group guidance;
• Other groups as appropriate as circumstances evolve.

Tests are being conducted using the nasal swab process.

Based on the Testing Group guidance, the College will not test other students, faculty and staff who are at lower risk for infection and transmission on campus on an ongoing basis, given the College’s strict protocols for mask usage, hand washing, social distancing and daily disinfection.

Importantly, the College’s daily health screen requirement further limits the presence on campus of individuals that may be symptomatic or may have been exposed to infected individuals.

Any community member who obtains a test from an external entity will have a responsibility to immediately report positive tests and negative test clearances to the College, both for tracking and reporting to the Board of Health.

• Faculty and staff should contact Human Resources at 617-333-2263 or hr@curry.edu;
• Traditional undergraduate students should contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 or healthservices@curry.edu;
• CE-Grad students should confirm with their test provider that the test provider will contact their local Board of Health (who will contact Curry College);
• ACCEL Nursing students should contact their clinical coordinator;
• MSN students should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Throughout the semester, a notification protocol will be in place to ensure that the campus community is rapidly and accurately advised of positive cases.

In establishing a baseline for conducting surveillance testing in the Curry community, the College has used guidelines issued by the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group. The Testing Group is an initiative of the Massachusetts Higher Education Working Group, which was formed as part of Governor Baker’s Reopening Advisory Board Framework for Reopening Higher Education in Massachusetts.

The Testing Group guidance establishes a baseline for institutions to determine the level of risk for COVID-19 infection or transmission among campus student, faculty and staff populations. Testing is one element, along with contact tracing and isolation protocols, in a proven approach to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections within a community. Using these guidelines, the College has determined that the individuals on campus at high risk for infection or transmission should be tested on a weekly basis. Individuals at the highest risk for infection or transmission are residential students and those that may have prolonged exposure to residential students. Please see the Report of the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group for more details.

All residential and commuter students have been onboard tested upon return to campus this Fall. The College also tested all faculty and staff (including resident vendor employees such as dining services, cleaning services and Bookstore services) as the semester commenced.

On a weekly basis throughout the Fall semester, the College is conducting surveillance testing in partnership with the Broad Institute’s Fall Testing Program. Please note that surveillance testing was more limited through September 18, and the College expanded the testing program as of September 21 to include all of these groups:

• All residential students;
• All commuter students who are taking classes on campus this fall;
• All faculty who are teaching on campus this fall;
• All staff members;
• All vendor employees.

Tests are being conducted in the Miller Field House using the nasal swab process.

Based on the Testing Group guidance, the College will not test other students, faculty and staff who are at lower risk for infection and transmission on campus on an ongoing basis, given the College’s strict protocols for mask usage, hand washing, social distancing and daily disinfection.

Importantly, the College’s daily health screen requirement further limits the presence on campus of individuals that may be symptomatic or may have been exposed to infected individuals.

Any community member who obtains a test from an external entity will have a responsibility to immediately report positive tests and negative test clearances to the College, both for tracking and reporting to the Board of Health.

• Faculty and staff should contact Human Resources at 617-333-2263 or hr@curry.edu;
• Traditional undergraduate students should contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 or healthservices@curry.edu;
• CE-Grad students should confirm with their test provider that the test provider will contact their local Board of Health (who will contact Curry College);
• ACCEL Nursing students should contact their clinical coordinator;
• MSN students should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

In addition to the daily email updates sent to our community, the College has established an online dashboard for on-campus test reporting, in order to ensure that cumulative numbers, positivity statistics and comparisons are readily available to the entire community at all times. This page is updated weekly on Thursdays. View the Test Reporting page and read FAQ about Test Reporting.

We are encouraging all resident students to stay on campus as much as possible in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. As a community we are committed to making our campus as safe as possible, and it is essential that we all continue to be vigilant.

If students, faculty or staff must travel at any time during the semester, we ask that they stay within Massachusetts or the designated lower-risk states. Please remember that as of August 4, Rhode Island was removed from the lower-risk state list, and please monitor the list online, as it changes frequently, while our policies remain the same for states excluded from it.

Due to the current Massachusetts travel restrictions, we are discouraging students, faculty and staff from any travel outside of the designated lower-risk states. Individuals who travel outside of these states will be subject to state guidance, which requires that individuals traveling to Massachusetts complete the Massachusetts Travel Form and show proof of a negative FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test (not an antibody or antigen test) performed within 72 hours of arrival to campus (or to quarantine until a negative test is obtained).

Please note that:

• Commuter and CE-Grad students, faculty or staff who live outside the lower-risk states (notably, in Rhode Island) are exceptions to this guidance for travel to their homes.
• Study abroad programs for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 have been suspended until further notice.
• Non-essential travel for business will not be supported by the College through December 31, 2020. The policy will be reviewed as we progress through the Fall with the hope that non-essential travel can resume in Spring 2021.

Finally, we ask that you continue to be attentive and follow our outlined safety recommendations, as well as remembering that students are required to adhere to the terms of the Curry Community Agreement both on and off campus. Specifically, please remember to wear your masks and follow safe social distancing, hygiene and sanitizing practices.

Our focus is on prevention, but we will be prepared to navigate the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak on our campus using best practices and guidance from state and federal agencies, as well as following our established emergency protocols including the Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response Plan developed by the College’s Emergency Preparedness Committee. At this time, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has not released specific metrics around school closure. Unless the College is required to do so by a statewide mandate, a decision to close the campus, if necessary, would be determined on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with the Milton Board of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Some of the metrics would include: the number of connected cases on campus; the total number of cases; and, the College’s capacity to safely isolation and quarantine students.

We are also asking all resident students to have a Personal Departure Plan, should one become necessary (details will be emailed to you by Student Affairs shortly), and residence hall spaces have been reserved should isolation and/or quarantine housing become necessary at any time. The health and safety of our entire community, especially our students, is our first priority.

Consistent with the events of the Spring 2020 semester, if a state-wide mandate appears likely, the College will activate the Crisis Management Team (CMT) to assess and plan for readiness efforts. If such an event occurs, the College will receive guidance and direction from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the rapid closure of campus. The CMT will communicate immediately with the entire community regarding processes for vacating campus, remote work and impact on classes (if any).

Please note that for students with underlying health conditions that put them in a high-risk category, we are prepared to make housing and other medical accommodations. While we plan to adhere to best practices and guidance and to take many precautions to ensure the health and safety of our entire campus community, we will be both flexible and prepared to work with individual students requiring additional protections. Please contact Health Services at 617-333-2182 with questions related to individual student circumstances.

If a student develops symptoms of COVID, he/she should immediately inform Health Services via phone at 617-333-2182 and arrange to be tested at the College’s Satellite Health Clinic (which has been established solely for this purpose). Do not go in person to any medical provider without first speaking to medical staff over the phone for advice. Students should call Health Services at 617-333-2182 (8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.). Outside business hours, call Public Safety at 617-333-2222. Faculty and staff should contact their primary care provider.

To minimize the risk of COVID-19, follow the guidelines provided by Curry in the Community Agreement at all times, as well as CDC prevention guidelines, including:

• Wash your hands often.
• Avoid close contact.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Clean and disinfect.
• Monitor your health daily.

A student who tests positive for COVID-19 and who lives within 200 miles of the College will be required to enact their Personal Departure Plan to isolate or quarantine at home immediately. A symptomatic or asymptomatic student who tests positive and lives more than 200 miles from the College will be immediately assigned a single room in the designated isolation housing space, where they will be required to remain for the minimum isolation period of 10 days (subject to change with changing guidance from public health authorities).

Students in isolation and quarantine spaces will have their own rooms with a micro-fridge, and meals will be delivered to them on a daily basis. Academic accommodations will also be provided for students in isolation or quarantine so that they can do their course work online. The Satellite Health Clinic staff will monitor students in this space via telehealth.

Any students who have been exposed (close contact to an individual who tested positive) will also be required to quarantine (either at home or on campus in designated quarantine space, depending on location of residence), as may be members of the student’s residential community (on a case-by-case basis).

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19*:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

* This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

This is a challenging time for us all, and we realize that students may need additional emotional, psychological, and physical support managing the difficulties that COVID-19 has created in our lives. Our Counseling Center & Health Services staff remain fully available to assist students in managing their mental and physical health. To access help, students may contact Carol Moser our Administrative Assistant, either by calling the front desk at 617-333-2182 or email cmoser@curry.edu. Students will be directed to speak with the Clinician of the Day or a Nurse Practitioner who can provide support and guidance via a telehealth appointment.

The Counseling Center also offers a self-help resource for all Curry students. Students may access TAO Connect for anonymous online use at any time. TAO is free, and available with a Curry email account. Students may sign up with their Curry email by visiting the Counseling Center web page.