Tumble 2021 COVID-19 Facial area Masking Update
Friday, July 30, 2021
Expensive Campus Neighborhood:
The drop 2021 semester at UNCW holds good promise for our campus group. Many of us are eager to be back again on campus in a big way, ready for in-man or woman lessons, traditional events like Shift-In (Aug. 13-14) and Convocation (Aug. 16), new possibilities, Seahawk sports and much more. As thrilled as many of us are, we have to remember that COVID-19 remains a major overall health concern across our state, the nation and close to the environment.
As we occur together on campus for the fall semester, the protection of our learners, faculty and workers is our top priority. Each just one of us need to do our part to protect and preserve the overall health and basic safety of ourselves and many others.
Confront Coverings Required Indoors
Dependent on CDC guidance and the rising number of COVID-19 scenarios in North Carolina and elsewhere, UNCW temporarily will require confront coverings in indoor settings except when an unique is in their place of work or assigned residence hall space. Face coverings were being an powerful part of our COVID-19 administration approach previous yr, and we are putting this extra safety precaution in place as section of our efforts to preserve and protect as classic a fall semester as possible for every person.
This requirement will begin Monday, Aug. 2 and will be reviewed on or in advance of September 17, 2021, dependent on instances bordering the COVID-19 virus and its variants. We will think about quite a few elements when producing the final decision to alter confront covering specifications, including CDC, NC DHHS, UNC Method policies, local community wellbeing assistance, the stage of transmission in North Carolina, and the total vaccination rate in our condition. Preferably, vaccination fees in our condition will keep on to raise to a large percentage of the inhabitants general, a degree that public wellness industry experts reveal would give higher protection in opposition to COVID-19 and its variants.
Experience Coverings Not Needed Outdoor
Though experience coverings are not required outdoors at this time, some people today may pick to have on one. Please be caring and respectful to your fellow Seahawks, and refrain from asking people today why they are carrying a confront covering if it is not required in a particular location. Their explanations might be similar to private wellbeing information.
Face Coverings for Dining and Transportation
Our experience masking prerequisites in campus dining areas, split rooms and other spots wherever food items is consumed will be similar to the 2020-21 academic year. In these locations, learners, school and personnel should really use facial area coverings while transferring through the space, clear away the facial area coverings to try to eat, and then swap them while sitting and speaking with some others.
Experience coverings also are required on multi-passenger cars this kind of as WAVE buses, shuttles, vans and UNCW motor vehicles. Private motor vehicles and open up-air motor vehicles this kind of as golf carts or gators are not included in this requirement.
Face Coverings for Move-In and Convocation
UNCW appears ahead to welcoming new Seahawks and their family members to campus Aug. 13-14 for Transfer-In. While elements of this terrific custom obviously take place outside the house, students, volunteers and family members will be shifting rapidly from vehicles to indoor locations. Face coverings will be expected during most Move-In activities with the exception of outdoor pursuits that are not in shut proximity to others (for case in point, if a student, family member or volunteer would like to choose a step away from the group to relaxation).
Learners, school and employees also are predicted to don face coverings during Convocation on Aug. 16.
Free Facial area Coverings Accessible
Learners, school and staff could call College student Wellness Center at [email protected] to ask for totally free, reusable masks. In addition, school rooms and other parts on campus will be equipped with free of charge, disposable encounter coverings.
Vaccinations
The nearer our campus local community gets to a substantial percentage of the populace absolutely vaccinated, the much better we will be in a position to gradual the spread of COVID-19. Vaccinations are key to protecting our campus and community. Faculty, employees and students who want to be vaccinated are inspired to visit the Scholar Well being Center to understand additional about vaccine availability on campus. As a reminder, vaccines are supplied for no cost. More information and facts for the fall semester about the vaccination routine and location will be shared with the campus community closer to the start out of the semester.
Students, faculty and staff who were vaccinated off campus are inspired to send a image of your vaccination card to the Scholar Health Heart at [email protected]. The College student Overall health Center has a vaccination report for pupils, college and staff who were being vaccinated on campus. Note: your confidential health data will be protected.
The college is accumulating this details on a volunteer basis to assist us assess the overall share of students and workforce who are vaccinated. As previously mentioned, the closer our campus group will get to herd immunity, the superior protection we all will have from COVID-19 and its variants.
Surveillance Screening
Household students who supply evidence of vaccination will not be required to take part in weekly surveillance testing through the fall semester. Unvaccinated household learners will be essential to participate in weekly surveillance screening. Much more details about the testing schedule and location will be shared with campus closer to the get started of the semester. As we did in the spring, faculty and workers are welcome to participate in surveillance tests as well.
Additional Security Measures on Campus – Hand Sanitizer Stations, Plexiglass Obstacles
Hand hygiene remains an critical part of the effort to reduce the unfold of COVID-19, and hand sanitizer stations are in place throughout campus. In addition, classrooms and several other areas will continue to be outfitted with disposable confront coverings and sanitary wipes.
Environmental Overall health and Security and the Student Overall health Middle have suggested the use of plexiglass boundaries in the course of the pandemic and continue to assist their use as necessary in campus buildings. Please reach out to EHS at [email protected] to master additional about plexiglass obstacles and give the Office environment of Facilities adequate time to install them as soon as requested.
Daily Health Evaluation
We will continue applying a everyday wellbeing evaluation this slide as aspect of our health and safety measures. Students, faculty and staff are inspired to review the brief well being assessment each day before coming to class or to campus. COVID-19 testing is obtainable for free of charge on campus. College students and staff who acquire a beneficial COVID-19 check outcome off campus are requested to report that to [email protected] or 910.962.0587.
Learners: If you suspect you have COVID-19, if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or if you working experience any of these indicators, please call the Student Wellness Center at 910.962.3280 for precise data about screening, speak to tracing and quarantine/isolation specifications, which differ for vaccinated and non-vaccinated folks, in accordance to CDC assistance.
Personnel: Staff who are exhibiting COVID-like symptoms (or who have been in shut speak to with persons who have been diagnosed with COVID-19) should really make contact with their well being treatment provider, notify your supervisor if you will be lacking function, and then notify the UNCW Scholar Wellbeing Centre at [email protected] and your supervisor.
Supervisors: please confer with the Pupil Overall health Middle at [email protected] or 910.962.0587 and Human Methods at 910.962.3160. Useful resources and direction also are available from Human Sources.
Questions and Resources
No solitary information can ever answer every question that students, faculty and staff may perhaps have about COVID-19. We will continue on to share timely information, methods and updates with faculty, staff and students via UNCW e mail inboxes, the UNCW homepage and Greatest for the Nest, the university’s COVID-19 source web-site. Students, you should think about sharing this message and other updates with your mothers and fathers/families to support keep them informed.
You might also get to out to the resources beneath for information and guidance:
Monitoring COVID-19 Will Carry on
Remember to know that we continue on to monitor the situation about COVID-19 and its variants, and we will update steerage as new information emerges. The university tracks scenarios on its Data Dashboard weekly updates will go on until Aug. 16 and then daily updates will resume.
Adhering to the proper protocols will carry on to be essential for the nicely-becoming of the Seahawk local community and the local community bordering our campus. You have revealed great grace all through this pandemic. Your strength of Seahawk character will proceed to help our campus community in the weeks in advance, as we adapt plans when necessary to minimize potential COVID-19 impacts to the greatest of our potential. Thank you in advance for your motivation to this effort and hard work, which will go a long way toward helping all of us have a much healthier slide semester.
Sincerely yours,
Jose V. Sartarelli
Chancellor
