St. Joe’s released quarantine instructions for undergraduate students in an Aug. 5 university announcement from Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, and Cary Anderson, Ed.D., associate provost and vice president of Student Life.
Undergraduate students are asked to observe a 14-day quarantine period before arriving on campus. This quarantine is applicable to all students who plan to be on campus to attend class, live or access any university services.
Students are not required to be tested for the coronavirus prior to returning to campus, according to Gail Benner, director of PR and Media, in an email to the Hawk on Aug. 5.
Students should not travel to any state or territory categorized as “red” or “high risk” by the City of Philadelphia prior to arriving on campus. When in quarantine, students must follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“In short, people in quarantine should stay home (or at a quarantine location such as an Airbnb, hotel, etc.), separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department,” McConnell wrote in the announcement. “If you become ill or symptomatic, contact your health care provider and do not come to campus. Call Public Safety to notify the University.”
Self-quarantining with your family members in your household, grocery shopping for essential items, accessing essential health care and participating in St. Joe’s residential drop-and-go for on-campus move-in is permitted during the self-quarantine period if students are physically distancing and wearing a mask.
Interactions with non-household members with or without masks, traveling to other states or locations for non-essential purposes and attending large gatherings are not permitted.
McConnell also clarified specific quarantine instructions for students coming from high-risk states based on guidance from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. In addition to quarantining at home for 14 days, students have the option of quarantining in Philadelphia or another non-high-risk state for 14 days.
“[Students can] quarantine in Philadelphia on arrival (i.e. in a hotel, Airbnb) for 7 days at your cost followed by quarantine on campus for resident students or your apartment for off-campus students for an additional 7 days,” McConnell said.
For international students, McConnell said the CDC requires international travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the U. S. For residential international students, they can quarantine on campus.
McConnell also said St. Joe’s is currently evaluating “enhancing on-campus testing protocols during the fall semester and will provide additional detail in future communications.” Webinars and information lines will soon be available to answer students’ and faculty’s questions.
UPDATE, Aug. 6:
Cary Anderson, Ed.D, associate provost and vice president of Student Life, clarified details about the quarantine process for students.
“We understand that students may have jobs or other responsibilities which prohibits them from self-quarantining to the full extent,” Anderson said in an email to the Hawk on Aug. 6. “As long as they are taking precautions such as wearing a mask, physical distancing and proper hygiene, they may continue to work.”
Anderson also said while students are not forced to quarantine, they are asking students to be responsible for their actions and to think of others.
“This will be a theme throughout the fall and is expressed in the iCare pledge,” Anderson said. “In short, it is the honor system. We can and must take care of ourselves and others.”
This story will be updated continuously as new information becomes available.
