March 10 Update From President Hays

Dear Regis community,

The governor of Massachusetts has declared a state of emergency prompting Regis to update its response to the threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Our top priority is the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff at Regis.

Please adhere to the following updated and previously announced guidelines until further notice:

• Effective tomorrow (March 11) Regis will cease to host and strongly discourages attendance at non-essential gatherings of 100 or more people and encourage the community to use virtual gatherings when feasible.
• Classes are continuing to run as scheduled. Core services of the university which include, but are not limited to, library, police, dining, athletics, and health services will continue unless health officials instruct us otherwise.
• Each academic program at Regis has a plan in place to deal with potential disruption to courses. Any changes to courses will be communicated to students by their faculty member. Faculty will post information on the course Moodle page and will send it via Regis email.
• Students should attend classes, clinicals, fieldwork, research experiences, teaching internship, or internship unless instructed otherwise by your employer, Regis or your medical provider.
• Many nursing and health sciences students currently have external experiences (e.g. clinicals). Since many students need these hours in order to graduate, if possible, please do not miss any of your hours at these sites. Please follow the instructions from your faculty member/clinical supervisor about any changes that have occurred due to COVID-19 preparation.
• All Regis international travel is cancelled until further notice and the governor recommends avoiding personal international travel. Per Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, a 14-day self-quarantine period is required for all travelers from current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Level 2 and 3 Travel Warning countries. Travelers from Level 2 or 3 countries should self-quarantine at their home or off-campus residence for 14 days, monitor their symptoms and contact Health Services before returning to any Regis facility.
• If you have not done so already, please complete a Travel Registry form for international travel since February 18, 2020, and any upcoming personal international travel. Providing travel information is a voluntary decision. Any information provided will be shared on a strict need-to-know basis for community health protection (e.g. disclosed to Regis College Health Services, the Center for Global Connections).
• If you or a member of your household is sick or experiencing any flu-like symptoms, please do not come to any of the Regis campuses. If you are a Weston-based student, please contact Health Services by phone at 781.768.7290. If you are located at Regis North or are an online student, please seek medical care from your local healthcare provider.

Regis facilities crews will continue extensive cleaning of high-touch surfaces in buildings and residence halls. We need everyone to practice preventive measures including the following:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
• Stay home when you are sick
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched object and surfaces

For high risk individuals (older adults and people with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease and others) per the CDC it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick. Read more on the CDC's COVID-19 page.

University leadership has been meeting daily to assess appropriate responses to the threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus). We will continue to follow the guidance of local, state and federal health officials.

Sincerely,

Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN