Health and Safety Protocols

Residential students who test positive for COVID-19 or are deemed a close contact while on campus must complete their quarantine or isolation at home if they live in the surrounding areas. Accommodations will be considered for those who cannot effectively quarantine or isolate at home.

Isolation

• For those who test positive for COVID-19, a minimum five-day isolation is required per CDC guidelines. A member of Health Services will call you with your results and ask for a list of any close contacts at Regis. You will be asked to leave campus immediately and cannot return until the five-day isolation period is complete and CDC discharge criteria are met. Health Services may contact you for periodic check ins.
• For most people who test positive for COVID-19, isolation and additional precautions can stop five days after the onset of symptoms, or after the date of the positive test for those who are asymptomatic.
• It can also stop following the resolution of a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

Quarantine

• Quarantine is required for someone who has had close contact (within six feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or has developed symptoms and is awaiting test results, unless you are fully vaccinated and have a booster.
• Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine unless they have symptoms.
• A five-day quarantine starts after the last contact and ends if no symptoms develop and/or you receive a negative COVID-19 test.
• If you have been quarantining, you must present Health Services a negative COVID PCR test taken on day five of your quarantine or shortly thereafter, prior to your return to campus.

• Entry to buildings will be regulated and monitored.
• Community members on campus must be cleared in CoVerified in order to enter most buildings on campus.

As of Tuesday, March 15, masks are optional for everyone in classrooms and labs. Masks are no longer required on Regis-operated vans and buses effective immediately.

Masks will still be required in a select number of other campus spaces such as the Dental Center, Autism Center, and select areas of Counseling and Health Services. There will be clear signage posted at entrances to mask-required areas.

Anyone who chooses to continue wearing a mask while on campus has the full support of the Regis community. Both KN95 and N95 masks will be available for community members who wish to access them. Masks can be obtained by contacting Ken Ryan, director of purchasing.

Single use, disposable face masks will be available at the following campus locations in the event a student or employee forgets, loses, or otherwise does not have a mask while on campus. These masks are not part of a regular distribution system or for individuals to get a new mask every day.

• Regis College Police Department
• Health Services
• Center for Student Services
• Library
• Undergraduate Student Affairs office
• Academic Affairs office (College Hall 315)
• Center for Student Engagement
• ITS help desk
• Center for Inclusive Excellence

Plexiglass barriers have been installed in many common areas of the campus, increasing the physical barrier between staff and students. This will be seen in the library, athletic center, Center for Student Services, Dining Hall, Post Office and other spaces on campus where it is possible to do so.

This barrier decreases the risk of virus transmission and is safer for all in the campus community.

Ongoing cleaning and disinfecting protocols have been enhanced, with an increase in the availability of disinfecting sprays and disposable towels, as well as sanitizing stations in campus buildings. Physical Plant staff has been responsive to the increased need for disinfecting and sanitizing the community on an ongoing basis.

The number of sanitizer stations have increased outside of restroom facilities.

All residential lounge spaces and spaces throughout campus academic, athletic and administration buildings will have renewed occupancy limits, clearly posted, varying dependent upon the size of the space.

The practice of wearing protective face coverings will be the norm in any shared space.

If community spread of COVID-19 occurs in the Regis College community, the Health Services team will receive guidance and direction from the Weston Board of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on the rapid closure of the campus.

• Students living within a three-hour radius must vacate the campus that day.
• Students living over a three-hour radius, but within driving distance are expected to vacate the campus within one day (24 hours).
• Students who live outside of those parameters will enter a quarantine phase and remain in this mode until they can vacate the campus.
• All classes will be put on hold for a specified number of days to ensure students can return to their homes of origin safely.
• Nonessential staff and faculty will be asked to vacate the campus and work remotely.

Upon completion and approval of Department of Public Health required attestation, the Regis College Health Services (RCHS) will return to regular hours and regular staff with flexibility to decrease or increase as needed.

• There will be no walk-in appointments available. Students/patients will be seen by appointment only. All patients will be triaged over the phone prior to entering Health Services. RCHS will collaborate with local urgent care facilities and Newton Wellesley Hospital for after-hours/weekend care.
• All Health Services staff will be screened for COVID-19 and have their temperature taken prior to entering Health Services and this information will be recorded in a log by a trained staff member.
• Two days prior to a patient’s appointment, they will be called and screened for signs/symptoms of COVID-19. This will be repeated two days after their appointment. Patients with scheduled appointments will be screened for COVID-19 and have their temperature taken prior to entering Health Services. This information will be recorded in the patient’s chart.
• There will be no aerosol-producing procedures performed (nebulizer treatments, peak flow measures, etc.).
• Social distancing of six feet will be enforced, except during patient treatment, all Health Services staff will be in appropriate PPE based on job function.
• All potentially shared contact surfaces will be disinfected at regular intervals including, but not limited to exam rooms, phlebotomy area, office spaces, all door handles, light switches, etc. All magazines and pamphlets will be removed.
• Any instructional materials will be contained within a sheath that can be disinfected.