As part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health of our community, the college’s Health Services office is continuing to provide a weekly update for students, faculty and staff to share COVID-19 testing results and reports of positive cases (on or off campus), as well as important reminders and resources to be aware of during the ongoing pandemic.
LATEST NEWS
- You may have seen news of SUNY’s mandatory COVID-19 testing policy announced on Tuesday, Oct. 27. In short, this policy requires all 64 SUNY colleges and universities to develop a plan to conduct testing ahead of the Thanksgiving break with all students enrolled in courses held on campus or those using on-campus student services. Please know that Hudson Valley Community College is currently in the process of creating that pooled surveillance testing plan, which is due on Nov. 5 and must be approved by the Rensselaer County Department of Health and SUNY. We will share more information with the campus community as it becomes available.
- SUNY has also mandated that all colleges must provide more specific data on number and type of COVID-19 tests administered on and off campus; numbers of students and employees who have participated in testing and who have tested positive; and number of students and employees in isolation or mandated quarantine off campus. This new breakdown of information can be found on the SUNY COVID-19 dashboard.
- The college is planning on hosting a Town Hall meeting on COVID-19 safety measures on Thursday, Nov. 12. Details will be shared as they become available.
CURRENT STATISTICS
SUNY’s COVID-19 tracking website provides data updated daily on COVID-19 cases and testing. During the past week, at Hudson Valley Community College:
- 230 students, faculty and staff on campus participated in pooled surveillance testing.
- None of those individuals tested positive to date.
- One individual reported testing positive through testing administered off campus. Please know that this individual is isolating/quarantining off-campus until cleared to return by county and college health officials.
COLLEGE RESPONSE
As always, enhanced cleaning and disinfection has been completed in areas occupied by individuals testing positive for COVID-19 as well as areas occupied by individuals reporting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 who later tested negative. In accordance with health privacy laws, we cannot provide any personally identifying information about these individuals. College administrators work proactively and directly with county health departments to offer guidance and support to anyone affected by the virus. If contact tracing determines that you may have been exposed to an individual with COVID-19, a county health official or the college’s Health Services staff will contact you. You do not need to take any action unless you hear from them directly.
USEFUL RESOURCES
Detailed information on Hudson Valley’s COVID-19 safety measures and protocols are available on the college’s COVID-19 webpage. You may also contact your county health department for guidance, and or the NYS Coronavirus Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 with questions or concerns.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please continue to keep these basic safety protocols in mind when you’re on campus:
- STAY HOME IF YOU’RE SICK
- COMPLETE DAILY HEALTH SCREENING
- WEAR FACE MASKS
- MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCE
- WASH HANDS OFTEN
- DISINFECT HIGH-TOUCH SURFACES
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our campus community safe and healthy.
Published: Mon, 02 Nov 2020 12:45:09 +0000 by c.potvingiordano