The next chapter in our response to the pandemic

Dear Beach Community:  

As we prepare to welcome more members of The Beach community back to campus later this month, here is some additional information about this important next chapter in our response to the pandemic.  

The effort to slowly and safely grow the number of people physically on site requires a combination of personal and community responsibility in addition to the many safeguards we have in place. 

Over the past few months, we've shared with you information about how to stay healthy as well as important protocols for those who have been working on campus throughout the pandemic due to the nature of their jobs. 

Our "Reuniting the Beach" website remains an ongoing resource to you and includes those steps that must be followed if your studies or your role as a faculty or staff member require you to be on campus this fall. Namely, you must complete an online health questionnaire each day before arriving; wear a face mask; maintain physical distance from others; wash or sanitize hands frequently; clean, as applicable, your immediate work area; and follow posted directional signs and other procedures.  

This fall, it is likely that someone who has been on campus will later discover that they had been infected with the virus. If this happens, those who had close contact with that community member will be notified by campus medical staff. If you are not contacted, even if you had been in the same general area as the affected person, it means that you are not at risk of exposure as defined by current public-health guidance.

Our protocols also direct that any affected areas will be isolated and disinfected. This process can be completed quite quickly and those in the area will be informed about when it will be safe to return. In the event that several people in one area test positive, the affected building will be closed for several days while the building is flushed with outside air, air filters are vacuumed, and enhanced cleaning is completed.  

As a reminder, you should report any COVID-like symptoms – or a positive test result – to your manager or dean (for staff and faculty) or Student Health Services (for students) if you've been on campus at any time in the preceding two weeks. 

Also, please remember that keeping our campus population density low is the best way to keep our community safe. Please do not come to campus unless your work or studies absolutely require it. 

We anticipate the gradual reunification of campus with both excitement and caution. Working together as One Beach, we can help ensure the safety of our community.