Throughout the fall semester, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley is providing regular email update messages to keep students and parents informed about the efforts related to COVID-19.
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Current status
- Elon’s current COVID-19 alert level is at “Level 2 – Moderate Alert.”
- Since the September 30 email update, there have been 23 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed among students, faculty and staff. This compares with 69 new cases the previous week.
- As of yesterday afternoon, there were 100 students in quarantine or isolation. This compares with 255 last week at this time.
Thank you for your vigilance in helping reduce the spread of COVID-19 on the Elon campus. Your efforts lowered the campus alert level from High Alert back down to Moderate Alert effective yesterday. Information about the changes to campus operations with the shift to Level 2 and the “social hiatus” that remains in effect through this Thursday, October 8, are detailed in the most recent message from the Ready and Resilient Oversight Committee, archived online here.
Information in response to questions frequently asked by students has been added to the Ready & Resilient website here.
Please continue to properly wear a mask at all times, even when outdoors.
Flu vaccine clinics for students and faculty/staff
All students must receive a flu vaccine before returning to campus in January; details can be found online here. Additional flu clinics have been added for students, including a full-day clinic tomorrow, Thursday, October 8, in the Phoenix Activities and Recreation Center (PARC) in the Danieley Center Neighborhood. The list of student flu clinic dates/locations and links to make an appointment are online here.
Information about the faculty and staff flu clinics can be found on the Faculty Staff Wellness Clinic website.
Final community town hall this Friday
The final in a series of Town Halls with senior administrators will take place this Friday, October 9, at 1:30 p.m. at www.elon.edu/live and will be moderated by President Connie Book. Questions can be submitted online here in advance of the event or during the live program. See recordings of the first two Town Hall meetings online here.
Testing, contact tracing and quarantine
Visit the following links on the Ready and Resilient website for resources and information about these important topics:
- COVID-19 testing on- and off-campus
- Contact tracing and notification (including the distinction between “close personal contacts” and “expanded contacts”)
- Processes and protocols for isolation and quarantine, when required by the health department.
Information about students who are unable to attend class in person because they are required by the health department to quarantine is sent directly to faculty members by the Office of the Dean of Students. Faculty or staff with questions about a student report that they are in mandatory quarantine, should email StudentConcerns@elon.edu.
Students are reminded that the Healthy Elon Commitment requires that you follow guidance or directives from university or health authorities, which includes requirements for quarantine and participation in random surveillance testing if you are selected.
Individuals do not need to isolate or quarantine unless you are symptomatic or instructed to do so by a medical provider, the health department, or Student Care and Outreach. If students have any concerns or questions about symptoms or possible exposure, contact university physician, Dr. Ginette Archinal at garchinal@elon.edu.
What to do if you feel ill
If you feel ill or experience COVID-19 symptoms, avoid all contact with others. Stay at home and in your room. Do not go to class, work, dining halls, etc. Guidance for students, faculty and staff on what to do if you feel ill is on the Ready and Resilient website.
Sources of information
For more information about COVID-19 and the university response, visit the Elon Ready and Resilient website; the COVID-19 dashboard, which includes links to federal, state, and regional data sources; and the Today at Elon news and information website.
Chaplain’s reflection
University Chaplain Jan Fuller offers a weekly reflection to help us in our search for meaning during this challenging time. This week’s reflection, “Shipwreck and Trapezes” can be found here on the Truitt Center blog.
The next weekly COVID-19 update will be sent to all students, faculty and staff at 10:45 a.m. next Wednesday, October 14, unless an earlier message is warranted.
—
Dr. Jon Dooley
Vice President for Student Life