Posted on 12/11/2021 9:53:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
A private liberal arts college in Vermont reverted to remote learning until the close of the fall semester due to 50 active COVID cases on campus. Final exams, which were scheduled to wrap up by Sunday, will be administered remotely, and students, 99% of whom are fully vaccinated, are encouraged to leave campus early.
Dear Middlebury Community,
In this email we will address:
COVID-19 on Campus and Move to Remote Instruction
Early Departure from Campus
New Protocols Effective Friday, December 10
Testing Information
As of 5:30 p.m. today, we received confirmation of 34 new cases of COVID-19 on campus, for a total of 49 active student cases and one active employee case. Contact tracing is underway, and anyone who is determined to be a close contact will be informed. Please note that we are still receiving results from tests taken earlier this week, and we will keep you informed about any further changes as they become necessary. We will update the COVID-19 reporting dashboard with this new information on Friday.
While many of the new cases we have identified appear to be connected, occurring in clusters among people who socialize together, an increase in the prevalence of COVID-19 increases the likelihood of broader community transmission. Given the timing of this increase, coinciding with the end of the fall semester and imminent student departures, we have decided to move immediately to remote instruction and postpone in-person events. This includes classes that meet on Friday, December 10, final exams, and all formal and informal events, including athletics competitions and performing arts.
With more than 99 percent of students fully vaccinated and many already receiving booster doses, the risk of adverse health outcomes from the Delta variant is low. Rising student cases that require isolation, ongoing transmission, and the few days remaining in the semester warrant the change to remote instruction.
Students who are able to leave campus and travel to their break destination early should do so. Students who must remain on campus for travel reasons (such as if a flight is already booked) may stay and will need to follow the mitigation measures below. Students approved to remain on campus through the break will receive additional information about break expectations.
Regional travel for students in isolation or quarantine may be possible, but will need to be approved by Health Services to ensure that public safety procedures are understood and followed.
In accordance with our COVID-19 management and mitigation plan, and to support community health, the following protocols are effective Friday, December 10, starting at 5 a.m. and will continue until further notice:
Classes: Classes will continue remotely for the last day of the semester.
Final exams: Finals will be held remotely.
Departing from campus: Students who are able to depart for break or change plans without unreasonable complication or expense, should do so. Those who must stay with their original travel plans may do so. Students already approved to remain on campus for break may do so as planned.
Testing: Testing will be available on Friday, December 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, December 11, from noon to 3 p.m. at Virtue Field House.
Asymptomatic students do not need to wait for their results to depart campus. Negative results will be emailed to them as usual. Students who receive a positive test result will be contacted by Health Services.
Symptomatic students awaiting test results should delay campus departure until they have a negative test result, unless they can drive directly to a safe location and isolate until they get a negative test result. Students who test positive and can safely isolate themselves at home or another location are allowed to drive directly to that location in most cases, with approval from Health Services.
Dining: All dining halls will offer grab-and-go meals only, and face coverings must be worn in those spaces at all times.
Events: Indoor events are canceled or postponed. Some may be rescheduled or moved to remote formats if possible.
Gatherings: Any informal indoor gatherings—whether on or off-campus, previously scheduled or impromptu—should not exceed six people. Outdoor gatherings are preferred and should be kept to smaller groups. Anyone with symptoms should not gather.
Face coverings: Our current face covering policy remains in effect, and strict adherence to this policy is absolutely essential.
Athletics and the arts: All athletics and performing arts events are either canceled or postponed, including competition and practices.
In-person work: In-person work for employees will continue with current protocols for face coverings and other health and safety measures in place.
Visitors and guests: Visitors and guests will not be permitted to attend campus events except in virtual formats. Approved vendors, contractors, or other service providers are allowed with permission from the appropriate vice president and adherence to all COVID-19-related protocols.
We continue to expand COVID-19 testing opportunities for students, and appointments for both symptomatic and asymptomatic students are available on campus. Students who are experiencing symptoms should self-isolate, wear a well-fitting face covering at all times, and immediately contact Health Services at 802-443-3290, healthservices@middlebury.edu, or self-schedule on the student health portal to arrange for testing.
Students who are not experiencing symptoms may make appointments via the Bookings link for testing at Virtue Field House. These students do not need to wait for test results prior to leaving campus but should continue to use standard mitigation precautions.
Testing appointments for employees are available through healthcare providers, at state-run sites, pharmacies, and other locations, and employees are encouraged to schedule ahead of time to ensure availability.
We will be setting up an information line for students and their families and will provide details as soon as this is available. Employees should confer with their supervisors or Human Resources with any questions.
We will continue to provide you with updates and necessary information. As we experience this rise in cases, both on campus, in Vermont, and in the surrounding regions, we are making these adjustments to keep our community as healthy as possible. We have greatly appreciated your patience and support throughout a successful semester and look forward to continuing that work together in the final week.
Sincerely,
Mark Peluso
Chief Health Officer and College Physician
Smita Ruzicka
Vice President for Student Affairs
Jeff Cason
Provost
this is why women and liberals can’t be allowed to run the world
the world no longer becomes allowed to run
The only concern would be professors who may be “high-risk”, that’s fine. They do not have to show up to class on campus. Just provide a Zoom link so the class would be able to view his lecture remotely.
Antibody Induced Enhancement.
What is amazing is that when one looks at diseases like polio, measles, mumps etc. one can see a clear correlation between vaccination rates and disease rates. COVID so far is the only safe and effective vaccine which has zero correlation.
they are loony tunes that couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag.
I betcha every single case shows low Vitamin D levels. Anyway, if I ran the school, I’d have the school doctor prescribe an HCQ or Ivemectin cocktail with D3 and Zinc.
Probably using a Covid excuse to take off for Christmas holiday early.
are encouraged to leave campus early
So...in their eyes, leave and become a superspreader?
“Yeah...we don’t need you to be here with your bad germy self...”
These people are insane. The whole damn world is...
More proof that the majority of the people that govern the educational systems are dumb as rocks.
Now imagine what’s happening in hospitals where employees with better immunity have been fired and the employees still there are superspreaders...
This is an example of the devolution of civilization.
Vaccines used to actually work.
Now—not only don’t they work—but you are censored on all mass media outlets if you try to point out that simple fact.
We are on the road back to the Dark Ages.
Bravo for this cogent observation.
As comments fly back and forth on these threads, one thing is sure. The repeated message, beginning at two doses then to three to four to five and perhaps annually like a flu shot, validate your “simple fact.”
If these mRNA “doses” worked, continuing to give them proves they are not vaccines.
“this is why women and liberals can’t be allowed to run the world...the world no longer becomes allowed to run”
Or vote. Our enemies understand that PERFECTLY, which is why they are getting further and further ahead of us.
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