In this communication:
- Positive Case and Quarantine Updates
- Swipe Left & Other Things You Can Do to Stop the Spread
- Testing Updates
Golden Knights,
Positive Case and Quarantine Updates: We have had five positive tests results reported to us today, which includes people who have been off campus completing mandatory quarantines as well as individuals who tested positive earlier in the month and are now reporting their data after being cleared by public health to return. While some institutions would not report this data based on test results out of the region, we wish everyone in our Clarkson family good health and a return to their in-person studies.
With these results, the University Care Team Members are now supporting 46 students both on and off-campus with an active case status and 102 who remain in public-health mandated quarantine both on and off campus.
Swipe Left and Other Things You Can Do to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
All contact tracing conversations are confidential and we encourage everyone who tests positive to share information that helps others be healthy and well. We can share, however, some things that we are learning that can help you and others.
- Now is the time to swipe left when it comes to meeting new people you might come into close contact with over the next few months and before the vaccine is more readily available. Sign up for a fitness center time or walk the trails outdoors in this gorgeous winter weather if you need more exercise.
- It is not too late to join your friends and peers acknowledging Christian Lenten practices by giving up something such as in-person, small and large social gatherings with people outside of your family unit. Use your Zoom account and its break out rooms if you want to mingle.
- If you are in a community establishment where NYS COVID-19 rules are not being followed, first leave. You can file an anonymous complaint that will go to the St Lawrence County Attorney using this url: https://mylicense.custhelp.com/app/ask. If Golden Knights are not abiding by the Clarkson Commitment both on and off campus, you can also go to the deanofstudents@clarkson.edu. Several of your classmates are now leaving campus as the result of both reporting structures.
- If you are living with individuals who are not part of a university testing program, ask them to go through public health testing sites, which are free. Remote learners who were exempted based on medical conditions should be living at home.
- Wear the mask properly around others. It’s that simple.
- If you are sick, get tested. Do not go to class/labs if you are sick.
Testing
- Clarkson is testing more than 25% of its campus population every week and including random testing as well as targeted testing based on wastewater surveillance. Testing is only a moment in time — a negative test is not Monopoly’s get-out-of-jail free card. Keep following the health and safety protocols.
- Students with symptoms identified on the daily screening tool should reach out to SHAC@clarkson.edu or 315-268-6633.
- Outside of business hours or for asymptomatic individuals, as well as anyone in St. Lawrence County who wants to be tested for COVID-19, may schedule a test through St. Lawrence County Public Health or with St. Lawrence Health System, which manages Canton-Potsdam Hospital less than 1 mile from campus and has a unit specifically established for this purpose. There is no charge for testing in NYS if you go through one of these sites which are set up for this usage. If students do not have a car to get to Canton Potsdam Hospital for testing, any student with a driver’s license may access a University fleet vehicle through Campus Safety & Security. Please make your appointment first to get a time from the hospital’s testing site. Then contact Campus Safety at 315-268-6666 to reserve a vehicle to drive directly to /from the appointment only. They will provide further instructions for how to return the car. We will be cleaning/disinfecting the vehicles in between reservations.
“Do what is right, not what is easy.” Roy T. Bennett
Please keep completing the daily screening tool in your routine, wearing a mask over nose and mouth, practicing social distancing and using good hand hygiene. If you have any questions about this communication, please contact clarksonhr@clarkson.edu, (employees) studentaffairs@clarkson.edu (students) and/or me.
Kelly Chezum
VP for External Relations
Restart/Rebuild Communications Lead
kchezum@clarkson.edu
