College of Medicine pandemic response Friday round-up – week of Dec. 7-11
Overall Updates
Work remotely: College of Medicine Leadership reminds you that as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in our region, continue to work remotely if you can. If approved to work on campus, remain vigilant by social distancing, washing your hands regularly and sanitizing your work stations as frequently as possible.
Remote employees/students must follow policies: Employees and students who work remotely and do not have any contact with other staff members or patients are reminded that all Penn State Health/College of Medicine policies―including the travel and quarantine policy―must be followed. Remote workers must report COVID-related symptoms and/or potential exposure to their direct supervisor and Student or Occupational Medicine.
Workplace gatherings prohibited; stay virtual, safe during holidays: To reduce the spread of COVID-19, College of Medicine leadership is making a tough – but crucial – ask of their employees during the holidays. Traditional events and plans for both workplace and family must be changed. Workplace gatherings of any kind are prohibited. Social gatherings, holiday parties or celebrations are not permitted in any workplace location, including break areas, conference rooms, offices or administrative areas. Use virtual methods to celebrate the holidays with friends and coworkers outside of the office. Read the full story featured in Daily Brief this week.
Travel policy updated, Pennsylvania travel, masking requirements detailed: Penn State Health and the College of Medicine have updated the Travel and Quarantine policy to clarify that all travel — both domestic and international — is strongly discouraged at this time. Additionally, employees must disclose international travel plans, whether business or personal, with their manager/supervisor before departure and again before returning to the workplace.
Refer to last week’s email for additional guidance.
University Fitness Center closing until Jan. 4
In light of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement yesterday, which requires all gyms and fitness centers to close effective this evening at 8 p.m. until Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, the University Fitness Center will be closed effective immediately. Information will be shared as soon as the facility is able to reopen.
See last week’s email for:
- Travel suspension for University-affiliated international travel and discouraging personal travel abroad by Penn State students, faculty and staff.
- Break and lunchroom guidance, options
- Voluntary asymptomatic COVID-19 testing available for faculty, staff
Research Updates
Observational clinical research: A pause was instituted Nov. 23 at the College of Medicine and all Penn State Health sites for studies involving in-person interaction with participants with no direct drug or device therapeutic benefit. This pause remains in effect until further notice. In addition:
- Per Penn State Health policy to limit the number of individuals in the operating rooms, surgical trials that require vendor presence are suspended until further notice.
- Any observational study (whether inpatient or outpatient) that requires any additional in-person contact with subjects must be postponed until further notice.
- Research interactions with participants such as telephone contact, remote monitoring or remote data collection may continue.
Research remains at phase 3: Research remains in phase 3 until further notice. Out of an abundance of caution, only participate in research activities permissible in phase 3 of our research plan (refer to the coronavirus section of website). Phase 3 permits a maximum research occupancy of 50% at any given time.
Plan your research activities to account for this reduced level of occupancy, and continue to post lab schedules adjacent to the laboratory. Decrease the amount of time each person is in lab and reinstitute split work shifts. Allow for appropriate physical distancing, and mask-wearing is imperative during the coming months. In-person lab meetings and other types of group meetings are also suspended while in phase 3 and should be continued remotely.
Safety rounds: In response to the increasing number of COVID-19 exposures among faculty, staff and students at the College of Medicine, administrative leaders will begin making daily safety rounding to proactively enforce safety protocols.
Student Updates
COVID pre-departure testing: Before heading home for the holidays, the College of Medicine has partnered with Vault Health to offer voluntary, free-of-charge COVID-19 testing. The test involves a mail-in saliva-based process that can be done from home. The first step is to fill out the following form to activate receiving a test kit. Test results are available in two to three days, so interested students are encouraged to plan accordingly to receive their test kits in enough time to obtain results before heading home. Refer to the email the College sent on Wednesday, Dec. 9, for more information.
Mandatory return testing: All students will be asked to complete mandatory COVID-19 testing when they return to campus following the holidays. The registration link and additional information will be sent to students by email next week with further detail.
Harrell Health Sciences Library holiday hours: The Harrell Health Sciences Library will be unstaffed on the following dates:
- Thursday, Dec. 24 – Sunday, Jan. 3
You can still access the library by badge access 24/7 during these days.
Online reference service will be available from Tuesday, Dec. 29, through Thursday, Dec. 31, as normal (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) via herref@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
In Case You Missed It
Click here to view the Pandemic Response Email from Dec. 4.
COVID-19 cases on campus
The table below summarizes the number of COVID-19 cases among our College of Medicine faculty, staff and students for this past week:
College of Medicine statistics
- Current employees/students represents the number who have shown symptoms this week.
- Total employees/students represents the number who have been quarantined or tested positive for COVID-19 since March 2020 (for employees) or July 2020 (for students)
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