Hershey Medical Center, College of Medicine designate safe break space

Leadership at Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine are working to provide employees with safe spaces to take breaks and minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Due to the highly contagious nature of the omicron variant, it’s critically important for employees to follow room-occupancy and social-distancing requirements of six feet or more. They must also wear level one, ear-loop masks when they are not eating and drinking ― for example, visiting with colleagues, talking on the phone or reading. Cloth masks may not be worn alone. This applies in common dining spaces as well.

All safety and cleaning protocols are in place for these break spaces.

Here’s a listing of the approved safe break rooms, along with the maximum number of people they can accommodate and other information:

• Junker Auditorium: 34 people, available Monday – Friday, 6-11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. through March 30.
  • Note: Not available Monday, Jan. 31, Monday, Feb. 28, nor Thursday, March 31.
  • Room only available from 7:30-11 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16 and Friday, March 18.
• LR-B (C5621): 19 people, available weekends only, 6 p.m. Friday through 11 p.m. Sundays (weekends only) through March 31.
• Dermatology conference room (UPC 4200): Six people. Available from noon-1:30 p.m. Monday ─ Friday through March 31.
  • Note: Not available on Friday, Feb. 4.
• Lobby area outside T2500: Four people
• Cancer Institute, 3rd floor lobby: Eight people
• Cancer Institute, 4th floor lobby: Eight people
• Conference room T4007: Seven people, available after 5 p.m.
• Conference room T3035: Three people, available after 5 p.m.
• H3506: Three people
• Health Information Management Conference Room, G301B located in Suite G300: Six people, available Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. through Friday, March 31.
• H7306: Three people. Available Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. through March 31.
• University Physicians Center 1010: Nine people, available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. through March 31.
• 30 Hope Drive, 1019: Three people, available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. through March 31.
• 30 Hope Drive, 17101B: Three people, available Monday through Friday, 12:30-1:30 p.m. through March 31.

Work is underway to assess new locations that may be available. Any staff member or unit that has questions about locations to eat or take a break should escalate concerns up their chain of command.

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