Weekly COVID-19 Briefing 3/19/2021

Campus Case Update

We continue to identify new cases on campus.  As of today we have 9 active COVID cases and a total of 48 students in quarantine or isolation (Q/I) either on-campus or at their homes off-campus.  While these numbers appear flat compared to what was shared on Tuesday, remember that we are also actively transitioning students out of Q/I according to CDC and State guidance. We have 7 new positive cases this week.

What We Know About On-campus Transmission

Through our work with students in quarantine and isolation and the State Community Tracing Collaborative (CTC) we have identified three primary ways transmission seems to have occurred with our current cases:

1.     Students sharing a meal in close proximity with other students.

2.     Student spending lengths of time in someone else’s residential room or car.

3.     Students spending lengths of time together in large gathering spaces without social distancing.

Remember a person becomes a contact if they have been within six feet of someone with COVID for 15 cumulative minutes over a 24 hour period.

How to Limit Campus Transmission

• We advise students to observe the following guidance to help stop campus transmission:
• Avoid eating with others beyond your roommate or apartment mate.
• Maintain social distance whenever possible especially when hanging out for stretches of time.
• Avoid visiting dormitory and apartment spaces that are not your own, even in your own living area.
• Limit the time you spend in a vehicle with others and wear a mask the entire time you are in the vehicle.
• Wear a fitted mask that fully covers your mouth and nose, and consider double masking.
• If you are experiencing symptoms, stay in your room and call the On-Duty Health Services number at  (617) 745-3777.  The line is monitored 7 days a week!

Possible Next Steps

If cases continue to rise we may need to transition from Modified Community Contact to Restricted Campus Interaction.  Restricted Campus Interaction could include the following:

• Classes transition to remote only attendance.
• Students limit their time outside of residence halls to meal pick-up, essential errands, and socially distant time outside.
• Limit/postpone athletic practices and competition.
• No in-person group gathering on campus.
• Limited activity off campus.

We will be reassessing our situation early next week and communicating any ramp-up, scale-back, or steady-on actions to you.

Modified Community Contact in Effect

Modified Community Contact (MCC) is currently in effect.  This means the following:

• Dining Hall and Dug Out services are take-out only.
• No communal dining permitted indoors or outdoors.
• Athletic practices and competitions are operating under additional restrictions.
• Social Distance and Face Covering Protocols should be strictly observed
• UPDATE: Starting Sunday, March 21^st: Official campus sponsored events can occur if they are fully supervised, socially distant, ideally outdoors (weather permitting), and food offered is take-away only.

Testing Center Update

Please remember that the Testing Center is only open Monday-Thursday and is closed on Friday.  It is very important that you schedule and attend your testing on the day you are invited.  In order for us to get everyone through weekly surveillance testing we need students to be diligent in promptly scheduling testing appointments when invited and showing up at the scheduled time.  THANK YOU!

Remember testing is a major component of our in-person learning safety strategy – let’s sign-up and follow through!

Summary testing results are published weekly at: https://enc.edu/covid-19-campus-testing/

Thank you again for your cooperation with MCC protocols.  We will continue to communicate regularly and transparently with you as the days and semester progresses.  Thanks for Protecting the Den!

Blessings,

Jeffrey Kirksey
Vice President for Student Life and Campus Services
Emergency Response Team, Chair

23 East Elm Avenue
Quincy, MA 02170-2999
www.enc.edu
617-745-3718