PORT Announcements announce-port@fandm.edu
Tue, Nov 24, 4:10 PM
F&M COVID-19 Alert Level as of November 24, 2020
F&M COVID-19 Update as of November 24, 2020
| Full-Time Students Total | 2259 |
| Students In-Residence or Commuting | 1453 |
| COVID-19 Indicator | # | As % of Students In-Residence or Commuting |
| In Quarantine* On Campus(at risk and waiting for test result) | 50 | 3.4% |
| In Isolation On Campus (positive test) | 21 | 1.4% |
| In Quarantine* at Home | 40 | 2.8% |
| In Isolation at Home (positive test) | 11 | 0.8% |
| In Hospital | 0 | 0.0% |
| Cumulative Positive Tests Since Arrival (Entry/Surveillance testing plus clinical work) | 87 | This does not include cases among remote students unless they have reported them to us. |
| Current Active Cases of COVID-19(individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are still in isolation) | 32 | 2.2% |
*In Quarantine indicators include students who were identified as contacts in contact tracing or are symptomatic, but not confirmed positives.
Additional data, including entry testing, surveillance testing, wastewater testing, and FPS testing is available in F&M’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
F&M COVID-19 Update Notes
- There are currently 32 active cases of COVID-19 among F&M students who have been on campus. Of the 32 students who have tested positive, 21 are in isolation in Schnader (or, upon clinical judgment, in a single room in an off-campus apartment) and the remainder have gone home. Of the 90 students who are in quarantine as a result of contact tracing or presenting COVID-like symptoms, nine are in Schnader, 41 are in off-campus housing, and 40 are at home.
- Wastewater results for the week of Nov. 16 indicated trace amounts of COVID-19 in the wastewater of Roschel College House.
- On Nov. 16, 17 and 18, the College tested 963 students as part of the College’s modified universal testing and exit testing protocol. 28 out of the 963 students tested positive for COVID-19. Two employees tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 151 employees who were tested. We have completed contact tracing, and students have moved into quarantine or isolation as necessary.
Pandemic Operations Updates
- Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued new COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including increased mask requirements, travel mitigation, enforcement by the government, and mandatory telework. Unless impossible for College operations, F&M employees must work remotely until further notice. We encourage all employees to coordinate with their supervisor and review the message they received from President Altmann earlier today with more information on how these directives will impact their work.
- Beginning Tuesday, Dec. 1, PORT will transition from weekly to bi-weekly updates for the duration of the winter break (excluding Dec. 21 – Jan. 1, when administrative offices will be closed for the holiday). During December and January, the COVID-19 dashboard on the website will be updated weekly on Tuesdays to share external COVID-19 indicators for the U.S., Pennsylvania, and Lancaster County. We will resume sharing campus indicators and PORT Weekly Reports on Jan. 26.
- Per our move-out protocol for the fall term, all students in college-owned housing (except for those in quarantine / isolation in Schnader) departed campus over the weekend. About two-thirds of the student population participated in COVID-19 testing before move-out, and others intend to be tested for COVID-19 or self-quarantine when they arrive home. We are proud of our students for taking the initiative to protect the health of their families and communities, and we wish everyone safe travels home.
- The F&M campus is now closed. Other than the Student Wellness Center (SWC), the Counseling Center, Facilities Management (F&O), and the Department of Public Safety, on-site campus services will remain closed during the extended winter break. Hours for the SWC and the Counseling Center are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The SWC will be closed Nov. 25 – 29 and Dec. 19 – Jan. 3 for the holidays.
- Given the rising cases of COVID-19 and the likelihood of flu season and COVID-19 coinciding around our Feb. 1 start date, we have decided to hold firm to our original decision to de-densify campus in the spring. First-year students (with the exceptions of transfer students and commuters) will need to study remotely in spring term. First-year students with a specific need to return to campus should fill out the campus housing petition form by Dec. 2, 2020.
- In order for the College to prepare effectively for the start of Module 3, we ask all members of the Class of 2021, 2022, and 2023 to fill out the Spring 2021 Commitment Form and share with us their planned status by Dec. 2, 2020.
Campus Reminders
- Most college administrative offices will be closed for Thanksgiving break beginning Wednesday, Nov. 25, and will not reopen until Monday, Nov. 30. For life-threatening emergencies, please call the Department of Public Safety at 717-358-3939 and/or 911.
- The number of COVID-19 cases in Lancaster County has risen substantially in recent weeks. Earlier today, Vice President Deb Moriarty sent a message on winter break expectations and guidelines to students remaining in college approved off-campus housing. We encourage students choosing to remain in Lancaster over the break to remain vigilant in following the F&M Pledge and the health and safety guidelines set by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which have become more stringent. Wear a mask. Keep your distance. Limit in-person social interactions. Treat every person, including friends, as if they have the virus. Discuss the available information and your individual circumstances with your family and consider going home, if possible, for the duration of the winter break.
- Updated information is always available for your convenience on the College’s pandemic operations information website.