September 1, 2021

It is wonderful to be back together again as a community for the start of this new academic year. As we continue to navigate the spread of the Delta Variant, we return to pre-COVID-19 operations while retaining appropriate precautions to keep us safe and healthy. 

Guidelines to remember for the Fall 2021 semester include:

• Malone University is currently recommending but not requiring vaccinations for COVID-19.

Students participating in off-campus clinicals, off-campus experiential education, or service trips will be required to follow the host site’s health protocols for mask-wearing and vaccination.

• Facial coverings are required in all public, indoor spaces for all members of the Malone community regardless of vaccination status. Facial coverings are not required in outdoor spaces unless specifically noted. 
• Students who are symptomatic:  

Upon symptom onset, begin to track your status using the Daily COVID-19 Symptom Tracking form or by clicking on the “virus” icon in MaloneXpress under Quick Links. This step is mandatory for all students (and employees) who are symptomatic, and each day, you can indicate where you are in the process: “symptomatic,” “testing for COVID,” “COVID-positive,” etc. This information is sent to the Student Health Center and is confidential.

Testing is provided at the Student Health Center or you can receive a test at off-campus sites like Walgreens, CVS, RiteAid, etc. Anytime you are tested for COVID-19, you need to quarantine until you receive your test results. 

If your test is positive for COVID-19, you will need to isolate for 10 days and notify your close contacts. For students who live outside a 75-mile radius from campus, we will provide a temporary room and meal delivery throughout the isolation period. If you live less than 75 miles from campus, you will need to return home for this 10 day period. If you are a commuter student, seek guidance from your healthcare provider. 

Vaccinated students who are identified as being within the contact circle of a COVID-positive person will not have to be placed in quarantine unless they later become symptomatic. We request that vaccinated students get tested 3-5 days after exposure, even if you are asymptomatic. Conversely, non-vaccinated students will need to be in quarantine if they are identified within the contact circle of a COVID-positive person, and they must wait until Day 5 to be tested, even if asymptomatic. 

Regardless of vaccination status, please wear a mask when you can't maintain 6 feet of distance from others.

• Employees who are symptomatic:

If symptoms appear, notify your supervisor then go home immediately. Seek guidance from your healthcare provider and begin tracking your symptoms in MaloneXpress with the Daily COVID-19 Symptom Tracking form. The form will be shared with Patrice Yacko and Rebecca Rodak, and your timeframe for safe return to campus is determined by advice from your healthcare provider or once you’ve been symptom free for 24 hours in consultation with your supervisor and Human Resources.