Dear Adelphi Community,
As we pass the midsemester mark, I would like to share an update on the ongoing efforts to protect the health and well-being of our University family.
Thanks to all of you, our positive COVID-19 cases have remained well below 1 percent of our on-campus population.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 dashboard launched in mid-September and appears on our campus restart webpage. It tracks real-time results of our community’s COVID-19 rate, including data on symptom screening, ongoing testing and contact tracing. Our dashboard is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and includes:
- The current positivity rate, which is the percentage of positive Adelphi cases divided by our current on-campus population (requirements defined by New York state)
- Our current on-campus population number, which is the average number of unduplicated people on campus over the previous two weeks
We have continuously been and remain at Alert Level Blue—well below the required levels that, by the governor’s orders, would trigger a full return to remote work and instruction for at least two weeks.
Daily Health Screening, Random Sample Testing and Contact Tracing
Realizing that this continues to be an unprecedented landscape to navigate, and that many of this semester’s policies and protocols are new, Adelphi continues to implement training and offer safety reminders and opportunities to provide regular feedback.
- COVID-19 Clearance Checks: Based on feedback, our public safety officers and health and wellness ambassadors have gone through additional training to ensure checks are fair, equitable and comprehensive. If you do experience an unsettling COVID-19 clearance check, please email healthandwellness@adelphi.edu. A member of our team will immediately follow up with our site safety ambassadors to ensure a consistent experience across our community.
- Contact Tracing: At times, contact tracing may require us to reach out to individuals who are unaware that they may be at heightened risk of exposure. We realize this can be unsettling, but please know that contact tracing remains a critical part of our public health protections. Supported by our Office of Public Safety and Transportation, Environmental Health and Safety, and our student safety ambassadors, we work directly with local and state departments of health to identify any individuals deemed to be at risk. Health professionals will readily offer support and advice on how to monitor for symptoms and take regular precautions during this time.
- Random Sample Testing: Our Master Restart Plan submitted to and approved by New York state provides for continual monitoring of our overall campus environment, and a vital component of this ongoing assessment involves randomized COVID-19 testing. This is referred to by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as surveillance testing and is designed to detect early positive cases in order to help prevent the spread of the virus, especially by asymptomatic individuals. Adelphi tests our entire resident student population every two weeks, our student-athletes monthly, and conducts a random sampling of approximately 700 faculty, staff and commuter students who come to the Garden City campus at least once a month (identified through users of the daily health screening app). Through this process, anyone identified as positive will be contacted by Health Services and contact tracing steps will begin, coordinated with local and state departments of health.
Safety Reminders
As we approach Thanksgiving break, when the University will transition to all-remote learning for the remainder of the year, please keep these safety reminders in mind:
- Halloween: Halloween gatherings have the potential to cause a cluster outbreak. To help ensure that Adelphi’s in-person learning will continue uninterrupted until November 24, please stay mindful of the strategies that help prevent the spread of COVID-19: Avoid large gatherings, practice social distancing, wear a mask and wash your hands.
- Daily Health Monitoring: COVID-19 screening on the AU2GO app continues to be mandatory for all community members before arriving on campus each day.
- Hot spots in New York: Hot spot cluster outbreaks of COVID-19 are happening in some neighborhoods in the New York area. Please avoid activities that can cause the virus to spread and be mindful of safety precautions when in regions defined as “hot spots” by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
- Pledge to Protect: We all continue to protect our own health and that of others in the Adelphi family by abiding by our Pledge to Protect. Thank you for supporting this pledge.
- Stay Home if Feeling Unwell: If at any point you develop symptoms of coronavirus (e.g., fever 100.4 or greater, coughing, shortness of breath), do not come to campus. Immediately contact Adelphi’s Health and Wellness office by phone at 516.877.6000 or by email at healthandwellness@adelphi.edu and a member of our health services team will provide you with guidance.
We will continue to keep you updated and are grateful for your care and support. It’s great to see the Adelphi community uphold a positive academic environment and experience for all of us this Fall 2020.
Stay safe.
Gene Palma
Chief Administrative Officer and Associate Vice President