What happens to students if they do not comply with wearing masks or the Camels Care Pledge? 

Keeping the campus community safe is a shared responsibility that all students agree to when signing the Camels Care Pledge. If we learn that students are not following these requirements, they will be referred to the conduct process for non-compliance. For egregious violations, students will be asked to leave campus and continue their studies remotely. These violations could also lead to suspension from the College.

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Contact tracing is a known public health strategy to stop the transmission of the virus. This approach has proven effective in mitigating the spread with previous outbreaks across the globe. Trained contact tracers help Identify all those who have had close contact with the person who has tested positive for COVID-19 during their infectious period. The infectious period is defined as the 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms or the date of the positive test.

A person is considered a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 based on (1) their exposure to the affected person during their infectious period, and (2) if they have been within six feet of the affected person for more than 15 minutes cumulatively.

Incidental contact does not warrant contact quarantine. An example of this is when you briefly pass someone in the hallway and both of you are wearing masks. Likewise, close contact with someone who has been identified as a close contact to an affected person also does not warrant contact quarantine.

Trained contact tracers interview the person who has tested positive with COVID-19 and, based on that information,  identify and follow up with close contacts to notify them of their need to quarantine. No names are shared regarding how people were exposed. Contact tracers keep information private and are bound by the College’s confidentiality agreements.

Steve Langlois, director of environmental health and safety(srlan@conncoll.edu), is the point person for faculty and staff. CC Curtiss, director of wellbeing and health promotion (ccurtiss@conncoll.edu), is the point person for students. All campus contact tracers have successfully completed training through Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The campus team works closely with the Department of Public Health and Ledge Light Health District.

You can find extensive information about contact tracing at Johns Hopkins, the CDC or on the State of Connecticut’s websites.

Faculty, staff and students are expected to monitor their own health on a daily basis. For faculty and staff—if you experience any flu-like symptoms, please stay home and contact your healthcare provider. Students should contact Student Health Services.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

For confirmed COVID-19 cases, reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. Symptoms can include: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, fever, cough and shortness of breath. More details are available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) site.

What do I do if I don’t feel well and think I have COVID-19?

Any student who feels unwell and thinks they may have symptoms of COVID-19 should remain in their room and contact Student Health Services immediately. Faculty and staff should contact your healthcare provider and notify Steve Langlois, director of environmental health and safety, at 860-439-2252 to initiate contact tracing.

What happens if I test positive for COVID-19?

The College has designated isolation rooms for students living on campus who test positive for COVID-19. Students can choose to go to isolation housing or return home to recover if that is a possibility. The isolation spaces will be located in River Ridge and Winchester Houses. Students in isolation will be provided meals from the dining halls and will be monitored by medical staff using telehealth. Students will be supported and cared for until a return to day-to-day routine is authorized under medical and public health guidance.

What should I know about the delta variant?

Viruses constantly change through mutation. Slightly different forms of viruses are called variants. Delta is a variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, and spreads more easily than other variants, which could cause more cases of COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against the Delta variant is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. For more information about variants, visit the CDC’s website.

What are “breakthrough” cases?

COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are a critical tool to bring the pandemic under control. However, no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing illness in vaccinated people. Like with other vaccines, vaccine breakthrough cases will occur, even though the vaccines are working as expected. Vaccinated people may develop an asymptomatic infection as well. It’s essential that you follow all College protocols to keep you and the campus community healthy and safe. For more information on breakthrough cases, visit the CDC’s website.

How can I schedule a vaccine?

You can visit Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Locations website and schedule your appointment online or call Connecticut’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224.

How will I schedule my vaccine when I am eligible?

When you are eligible, visit Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Locations website and schedule your appointment online or call Connecticut’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224.

Can people who already have COVID-19 get the vaccine?

Yes. The CDC recommends that you get vaccinated even if you have already had COVID-19 because you can be infected more than once. While you may have some short-term antibody protection after recovering from COVID-19, it is unclear how long this protection will last.  

Can I receive the vaccine in CT if I live outside the state?

You are eligible to receive a vaccine in the State of Connecticut if you live or work in the State of Connecticut. If you live outside Connecticut, but work here, you must provide proof of your employment in Connecticut in order to receive your vaccination here. If you neither live nor work in the State of Connecticut, you are not eligible to receive vaccine in the State of Connecticut,?even if your primary medical provider is in the State of Connecticut. If you do not live or work in Connecticut, you should receive a vaccine from your state of residence when you are eligible based on their requirements.

Will people be able to choose which vaccine to receive?

Generally, yes. On the Connecticut COVID-19 Vaccine Portal beside each location it lists which vaccine is being offered.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory? 

The COVID-19 vaccine is mandatory for students, faculty and staff. Should students need to request an exemption for religious or medical reasons, they may contact Student Health Services by emailing SHS@conncoll.edu. A SHS medical professional will be in touch to discuss the process for requesting an exemption and possible requirements for exempted students. Should faculty and staff need to request an exemption for religious or medical reasons, they may contact the Office of Human Resources.

Why is the College collecting COVID vaccine status from faculty, staff and students? 

The College is collecting this information to help us assess the vaccination rate of our campus community and to help plan the implementation of COVID-19 protocols for the summer and fall. When a significant portion of our community is vaccinated, we expect to be able to adjust safety protocols and return to more normal in-person interactions and activities. The health and safety of our campus community is our top priority, and the College's protocols will continue to adhere to federal, state and local guidance. Any changes to College protocols will be developed in consultation with Hartford HealthCare's infectious disease specialists.

Why is the College asking me to share my COVID-19 vaccination card? 

Because campus safety protocols will be based on this information, it is important that the information obtained is accurate. By seeing your vaccine card, HR can verify the data collected is correct.

How will my vaccination status information be used?

This information is being used to determine the percentage and total number of individuals who have been vaccinated on campus. This will help the College determine the level of community immunity and plan for campus operations this summer and next fall. Depending on the rate of community immunity, it may be possible for the College to consider different mitigation measures, including a reduction in testing for vaccinated individuals during the summer and the fall semester. 

Supervisors and managers should not be asking employees for  their vaccination status. Vaccination status should be reported to the Office of Human Resources and it is being  collected  on a voluntary basis. Vaccination status will not be used to determine an individual's work location.

How will my vaccine status be collected and stored?  

There are two ways that HR is collecting vaccine status. The first is using the CoVerified app and the second is through in-person collection sites on campus staffed by the HR team.  Access to an employee's vaccination status and the personally identifiable information associated with that status is limited and only disclosed as necessary. To the extent such information is stored on Connecticut College’s information systems, Connecticut College will take necessary precautions to restrict and protect the information. Vaccine information obtained will be maintained confidentially and only disclosed: as required by law COVID-19 Vaccine results will not be disclosed to any medical, insurance or other parties by Connecticut College, except as provided above.

Can I still get COVID-19 after I’m vaccinated?

It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after receiving the vaccination. That means it’s possible you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and get sick. However, if you still get infected after you get vaccinated, the vaccine will likely prevent serious illness. 

How much will the COVID-19 vaccination cost? 

Vaccinations will be available at no cost to you, but there is a small fee for administration of the vaccine. The College’s insurance, and most other insurances, will fully cover this cost.

How can I learn more?

If you have specific questions about how the vaccine might affect your health, it’s best to speak with your healthcare provider. Click here to see detailed information from the State of Connecticut about plans for phased vaccine distribution. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also offers comprehensive information, including guidelines for vaccination. Visit the CDC vaccination website or call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO).