Health & Wellness Guidelines
Summer 2021
Page 2: Introduction
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
Dear Seminary community, As the 2020-2021 academic year draws to a close, we express our deep gratitude for the many ways you have upheld our Health and Wellness Guidelines. Due to your diligence, we have kept our community quite well this year. We understand that your perseverance with online classes, worship, meetings, and gatherings has been stressful. We are fatigued as this year draws to a close. We hope that you will be able to find time to restore your soul as we enter into the summer season. At this point in time, we are deeply grateful that the numbers of coronavirus cases are steadily declining. We are also very grateful that members of our community continue to receive vaccinations. The number of fully vaccinated individuals is climbing steadily.
Due to this good news, and recent changes offered by the CDC, we will begin to open our community as we enter into the summer season.
You will note in our new guidelines that some restrictions have been relaxed. You will also note that not everything is back to pre-pandemic life. We still have members of our community who are not yet vaccinated, including our children. Vaccines are highly effective in preventing illness and serious cases of COVID-19. Yet it is possible to experience symptoms of COVID-19 even with the vaccine, and we need to continue to protect one another. If you experience prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive, please communicate with the Health Team. We also want you to be aware that teams are hard at work creating a plan for our 2021-2022 academic year. As we approach the fall, and the return to in-person communal life, we will again revise our Health and Wellness Guidelines. It is also very likely that vaccine boosters will be required as we begin the fall season as well. We will continue to keep you posted on our plans as the summer unfolds.
We send our gratitude and our prayers, Rev. Jan Ammon and Rev. Dr. Anne Stewart Health & Wellness Team Coordinators
Page 3: Prevention
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
Preventing COVID-19 Vaccinations for Students Vaccinations will be required for all students as we enter the 2021-2022 academic year this fall. Students can submit their vaccination record to the Health Team through the secure online form. Students who intend to apply for an exemption should email academic.support@ ptsem.edu. Anyone who has questions or
concerns about receiving the vaccine can direct confidential communication to the Health Team through health@ptsem.edu for further conversation. Vaccinations are strongly recommended for spouses and eligible children who are in residence.
Vaccinations for Employees Vaccinations are strongly recommended for all employees, both to protect themselves and as an act of care for the community. All employees are eligible to use work time to receive their vaccinations without taking PTO. Employees who are unable or choose not to be vaccinated must consult with the Health Team to make
appropriate arrangements, including enhanced health and safety measures as appropriate, for their own protection and for the health of the community. The Health Team will maintain a list of unvaccinated employees for the purpose of contact tracing.
Basic guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after you have received the second dose of a 2-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna), or two weeks after receiving a single dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson). If you are fully vaccinated, please submit a copy of your vaccination card through the secure online form. If you are fully vaccinated: • You are no longer required to wear face coverings or practice physical distancing when outside, unless in a large gathering. • Indoor visits with others in seminary residences are low risk for fully vaccinated individuals, so you do not need to wear a face covering or keep physically distant from one another.
• When working in a seminary office or building, please continue to wear face coverings, be mindful of physical distancing, and continue hand washing.
• If a fully vaccinated person develops COVID-like symptoms, they should quarantine, consult their health care providers, and notify the Health Team.
• If you are interacting with others who have not been vaccinated, continue to wear face coverings, keep physical distance, and continue hand washing.
• It is still recommended that fully vaccinated individuals wear face coverings in certain public circumstances. Please keep a face covering with you.
Page 4: Prevention
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
Basic guidelines for unvaccinated individuals If you are unvaccinated: • You should continue to wear face coverings when outside and practice physical distancing of 6 feet or more. • You may remove your face coverings if you are sitting stationary with others outside and have a distance of six feet or more.
• It is recommended that whenever an unvaccinated person is indoors with others outside of their household, they wear a face covering, keep physical distance, and practice hand washing. • It is recommended that unvaccinated individuals avoid large gatherings.
Safely building community Travel Guidelines Fully vaccinated individuals
Unvaccinated individuals
Fully vaccinated individuals are no long required to keep a travel quarantine when returning to campus. However, we encourage anyone who travels to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 upon their return. If you experience symptoms, please quarantine, contact your health provider, and notify the Health Team.
Any unvaccinated individual will need to keep a travel quarantine upon their return from domestic and international travel. Please complete the Travel Notification Form.
If you travel internationally, please explore the CDC Guidelines regarding testing for your destination and return. Anyone who will be engaging in international travel, please submit the Travel Notification Form. Please know you will need to be tested for COVID-19 three to five days upon return. Please notify the Health Team of your results.
Unvaccinated individuals are required to stay home and self-quarantine for a full seven days after travel. They are to get a viral test 3-5 days after they return. Even if you test negative, you will still need to stay home and self-quarantine for the full seven days. If you do not get tested, you need to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel. If any symptoms appear, testing is required. Unvaccinated individuals should check CDC guidelines regarding what testing is required prior to travel and at their destination.
Study Lounges and Gyms Once we achieve a higher lever of fully vaccinated individuals in our community, we will consider opening study lounges and the gym with certain guidelines. The study area in the front of the library will remain open in the summer.
Page 5: Community Guidelines
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
Mental health and spiritual wellness We continue to remain concerned about your spiritual and mental wellness. You are always welcome to contact: Office of Student Counseling
Chapel Office
Rev. Wanda Sevey Director of Student Counseling
Rev. Jan Ammon Minister of the Chapel
counseling@ptsem.edu
chapel.office@ptsem.edu
Employees have a number of resources that have been made available through the Office of Human Resources.
Outside guests We are currently removing restrictions for outside visitors to our seminary residences. However, we encourage caution when welcoming visitors who are not fully vaccinated. This is for the protection of your neighbors who are not fully vaccinated, which includes our children. •
If you welcome an unvaccinated person to a seminary residence, they will need to wear face coverings and practice physical distancing.
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If we find that outside visitors are not complying with residential and health guidelines, we will revisit this policy.
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If an employee needs to bring an outside guest, consultant, or contractor to campus, please continue to consult with the Health Team to establish safety protocols.
Gatherings Outdoor gatherings This summer, we are eliminating limits on outdoor gatherings. However, we ask that you please consult with the Health Team if you would like to plan a large outdoor event. •
Larger outdoor gatherings will require face coverings and physical distancing. There will still be protocols if food or beverages are shared.
Students may reserve space for outdoor events with Marybeth Chapman in the Dean of Student Life Office.
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Employees may reserve space for outdoor events with Chrissy Asterito in Events Services.
Page 6: Community Guidelines
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
In-person gatherings We are still discouraging any in-person meetings or gatherings indoors until a larger percentage of our community is vaccinated. Additional guidelines for meetings and the workplace will be shared later this summer.
Playgrounds at CRW and Robert/Tennent •
Playgrounds will continue to be cleaned on a daily basis.
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For any child using the playground, parental presence and supervision is required to keep health and wellness protocols.
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Please continue to use hand sanitizer prior to and after equipment use.
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Face coverings for unvaccinated adults and children above 3 years of ages are still required when others are on the playground.
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The playground is still for Seminary families only. We are sorry we cannot welcome visitors on the playground while vaccinations for children are still not available.
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Please do not come to the playground if you or your child are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Key community contacts For questions or concerns about living
For questions about workplace health and
in community together, students should
wellness, employees are invited to contact their
contact:
supervisor or the Office of Human Resources:
Office of Student Life
Office of Human Resources
Dean John White
Kurt Gabbard
Dean of Student Life
Director of Human Resources
deanofstudentlife@ptsem.edu
hr.office@ptsem.edu
Page 7: Compliance
Health Guidelines for Spring 2021
Compliance with health guidelines Responding to COVID-19 diagnoses If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, have tested positive, or have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, please consult your personal physician, and please complete the Health Notification Form.
How to navigate health and wellness concerns
Consequences for noncompliance
If you have any concerns regarding health and wellness practices, we invite you to speak directly with the other person. Thank you for being mindful of kindness and grace.
Please know there will be consequences for disregarding of these health and wellness guidelines which could put others at serious risk. If there is regular or serious disregard:
If you do not feel you can directly speak with someone, students are invited to reach out the Yedea Walker in the Office of Student Life. Employees are invited to reach out to their supervisor or Kurt Gabbard in Human Resources.
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Students will be referred to the Residential Life Task Force chaired by the Dean of Student Life.
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Employees will be referred to the Department of Human Resources.
Serious or regular disregarding may result in students being asked to relocate from their seminary residence or employees being placed on leave.
Important forms Confidential COVID-19 notification form Health and wellness concern form
Travel notification form
Vaccination notification form