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Campus Updates

Our Proactive Approach

As COVID-19 continues to affect lives across the globe, the senior management team at Anna Maria College has been proactively working with students, faculty, and staff in preparation for the changes that are occurring on a daily, if not hourly basis. In order to keep you as informed as possible, we have assembled a list of important dates and actions that we are taking to protect our community during these unprecedented times.

Update, January 4, 2022:

Dear AMC Community,

I hope your New Year is off to an enjoyable and healthy start. With the beginning of the new semester two weeks away, I want to provide this update on our plans for a safe return and appreciate your continued cooperation with our COVID-19 protocols.

This communication addresses:

  • New booster requirement;
  • Schedule changes and testing arrangements for return;
  • Information for new students; and
  • New isolation guidelines.

The CDC has strengthened its recommendation on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for individuals who are 16 years and older. The prevalence of the Omicron variant emphasizes the importance of utilizing these vaccines. For 2022, Anna Maria College is joining the growing list of colleges and universities in requiring a booster dose for all students, faculty and staff. This requirement will be effective February 28, so that eligible individuals have adequate time to receive their shot.  Read More.

More Information

COVID-19 Health & Safety Protocols
FAQs
If You Were Exposed to Covid-19
If You Are Experiencing Symptoms of Covid-19
If You Have Tested Positive for Covid-19

COVID-19 Health & Safety Protocols

Together, we are responsible for keeping our Anna Maria College community safe and healthy. By individually following college protocols and practices to prevent the spread of coronavirus, we create a safe campus for us all. For community members or visitors if you are sick or symptomatic we ask that you stay home.

2021-2022 Academic Year COVID Vaccination Policy

Anna Maria College requires all students and employees to be fully vaccinated by the date they arrive on campus. The college also requires some third-party visitors and vendors (contractors) to be vaccinated, depending on the nature of their work on campus.

“Fully vaccinated” means two weeks have passed since your final dose of a U.S. Federal Drug Administration or World Health Organization listed COVID-19 vaccine.

For 2022, Anna Maria College is joining the growing list of colleges and universities in requiring a booster dose for all students, faculty and staff. This requirement will be effective February 28, so that eligible individuals have adequate time to receive their shot. After receiving a booster there is no waiting period, you are considered “boosted” as soon as you receive your immunization.

2022 Guidelines

Masking

At this time cloth masks and neck gaiters are no longer allowed mask types on campus. All individuals must use either a surgical mask, N95, KN95, or KF94 for masking. This is based on emerging science about the Omicron Covid-19 virus variant that cloth masks and gaithers do not provide adequate protection against transmission compared to higher filtration masks. Surgical mask dispensing stations have been set up in high traffic and common areas around campus to allow for easy access. Health Services encourages using the highest filtration mask available to you.

Indoors Masks are required indoors at all times, for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, except when alone in a bedroom (or with a roommate), in an enclosed workspace, or when eating. Athletes who are competing in indoor sports are allowed to remove their masks only when playing, when on the sidelines or on the bench, masks are required.
Outdoors Although masks are not mandatory outdoors, we welcome those who would like to continue to wear them. We advise everyone to wear masks in crowded situations.  For unvaccinated individuals, masks are required outdoors unless a 6-foot distance from others can be achieved. For major events on campus, the mask requirements will be communicated prior to the event.

Testing

Campus testing center: The campus testing center is located in the Jacques Conference room and for Spring Semester 2022 is open 10am to 7:30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays weekly. Please watch for emails regarding changes to testing center hours around breaks and holidays.
Off-campus tests: Community members who have test results from other institutions or places of employment may submit these tests by email to covidtest@annamaria.edu to meet the weekly surveillance testing requirement.
Positive off-campus test: If you test positive for Covid-19 through an off-campus test, please report your positive test and submit a copy of the test result through this online form: https://annamaria.formstack.com/forms/covid_positive_report
Completing this form will automatically notify Health Services. Employees should also notify Joellen Andrews in HR.

 

Vaccinated Community Members Vaccinated students and  employees are required to be tested twice weekly. This will be done in partnership with the Broad Institute and a PCR test.
Unvaccinated Community Members Unvaccinated students and employees are required to be tested twice weekly. At least one of the tests must be a PCR test run through the Anna Maria College testing facility.

*Note that athletes may be required to test more than the above testing requirements depending on the regulations of the team or NCAA

Positive Cases

Please refer to THIS document is you have tested positive for Covid-19.

Additional Guidence:

Length of Isolation: If you test positive for Covid-19 you are required to complete a minimum 5 day isolation period per current CDC and Massachusetts DPH guidelines. The date of your positive test is considered Day 0, and five full days must pass to complete the isolation period.
Due to the congregate living arrangements on campus and limited isolation space resources, Anna Maria College is adopting more conservative isolation time periods during the current Omicron surge, with the option to “test out” of isolation earlier with a negative rapid antigen test.
  • Residential Students: must complete a full 10 day isolation, regardless of isolation location. May test out of isolation starting on day 6 with a negative rapid antigen test (a home test is fine).
  • Commuter Students and Employees: must complete a full 7 day isolation, and may test out of isolation starting on day 6 with a negative rapid antigen test (a home test is fine).
Isolation Location: Employees, commuter students, and residential students who live 200 miles or less from the Anna Maria College campus are required to complete isolation at home. There is a limited number of on-campus isolation spaces and we are unable to provide isolation housing on campus for all residential students during the current Omicron surge.
Residential students who live more than 200 miles from campus and cannot go home for isolation will be prioritized for isolation space on campus.
Ending Isolation: Starting on Day 6, you may submit a negative rapid antigen test report to this online form: https://annamaria.formstack.com/forms/end_of_isolation to be cleared to leave isolation and return to campus activities. No testing is required for Residential Students who complete a 10 day isolation, or for Commuter Students or Employees who complete a 7 day isolation

Close Contact Exposure to Covid-19

Please refer to THIS document if you have been exposed to Covid-19 or identified as a close contact to someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

FAQs for Close Contacts or known Exposure to Covid-19
I was identified as a Close Contact to Covid-19. What do I need to do?
Mask, Monitor, and Test. Wear a mask at all times around others (except to eat, sleep, or shower) for 10 days after exposure. Monitor your symptoms. If you develop even very, very mild symptoms of Covid, self-isolate and get tested. Get a Covid-19 test on Day 5 after exposure, even if you are not having any symptoms.
Do I need to quarantine?
If you are up to date on Covid vaccinations, you do not need to quarantine. You are considered “up to date” if you have had a booster vaccine dose OR it has been less than 6 months since completing a 2-dose initial vaccine series (Pfizer or Moderna) OR it has been less than 2 months since receiving an initial J&H vaccination.
If you are not up to date, or you have submitted a waiver for covid vaccinations, you are required to quarantine for 5 days after exposure.
I need to quarantine. Where do I do that?
  • Commuter students, Employees, and Residential students who live 200miles or closer to the Anna Maria College campus are required to quarantine at home.
  • Residential students who live more than 200 miles from campus will be prioritized for on-campus quarantine space. On-campus quarantine space is very limited, and you may be asked to quarantine in place. Health Services and Residential Life will discuss details with you if this is the case.
I have more questions about an exposure to Covid-19 and/or quarantine.
Contact Health Services at 508-849-3315 or healthservices@annamaria.edu

I Am Having Symptoms of Covid-19

Please refer to THIS document for detailed information if you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.

General Guidance: If you are experiencing Covid-like symptoms you need to self-isolate and get tested. Call Health Services at 508-849-3315 for help getting tested or, after hours and on the weekends, call the Residential Director on-call at 508-527-9123

General Guidance

Visitors in Residence Halls No external guests are to be hosted in the residence halls. Requests for exceptions should be directed to the Director of Residence Life, Jake Boillat. All guests must follow all Anna Maria College health and safety protocols, if they do not, they will be banned from campus. Anna Maria students are allowed to visit other residence halls.
Meetings and Gatherings Gatherings of members of the Anna Maria College community are allowed. External presenters, trainers or lecturers are allowed, but must follow all Anna Maria health and safety guidelines.
Admissions Visitors Campus tours and activities are available. Please contact the Anna Maria College Admissions Department at admissions@annamaria.edu or visit the Admissions Webpage for more information.
Visitors to Campus and Sporting Events Visitors are permitted to some campus and sporting events.  All visitors to campus events must adhere to the Anna Maria College health and safety guidelines.