Monitoring + Assessing Campus Health

COVID-19 Data Assessment

Exposure Warranting Testing, Quarantine, and Contact Tracing Procedures

Any student or member of the faculty and staff who tests positive will immediately begin quarantine measures. Students receiving a positive test result will move to dedicated isolation housing or will be provided instructions for self-isolating in their off-campus residence. Employees who test positive will self-isolate at home for two weeks. In all cases, detailed instructions for quarantine and access to college support systems will be provided. While maintaining patient confidentiality, Bard’s contact tracing team, in coordination with the Dutchess County Department of Health, will begin the tracing process.

Bard's Contact Tracing Team will follow up with anyone who tests positive and will reach out to their close contacts. For COVID-19, a close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test returning a positive result) until the time the patient is isolated. Additional factors in assessing the level of exposure include whether or not face masks were used, and whether the contact was indoors or outdoors.

As determined by the Contact Tracing Team, any member of the campus community who has been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 14 days will either self-isolate or quarantine until 14 days have passed since exposure. In many cases, students will be able to self-isolate in their rooms, adhering to Department of Health guidance. In some cases, students may be relocated to other housing. Employees and students who live off campus will self-isolate in their residences.

Surveillance and Surge Testing

The College has developed a detailed plan for randomized surveillance testing throughout the semester and surge testing as needed. This strategy aims to maintain a clear and accurate assessment of the health of the Bard community on an ongoing basis, and to rapidly contain any infections or sources of exposure. 

Following the initial two-stage testing of all students (testing prior to their arrival at Bard, and a second test five to 10 days after arrival), the campus community will be tested at a rate of approximately 400 individuals per week, spread over six days, throughout the semester. This number represents approximately 25 percent of the students studying in Annandale this semester being tested weekly. This surveillance testing will be randomized across representative sections of the Bard community. These Bard-administered tests will be completed through our partnership with MIT’s Broad Institute, which provides us with on-demand testing and a 24-to-48-hour turnaround. 

In the case of a positive result from a Bard-administered test, the College will immediately initiate a surge in testing in coordination with our contact tracing program, testing all close contacts and isolating them while awaiting their test results. Operating together, surge testing and contact tracing will help us to contain any potential outbreak. The College will also coordinate closely with Dutchess County health authorities on required next steps. 

It is extremely important that every member of the Bard community comply with notifications of being selected for random testing. This ongoing testing plays an essential role in maintaining campus safety, and participation is not optional. Failure to appear for testing as required may result in disciplinary action. Please monitor your email carefully for these notifications and other communications about supporting health and safety on campus. We aim to make this testing process as smooth as possible and appreciate your cooperation. 

Below is a flow chart and detailed descriptions of our surveillance and surge testing protocols.

What to expect if there is a positive result from a Bard-administered test

1. Immediate mobilization of Bard’s contact tracing team and surge testing team. The person with the positive test result will move immediately into isolation housing. If the person with the positive result resides off campus they are required to self-isolate in their off-campus residence and comply with all directives from the Dutchess County Department of Health. Contact tracing will begin immediately.
2. Surge testing for all Bard contacts. Tested individuals will shelter in place until test results are reported. Those identified as CDC-defined close contacts (i.e., any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, with considerations for whether or not face masks were worn or if the interactions took place indoors or outdoors) will be subject to a 14-day quarantine period. All non-Bard contacts must adhere to Dutchess County regulations and protocols for testing, contact tracing, and isolation.
3. Ongoing daily surveillance testing across campus (400 tests per week, spread over six days).

Possible Changes to Campus Operations

Weighing the above considerations, and in close consultation with local and state authorities and our medical consultants at Nuvance Health, Bard may be required to institute operational changes. Such changes could range from reducing the number of people allowed in classrooms and laboratories, to restricting dining service to takeout only, to increased restrictions on access to campus facilities, to whatever other action the government might require us to take based on the circumstances. Our plan is sufficiently flexible that we can adjust as needed to ensure the continued safety and health of members of our community. We will carefully and creatively consider, based on government guidance and the best available medical expertise, all possible options for continuing Bard’s educational program without interruption.