A Message about a Positive Case on Campus, Testing and Quarantine Requirements
A COVID-19 Update
Topics in this update:- Positive case on campus
- Return-to-campus testing
- Quarantine requirements
To the Bard College community,
This month we are welcoming students back to campus, with a detailed and well-coordinated check-in process that includes testing and quarantine as required by the State of New York. The importance of maintaining stringent testing and safety protocols moving forward cannot be overstated. This week the College is testing all students who remained on campus during winter break, as well as the small number of early arrivals, and all staff currently working on campus. Through this process, we identified one positive test result yesterday. The individual has been moved into our isolation housing. Through contact tracing, we identified one person on campus who was exposed to the positive case and is now in quarantine. No other individuals on campus have been exposed to the active case.
In 2020 we learned how to keep our community healthy in a pandemic, through our personal behaviors and the College’s COVID policies and protocols. We are grateful to everyone who helped. Now that we are entering a new year, rising transmission rates and the new highly contagious strain first discovered in England make it far more important than ever that we all strictly adhere to these protocols, and the appropriate health and safety behaviors, both on and off campus. Along with the entire nation we are entering the most challenging moment of the pandemic, even though the end is in sight with the vaccine.
A safe return to campus starts prior to arrival on campus. Take extra precautions to avoid situations where you might become exposed to the virus before returning to Bard, so that you do not bring it back with you. Take the opportunity now to review the College’s COVID policies and protocols as published on our COVID page. Students should reacquaint themselves with the requirements outlined in the COVID-19 Addendum to the Student Handbook. All of us have worked together to take extraordinary measures to keep our community safe. We must continue to support these efforts with our actions now.
Testing and quarantine requirements for January return-to-campus
All students who did not remain on campus for Winter Break are required to take two COVID tests as part of the “return to campus” protocol.- Pre-arrival test: New York State requires each returning student to take a pre-arrival COVID test within three days before returning to campus. If you receive your test result before returning to Bard, you must submit it to [email protected]. PCR or rapid antigen tests are acceptable; antibody tests are not. If you do not receive your test result before returning to campus, you must be prepared to shelter in place upon arrival until you receive your result. This pre-arrival test requirement is for ALL STUDENTS, including those living locally off-campus. Arranging for and taking this pre-arrival test is the responsibility of each student. Under current New York State guidance, if you do not have a pre-arrival test, you cannot test out of mandatory 10-day quarantine. Any student unable to obtain a COVID test within the 3-day pre-arrival time frame must notify [email protected] in advance of arrival to update your quarantine status. To identify testing locations, please consult your doctor or the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ list of no-cost on-site testing by state.
- Post-arrival test: Each returning student will be required to take their second COVID test approximately four days after returning to campus. The College will schedule and administer this test to all students - whether they live on or off campus - via the same MIT/Broad Institute testing program that we used throughout the fall semester, and that typically delivers results in less than 24 hours.
Additional details on arrival protocols and specific arrival dates can be found here. Students must be prepared to arrive on the day that corresponds to their specific situation as described at the link. Due to the complexity of the check-in process under COVID and the importance of maintaining these safety protocols through an orderly check-in, the College cannot accommodate arrival dates and times outside of the options listed.
Quarantine requirements
Students returning to Bard from any non-contiguous state or from overseas are required by New York State Guidelines to quarantine upon arrival in NY, and will immediately enter quarantine after arriving at Bard. The College has arranged quarantine space for all students who need it. Students who live off campus and are required to quarantine must be prepared to do so in their off-campus residence. If you have questions about quarantine, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the College’s COVID page.New York State has updated its quarantine requirement to enable travelers to test out of quarantine if they submit negative pre- and post-arrival COVID tests, reducing quarantine time to approximately four days. However, in accordance with NYS requirements, any student who needs to quarantine and is unable to get a pre-arrival COVID test will be required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in NY. Students not required to quarantine will be expected to refrain from any group interactions during the time between their arrival on campus and their post-arrival test.
All Bard employees returning to work this week are required to be tested, and all returning employees are required to participate in surveillance testing during the spring semester. Employees who have traveled or hosted visitors from outside the local area must observe quarantine protocols as outlined by New York State. They are also required to sign a new health pledge and to continue conducting daily COVID health checks before coming to campus.
We are optimistic that COVID vaccines will become available at some point during the spring semester. We are working closely with NY State and our partners at Nuvance Health to establish a plan of action so we can quickly begin offering vaccinations to our community as soon as possible. Once vaccination is available, it should be considered an additional level of protection, not a replacement for such essential safety measures as mask wearing and social distancing.
Thank you all for your ongoing commitment to the College’s efforts to keep the community safe. We look forward to a healthy and engaging return for Citizen Science and another successful semester.
Sincerely,
Bard College COVID-19 Response Team
[email protected]
Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration
Kimberly Alexander, Director, Human Resources
Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Barbara Jean Briskey, Director, Health Services
Erin Cannan, Vice President Student Affairs/Dean for Civic Engagement
Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of the College
Malia Du Mont, Chief of Staff, President's Office/Vice President for Strategy and Policy
Brooke Jude, Associate Professor of Biology
John Gomez, Director, Safety and Security
Emily McLaughlin, Associate Dean of the College
Jennifer Murray, Dean of International Studies
Bethany Nohlgren, Dean of Students
Kahan Sablo, Dean for Inclusive Excellence
Michael Sadowski, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies
David Shein, Associate VP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Studies
Éric Trudel, Chair, Faculty Senate
For more information, call 845-758-6822.