Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As summer draws to a close, we are eagerly anticipating the start of the fall semester and welcoming all of our new and returning students to campus. We are in a better place than we’ve been for several years in terms of managing COVID with vaccines for all age groups, high levels of community immunity, and a variety of treatment and prevention options. We also need to recognize that COVID is still very present in our communities, so we continue to assess, adjust and determine methods to best live alongside it and limit its disruption to our lives. With that being said, we are sharing the following information regarding our policies with regard to COVID this fall.
TESTING
Carroll will not have testing on campus this semester. There are various locations in Helena which provide COVID-19 testing. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Locations map on the Lewis & Clark Public Health COVID-19 Hub for locations.
We also encourage all students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of the offer provided by the federal government to have eight (8) free rapid antigen tests mailed to your home or school address to have on hand if needed at www.covidtests.gov.
QUARANTINE/ISOLATION
We strongly recommend that anyone who feels ill or tests positive for COVID-19, use the Quarantine and Isolation Calculator on the CDC website. This tool will provide guidance on how long it is recommended that individuals quarantine and isolate based on their individual circumstances. If the tool is being updated and/or unavailable, guidance can be found on the CDC’s “What to Do If You Are Sick” webpage.
Based on CDC guidance, Carroll will no longer track and monitor students who are either COVID positive or a close contact, yet we strongly encourage individuals to follow the guidance for quarantine and isolation provided by the CDC. We also recommend that any students who test positive and have symptoms reach out to their healthcare provider or the Wellness Center, if necessary.
In addition, beginning with the fall semester, Carroll will no longer provide alternative isolation housing for COVID-19 positive students.
If a student tests positive and lives on campus, we strongly encourage that the student limit their exposure to others by staying in their residence hall room for the recommended period of time (see the CDC calculator and guidance.) We recognize this presents a challenge with roommates so if a student has the ability to travel home or isolate off-campus, we recommend they do so.
Tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while you're isolating in the residence halls:
- Wear a mask.
- Limit face-to-face interactions.
- Open windows for ventilation.
- Wash your hands often.
- Avoid common areas.
- Have friends or roommates deliver your meals to you.
If you live off campus, stay home and avoid others, and follow the CDC's recommended guidelines for isolation.
Students who are self-isolating should contact their faculty and/or coaches immediately to inform them of their situation. As in the past, all faculty will be ready to provide appropriate support for students needing to keep current with any assignments missed due to illness.
MASKS
Masks are not required anywhere on campus with the exception of the nursing labs because they simulate a clinical setting.
Individuals may choose and are welcome to personally wear masks for any reason. As a community, we continue to respect each person’s choice and personal circumstances.
We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the fall and will communicate any changes to our current operating policies. The Marching Forward Plan with its three-phased approach is no longer in effect; however, it may be revisited and reimplemented if health conditions necessitate doing so in the future.
We appreciate everyone’s understanding and flexibility as we begin what we anticipate to be a wonderful and vibrant fall semester.
The Marching Forward Team