In alignment with recommendations from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DOE), Marywood University will require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result (from a test taken no more than 1-3 days before arrival on campus) to prevent and reduce COVID-19 transmission. Testing must occur under the supervision of a healthcare professional in a clinical setting - i.e. doctor’s office, laboratory, pharmacy, etc. This requirement is for all students who will attend campus in person during the Spring 2022 semester. (Students enrolled in online-only programs, such as online graduate programs, are exempt from this requirement.)
In place of vaccination/testing, we will accept proof of a positive COVID-19 test result obtained within 90 days prior to arrival. (See Section Monitoring Campus, “Testing, Contact Tracing, and Quarantine”)
Students will not be permitted to return to campus or attend in-person courses until this requirement is met. Residential students must submit documentation by Saturday, January 8, 2022, in order to return to rooms on Sunday, January 9, 2022.
Proof of COVID-19 entry/re-entry testing and/or completion of the COVID-19 vaccine must be uploaded electronically to the Student Health Portal. All documents must be legible and in English. To complete your Health Information Requirements please log into your Student Health Portal using your MU username and password and upload your required documents.
Students, faculty, and staff should not report to campus, clinical sites, internships, athletic practice/competitions, or University-sponsored events if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have had a known or suspected exposure to someone with COVID-19. Instead, please isolate, seek medical consultation, and follow provider recommendations prior to coming to campus.
Marywood University’s Student Health Center has partnered with local healthcare organizations and other regional facilities to assure that COVID-19 testing is available for students who report to the campus Health Center with symptoms consistent with coronavirus infection and to those with a known exposure to COVID-19. The Student Health Center responds to students’ health and wellness needs Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students should call ahead (570-348-6249) before visiting the Health Center, unless they are experiencing an emergency such as respiratory distress or an injury with profuse bleeding. (For all after hour medical emergencies call 911.)
Health Center staff will determine whether telemedicine services can be utilized, or if an in-person visit is warranted. Special arrangements will be made for students showing symptoms of an infectious nature. Students who are advised to report to the Health Center in person will be instructed on which entrance to use. Patients with general medical issues will use the front entrance; those with COVID-19 symptoms will use the back entrance. Health Center workers will use respiratory protection when encountering patients showing signs of infectious disease.
Isolation areas have been identified for residential students who have tested positive for the virus. After hours and on weekends, students should utilize the Geisinger COVID-19 hotline at 570-284-3657 for answers about care recommendations and more. In addition to this option, students can seek guidance from Medicus Urgent Care by calling ahead to 570-207-2612. Other local care options can be found on the Student Health Resource Page.
**It is important to note that you must call ahead when seeking evaluation and/or treatment for COVID-19 symptoms from any health care provider**
Testing, Contact Tracing, and Quarantine
Proof of COVID-19 entry/re-entry testing and/or completion of the COVID-19 vaccine must be uploaded electronically to the Student Health Portal. All documents must be legible and in English. To complete your Health Information Requirements please log into your Student Health Portal using your MU username and password and upload your required documents.
< p>Students who visit the Health Center with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be referred for testing. Employees will be sent home and referred to their medical providers.
Students diagnosed with probable or lab-confirmed COVID-19:
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If the student is residential, unless the student chooses to return home, s/he will be instructed to self-isolate in a designated area on campus and the Health Center will monitor their condition (preferably by phone or video conference).
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Students living off-campus will self-isolate in a designated area of their residence. Self–isolation in this context means isolating from others living in the same residence. If space limitations or limited facilities – i.e. bathrooms, kitchens – make some interaction unavoidable, the individual self-isolating should avoid usage when others are occupying these spaces, whenever possible, and maintain a minimum of six feet of social distance, wear face covering, and practice hand washing at all other times. Student Health Services will monitor their condition (preferably by phone or video conference).
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While a residential student is in isolation, University staff will arrange for food delivery and address other needs.
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The CDC recommends time for isolation to be a minimum of 5 days for everyone and quarantine to be a minimum of five full days for those who are not up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines. People who are severely ill with COVID-19 and people with compromised immune systems might need to isolate at home for a longer period.
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Shared housing (for example, residence halls) in institutions of higher education is considered a lower risk congregate setting due to the lower risk of severe health outcomes (such as hospitalizations and death) associated with young adults. Therefore, the CDC recommends shared housing in IHE settings follow the general public guidance for quarantine and isolation. To better align with this updated guidance, Marywood University will decrease the requirement for isolation to a minimum of 5 days from test date or symptom onset for all students, faculty, and staff. This protocol will go into effect immediately.
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A minimum of five full days of quarantine will be required of all those who are not up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines following a known exposure. As long as an individual remains without symptoms and has a negative COVID test performed on day 5 post exposure, they may return to normal campus activities on day 6. Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others.
Who does not need to quarantine? If you have had close contact with someone who is COVID positive and you are in one of the following groups, you do not need to quarantine.
- You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
- You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (meaning you tested positive using a viral test).
Students who: completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted OR are unvaccinated and come in close contact with an infected individual, must quarantine in their residence as directed by Student Health Services (for residential students quarantine takes place in their residence hall rooms). This may include roommates/suitemates/floormates (if sharing a bathroom)/housemates. These students should refrain from entering public areas outside of their residence while the quarantine is in place. Residential students will not be permitted to remain in student housing if they refuse to quarantine under these circumstances.
Contact Tracing
If a member of the Marywood community is diagnosed with COVID-19, contact tracing can help to keep our campus safer by identifying others who may be at risk and directing them to quarantine or obtain medical care. Confidentiality laws prohibit the university from disclosing any identifying information about affected individuals.
Any individual who has tested positive will be isolated, and anyone unvaccinated or believed to be at increased risk for exposure will be contacted and asked to self-quarantine.
People who have been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19, unless they have symptoms. However, everyone should get tested 5-7 days after an exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
Several Marywood staff members have been trained and certified in contact tracing. All communication related to contact tracing is private and confidential. To prevent the further spread of disease, unvaccinated COVID-19 contacts are encouraged to stay home and maintain social distance (at least 6 feet) from others until 14 days after their last exposure to a person with COVID-19. Contacts should monitor themselves by checking their temperature twice daily and watching for symptoms of COVID-19. Learn more about the Contact Tracing Process or read the Contact Tracing Frequently Asked Questions on the PA Department of Health website. Also, view the PA Department of Health video, “What to know about contact tracing.” Questions? Call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).
Students, faculty, and staff who are positive for COVID-19 must comply with requests for information related to the contact tracing process. In most cases, The Pennsylvania Department of Health will take the lead in contact tracing off-campus exposures. Student Health Services will take the lead in contact tracing for those exposed on campus. In the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19, the university will follow contact tracinsg and notification protocols as directed by local and state health authorities. Identified contacts will receive guidance about monitoring and testing.
Coordination with Local Public Health Officials
Marywood University’s Director of Student Health Services (or designee) will communicate any identified cases of COVID-19 to the Pennsylvania Department of Health as per protocol. The Director or designee will also activate plans for isolation/quarantine as deemed appropriate. Visit the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard, which provides information on statewide and county COVID-19 prevalence to track increases in disease in the community on a weekly basis.