Health and Safety

• Mandatory Reporting and Health Screening
  All Maryville Community Members are responsible for personally assessing their own health and reporting any COVID-19 diagnosis, symptoms, and exposure to the University by completing the required online Health Screening Survey.

  Community Members who are fully vaccinated (as defined by the CDC at the end of this policy) and have completed the vaccine reporting form, are not required to complete the Health Screening Survey on a daily basis. However, fully vaccinated Community Members should complete the Health Screening Survey if they:

  • Are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19; and/or
  • Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 either through a positive test result or presumed positive.

  Community Members who are not fully vaccinated are required to continue completing the Health Screening Survey daily, even if they will not be on campus. The survey must be completed no later than 12:00p.m. (Noon) each day or before arriving on campus or before leaving your residential room/apartment, whichever is earlier. A personalized version of the daily Health Screening Survey will be emailed to Community Members each morning. The link in the email is unique to each person and should not be shared. Alternatively, you can go to the SaintStrong website and find a link to the survey should you not have access to your email link.

  Community Members who are not fully vaccinated are required to notify the University through the daily health screening survey if they:

  • Are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 (Closer than 6 feet for any length of time) within the last 14 days.
  • Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 either through a positive test result or presumed positive.

  Individuals are expected to check their own temperature and report if they have a fever as part of the health screening survey. Information provided in the health screening survey must be honest and accurate. Maryville will continue to monitor public health guidance and may adjust health screening questions accordingly.

  Community Members reporting COVID-19 symptoms and/or close contact (closer than 6 feet for any length of time) with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 10 days must remain off-campus or in their residential space until contacted by the University’s Health & Wellness Office, the Office of Human Resources, or other University officials.

  Health Professions faculty and students following the health and safety requirements at their workplace do not need to notify the University of potential workplace exposure to COVID-19; however, individuals are required to report development of COVID-19 symptoms or diagnosis consistent with the University’s reporting requirements.

  In circumstances where a Community Member is unable to complete the health screening survey, notification may be provided by contacting Maryville’s Health & Wellness Office at (314) 529-9520 or healthandwellness@maryville.edu.
  Maryville intends to communicate with state and local health agencies about reported symptoms, exposures, and diagnosis of COVID-19.

  According to the CDC, people are:

  • Fully Vaccinated and up-to-date when they have completed their primary vaccine series and received a booster dose, or are within 90 days of documented COVID-19 infection, or it has been less than 6 months since 2nd dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or it has been less than 2 months since initial J&J vaccine.
  • Fully Vaccinated and booster eligible when they have completed primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than 6 months ago, or completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago, and are not boosted.
  • Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated when they have not completed the primary series of J&J, Pfizer, or Moderna vaccine, or only one dose vaccination of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

  *For individuals vaccinated outside the United States, anyone who has completed a primary vaccine series with any COVID-19 vaccine on WHO emergency use list will be considered fully vaccinated.

• Community Members With COVID-19 Exposure, Symptoms and Diagnosis

  Exposure

  Individuals who are fully vaccinated and up-to-date (boosted) are not required to quarantine for exposure. However, it is imperative that the exposed vaccinated individual wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals, who are not fully vaccinated, with close contact to someone with COVID-19 may be required to complete a 5-10 day quarantine before returning to Campus Activities and monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 followed with strict mask use for an additional 5 days. The exact quarantine period will be determined by the Health & Wellness Office or the individual’s primary care provider based on a review of their individual circumstances.

  For all those exposed, the CDC recommends testing for COVID-19 5-7 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19. Symptomatic individuals may contact Health and Wellness to schedule a test.

  Campus Activities include, but are not limited to:

  • On-campus activities such as reporting to work on campus, attending classes in-person, socializing on campus, participating in any athletics, recreation or student organization activities, utilizing any campus facilities such as the library, exercise facility, dining center, etc.
  • Off-campus activities such as athletics, recreation or student organization events and University-sponsored or sanctioned activities
  • For residential students, you should quarantine in your residential room AND contact the Health & Wellness Office

  If you are not fully vaccinated and learn you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 you should:

  • Notify the University using the Health Screening Survey.
  • For non-residential students and employees, you should leave campus immediately and/or not return to campus until the quarantine period has concluded, and you have no COVID-19 symptoms; however, this could be extended if you are diagnosed with COVID-19;
  • For residential students, you should quarantine in your residential room AND immediately contact the Health & Wellness Office at (314) 529-9520 or healthandwellness@maryville.edu to determine appropriate protocols.

  Students will be able to continue to participate in their courses remotely. The University will notify a student’s instructors about their need to participate in courses remotely, but students should also make contact with each instructor to discuss specific requirements for each course affected by their remote attendance.

  Employees should contact Human Resources to discuss work expectations.

  Symptoms and Diagnosis

  If you develop COVID-19 symptoms or are diagnosed with COVID-19, you must:

  • Immediately leave campus (non-residential students and employees) or quarantine/isolate in your residential room (residential students), unless provided with other instructions.
  • Contact your primary health care provider to determine if testing is warranted. You can also call the St. Louis County COVID-19 Hotline at 314-615-2660. Students can also contact Maryville’s Health & Wellness Office.
  • Follow your health care provider’s directives.
  • Notify the University using the Health Screening Survey.
  • Individuals experiencing symptoms or who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 must remain off-campus (employees or non-residential students) or in on-campus quarantine/isolation (residential students) until meeting the following conditions as recommended by the CDC and are cleared to return to Campus Activities by Maryville’s Health & Wellness Office:
  • Fever-free without the use of fever reducers for 24 hours; and
  • Symptoms have improved.

  Maryville may require individuals to provide documentation from their local county health department or a healthcare provider before returning to campus or lifting residential isolation requirements.

  Maryville will work with public health officials to determine whether alternate housing should be provided for any residential students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or are diagnosed with COVID-19. Residential students may be able to isolate in their current living space, may be required to relocate to alternative housing for the isolation period, or may be asked to return home if their permanent residence is within 150 miles of Maryville. Residential Life and the Health & Wellness Office have developed protocols so that isolated residential students will continue to have access to services such as meals, mail/package delivery, and trash removal.

  Students will be able to continue to participate in their courses remotely. The University will notify a student’s instructors about their need to participate in courses remotely, but students should also make contact with each instructor to discuss specific requirements for each course affected by their remote attendance.

  Requests for additional accommodations related to short-term or long-term disabilities associated with COVID-19 should still be submitted through the Office of Disability Support and Success at (314) 529-9347 or afuller2@maryville.edu.

  Employees should contact Human Resources to discuss work expectations.

  Contract Tracing and Communication

  Maryville will report any positive cases of COVID-19 to county health officials and follow their directives regarding notifications and mitigation efforts. Maryville will consult with public health officials regarding appropriate next steps, which may include contract tracing, individual and community notifications, and specialized cleaning. All community members are expected to fully cooperate with contract tracing efforts. Additionally, Maryville will work with public health officials to identify any individuals who were exposed and need to be personally notified or any additional actions to be taken.

  Our SaintStrong website provides a log of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. Due to privacy laws, there is limited information we can provide in relation to positive cases of COVID-19. MU provides weekly updates of confirmed on-campus COVID-19 cases (individual was on-campus within 5 days prior to a positive test result).

• Vaccinations
  Maryville expects all community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be subject to additional health and safety requirements. In order to be exempted from additional health and safety requirements, community members must submit proof of vaccination.

  Community members who are not fully vaccinated will be required to:

  • Complete a daily health screening survey

  We acknowledge that some individuals have health, religious and other reasons why they cannot get vaccinated. For those individuals, completing the daily health survey is required.

  While Maryville does not require COVID-19 vaccination, students should be aware that some third-party external sites, such as clinical sites, study abroad programs, student teaching or internship sites, may require vaccination. Per Maryville’s affiliation agreements with these third-party sites, we are required to comply with the standards implemented by the site. Maryville will work with students to identify alternative options should external vaccination requirements present a barrier to a student’s participation; however, Mayville cannot guarantee the availability of alternative sites or that alternatives will be comparable to the student’s preferred site. Getting the vaccine is the surest way to help avoid any disruption to your academic progression.

• Face Covering Requirements

  Face coverings are optional.

  Face coverings continue to be welcome on our campus. Community members are welcome to wear masks and should do so with confidence in their personal choice. A shared respect for the decisions and perspectives of others continues to be the expectation for all in our community.

• Social Distancing
  Consistent with CDC guidelines, Community Members who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are encouraged to continue to practice social distancing by maintaining 6 feet of physical distance from others. Community Members who are fully vaccinated are not required to practice social distancing or maintain 6 feet of physical distance in public spaces.

  Maryville will continue to monitor public health guidance and may adjust social distancing requirements accordingly.

• Guest/Visitor Policy
  External guests and visitors are permitted on campus; however, guests and visitors must comply with all of Maryville’s health and safety policies in. All external guests and visitors regardless of vaccination status are required to complete the health screening survey before arriving on campus.

• Gatherings, Meetings and Events
  Maryville is not limiting capacity at gatherings, meetings and events. To permit appropriate cleaning and set-up, all gatherings, meetings, and events must be requested and approved in advance. Spontaneous events will not be permitted.

  • For gatherings, meetings and events organized by students or student organizations, requests must be submitted to the University Events Office at least four weeks before the date of the gathering, meeting, or event and must be approved by the University Events Office and Student Life.
  • For gatherings and events organized by employees and departments, requests should generally be submitted at least four weeks before the date of the gathering or event and must be approved by the University Events Office. For in-person meetings, which may occur with less advanced notice, requests should be submitted at least two business days before the meeting.
  • The University Events Office will consult with event organizers to provide tips and guidance to support physical distancing, good cleaning/disinfecting practices and catering arrangements that are considerate of the public health situation. As outlined in the university policy, events should be scheduled in spaces large enough to permit physical distancing for guests who choose to do so. Additionally, event organizers should consider hosting events virtually or livestreaming in-person events so guests may choose to participate remotely.

  Learn more about Maryville’s event guidelines here.

  Although there are no current county guidelines limiting the capacity for events, we encourage Community Members to consider hosting events in spaces large enough to provide opportunities for social distancing for individuals who are not fully vaccinated and to offer virtual options for individuals who are uncomfortable attending in-person.

  The University Events Office will also inform the individual booking the space of any cleaning requirements; however, generally speaking it is recommended that community members use available cleaning supplies in the space to wipe down the space before and after use. Room assignments and outdoor location assignments will be based on anticipated event attendance and Maryville’s health and safety guidelines. Maryville will continue to monitor public health guidance and may adjust gathering limits accordingly.

  External guests/visitors are permitted to attend on-campus events; however, external guests/visitors must adhere to all of Maryville’s policies and protocols, including completing the health screening survey before arriving on campus.

  The University may impose additional requirements beyond those directed by public health officials to limit gatherings, meetings, and events.

  Best Practices for Event Organizers

  • Consider larger spaces and outdoor spaces for your event when available
  • Consider adding live streaming services as an alternative option when appropriate
  • When planning an event with catering consider the following options:
    • Individually packaged items
    • Boxed Meals
    • Adding servers to serve from the buffet
    • Provide gloves for guests to help themselves at a buffet
  • Add sanitation items at your location, available upon request
    • Disposable masks
    • Hand sanitizer stands
    • Sanitizing wipes
    • Social distancing signage
    • Acrylic barriers (limited quantity available)

  Best Practices for Guests

  • Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer
  • Social distance when possible – spread out in larger rooms, sit in more open areas, utilize outdoor space when possible
• Guidelines for Athletics and Recreation
  The Athletics and Recreation Department will provide students participating in recreational activities, student athletes, coaches, and staff with policies and protocols to help lessen the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission and support efforts to return to competition and recreational activities.

  Policy on Spectators at Athletic Competitions

  Maryville appreciates the important role that spectators play in supporting our student athletes and seeks to balance this with the overall health and safety of our campus and our compliance with the public health orders.

  Spectators are permitted at all indoor and outdoor athletic competitions. All spectators are required to follow Maryville’s COVID-19 policies and protocols as posted on our SaintStrong site. Failure to comply with University policies may result in, among other things, removal from the competition, individuals being barred from attending future competitions, and/or receiving campus trespass restrictions. Maryville may cease to allow spectators at athletic competitions at any time and without notice. Maryville will not be responsible for any costs incurred as a result of such action.

  Definition: The term “Spectators” is defined as anyone from within or outside of the Maryville community that attends an athletic competition. This may include Maryville students, faculty, and staff as well as campus guests and visitors.

  Health Screening Survey
  Spectators must complete a health screening survey on the day of the athletic competition before arriving on campus.

  Face Covering Requirements
  Face coverings are optional.

  Face coverings continue to be welcome on our campus. Community members are welcome to wear masks and should do so with confidence in their personal choice. A shared respect for the decisions and perspectives of others continues to be the expectation for all in our community.

  Safely eat and drink

  • Wash your hands and/or utilize hand sanitizer before and after eating and drinking.
  • Eating and drinking is permitted only at outdoor athletic competitions.
  • Concession Stands will only be available at outdoor athletic venues.
  • Tailgating is permitted.

  Safely support the team

  • Spectators should maintain at least 6’ distance from coaches, student-athletes, and officials at the venue.
• COVID-19 Testing
  For Spring 2022, community members returning to campus who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be required to complete a return to campus COVID-19 test upon returning to campus after spring break.

  Community members may choose to get tested on campus or obtain a rapid antigen or PCR COVID-19 test from the healthcare provider of their choice and submit the test results to the University. The test must be completed within the first 2 days of the student/employee’s return to campus and the results must be provided to the Office of Health & Wellness.

  Students

  Maryville continues to offer on-campus COVID-19 testing to students through Maryville’s Health & Wellness Office in circumstances where healthcare officials determine that testing is warranted. The availability of testing may be limited based on the availability of testing supplies and staffing capacity within the Health & Wellness Office. In cases where Maryville is unable to provide on-campus testing for students, referrals to other healthcare providers may be provided.

  Students are required to notify the Health & Wellness Office using the Health Screening Survey if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result or if a healthcare provider notifies them that they are presumed positive.

  Employees

  Employees with symptoms related to COVID-19 or who believe they need to be tested based on potential exposure are encouraged to contact their primary care physician or the local health department to locate COVID-19 testing sites in their area.

  Employees are required to notify Health and Wellness using the Health Screening Survey if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result or if a healthcare provider notifies them that they are presumed positive. All medical information provided by employees will be kept confidential by the University.

• Health and Wellness Services for Students
  Our Health and Wellness Office continues offering standard healthcare services from our nurse practitioners while also providing greater separation of patients to reduce possible exposure to COVID-19 or other diseases. To limit contact, appointments are preferred for visits to the Health & Wellness Office. Students with appointments will be pre-screened. Virtual appointments will be available through private, secure video conferencing.

• Flu Vaccine
  All students and employees are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

  Contact the Health & Wellness Office for additional information about flu vaccine availability in your area: healthandwellness@maryville.edu.

• Preventing the spread of COVID-19
  We encourage all Maryville community members to become familiar with the CDC recommendations for prevention, including:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home or housing unit.
  • Put distance between yourself and other people outside of your home or housing unit. Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face covering when around others.
  • If you are around others and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.
  • Monitor your health and be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath or other symptoms of COVID-19.

  As we continue to navigate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryville is committed to providing COVID-19 mitigation and prevention strategies to support community members who are not fully vaccinated and those who are fully vaccinated but choose to continue taking precautions. On our SaintStrong page we have outlined options for our community members consider as you seek ways to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in different spaces on campus.

  Maryville will continue to practice enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols as outlined here. Community Members are also encouraged to follow best practices for events, meetings and gatherings as outlined here.

  Classroom spaces
  • In most classroom spaces, students will have the opportunity to move their seat to provide additional physical distance if desired. However, some classrooms offer fixed seating where moving furniture may not be an option. Given this, we encourage all students to be mindful and attempt to leave open seats to allow others to distance. Specialized learning spaces such as labs, studios and clinical spaces may present limited options for physical distancing; however, additional protective equipment such as disposal masks and gloves as well as face shields may be available.

  Common Spaces
  • Many common spaces on campus, such as the Library, Walker Commons, the Donius University Center and Gander Dining will continue to provide seating options for individuals who wish to use the spaces and maintain physical distance from others. Distanced seating will also be available in some residence hall lounges. In addition, we will continue to provide outdoor seating and dining spaces. Students may also continue to choose to have food from Maryville’s dining facilities delivered to their residence hall or may choose carryout.

• Enhanced Cleaning Protocols
  Enhanced cleaning protocols have been implemented throughout public spaces on campus paying special attention to high-touch surfaces in high-traffic areas. Our sanitation staff has undergone professional coronavirus prevention training and are using CDC recommended disinfectants. Hand sanitizing stations are available across campus.

  To help limit disruptions, classrooms, labs and studios are deep-cleaned each evening. Maryville implemented a disinfectant wipe system in each classroom, along with gloves, (as long as such supplies remain available) so students and faculty can disinfect their own seat and table. Helping to mitigate COVID-19 transmission is a shared responsibility so we expect all Community Members to do their part.

• Community Support Resources
  Maryville students always have access to counseling support. We offer a 24-7 Counseling Center Support Line for students. You can call the line to speak with a mental health professional free of charge anytime of the day or night. Reach the Counseling Center Support Line at 314-529-6630. At any time, if you or someone you know is in crisis, you can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the National Alliance on Mental Illness at 741741. Other mental health resources can be found at: https://www.maryville.edu/studentlife/services-programs/personal-counseling/resources/crisis-resources/.

  Employees continue to have access to the confidential Employee Assistance Program. Counselors are available 24/7/365 at 1-800-96-HELPS (1-800-964-3577). For more information visit: www.guidanceresources.com. Use the organization ID: HLF902 to access the site.

  If you have additional questions, please contact the Counseling Center staff at jhenry@maryville.edu.