SAFER STETSON

Stetson University COVID response Fall 2022:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health have changed contact tracing guidelines for COVID-19. Contact tracing has been discontinued at the national and state levels.  As a result, Stetson University will be discontinuing the remaining COVID track and trace process effective October 4, 2022. 

The CDC currently recommends that Institutions of Higher Education follow guidelines for the general population: CDC updated COVID-19 guidance. Therefore, this transfers decisions to personal responsibility for our faculty, staff and students to monitor for symptom development and self-isolate when needed, as per the CDC's COVID-19 Isolation Protocol. 

This change also includes discontinuation of:

  •  The public COVID-19 Dashboard 
  • Collection of information on positive cases and symptoms via the “Report it Form”
  • Faculty and supervisor notifications

Students will be responsible for notifying their professors, on-campus supervisors and any close contacts of their isolation status. Employees will be responsible for notifying their supervisors and close contacts.

If you have any questions about meals during isolation, in DeLand, please email Dining Services at [email protected] or call at 386-822-8780. If you have additional meal plan questions, contact Jana Cotta at [email protected]. 

Free at-home COVID tests will continue to be available on campus for students and employees with Stetson ID while supplies last.

5 Things Stetson University Students should know about COVID-19

What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19?

If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Use the CDC's Isolation and Exposure calculator to assess your dates. 

What do I do if I have symptoms of COVID-19?

You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations above. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.

If you need non-urgent medical assistance or have medical questions during business hours, call Stetson Health Service at 386-822-8150. After business hours, call DeLand Public Safety at 386-822-7300 or College of Law Public Safety at 727-343-1262.

If you need immediate medical attention, always call 911.

What to do if I am exposed to someone positive for COVID-19

If you were exposed to someone positive for COVID-19 and you are asymptomatic, you do not need to quarantine. However, continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days after exposure.

If symptoms develop or you test positive, follow the isolation instructions listed above. Testing on day 5 after exposure is highly recommended.

Visit the CDC Quarantine Guidance for additional information.   

What are my options for COVID-19 testing?

Stetson University highly encourages community members who are sick to undergo COVID-19 testing to control the spread of COVID-19 and safeguard the health of students, faculty and staff.

Testing Options at a Glance:

  1. Stetson Health Service: All patients must have an appointment. Rapid Antigen test will be administered for symptomatic patients and a PCR test may be ordered at the provider’s discretion. The provider’s visit and the diagnostic tests are charged through insurance. Referrals to an off-campus option are available for those without insurance. (Students, staff and faculty). Call 386-822-8150 for appointments.

  2. On-Campus Free At-Home Rapid Antigen Tests Available: Stetson University will continue to offer free at-home test kits for students and employees while supplies last. In DeLand, tests can be picked up at Stetson Health Service and the CUB South Info Desk by the Coffeeshop during business hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday) and at Public Safety after hours and on weekends (with Stetson ID). In Gulfport, COVID tests remain available while supplies last in Human Resources, for employees, and Student Affairs, for students, during business hours.

Preventing COVID-19

  • Wearing a face covering in areas of high transmission rate
  • Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds (or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when washing hands is not possible)
  • Physically distancing at least 6 feet
  • Getting vaccinated and boosted

These resources provide more information on the coronavirus.

Why Get Vaccinated against COVID-19?

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best option to lower your risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death if you get infected.

The FDA authorized bivalent formulations of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for use as a single booster dose at least two months after completing primary or booster vaccination. The CDC endorsed these boosters on September 1, 2022 with the following statement:

"The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion."

Find additional information at covid-19-bivalent-vaccine-boosters.

Find a vaccine/booster near you at Find a COVID Vaccine/Booster.

If you already have been vaccinated and/or boosted, letting us know will help us to make better decisions for everyone. Voluntarily report your COVID-19 vaccination status to Stetson as soon as possible by using this online form. This data is a vital component of our decision-making process and helps to safeguard our community.

Assistance for People with Disabilities:

For information on COVID-19 vaccine assistance for people with disabilities, please consult Disability Rights Florida (DRF) guidance.

 

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