Here at Connecticut College, we are very lucky to have a comprehensive COVID-19 response plan, developed over multiple months working with public health experts. Our plan was made publicly available for all members of the community to view, with all aspects on The Path Forward website. A brief overview is provided, stating, “The College’s health strategy is informed by guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, State of Connecticut and the American College Health Association. We have also been in close contact with public health officials and medical experts who have shared their expertise to assist us in planning for the fall. The goal of our healthcare strategy is to slow and limit the spread of the coronavirus. Our approach is extensive but requires the cooperation of every member of our campus community to minimize the impact of COVID-19 (The Path Forward).” The Connecticut College Covid-19 plan requires mask wearing and social distancing whenever a person is in a common space, which is essentially everywhere on campus except for their own dorm room. Directional and socially distant signage has been posted for all stairwells and common areas of campus. Dining halls are open for pickup, and students are allowed to eat in their rooms, or outside with a friend. Every student who is living or attending classes on campus is subject to mandatory testing twice a week, with testing dates decided by where on campus one is living. Faculty are tested either once or twice a week, depending on how often they come to campus. Should a student test positive for Covid-19, they are contacted by student health services, and asked to name everyone who they have had close contact with recently, before they are moved across the street to quarantine dorms. Each person they identify as a close contact is either moved across the street to a separate contact quarantine dorm, or asked to self isolate in their own room if they have a single. Another aspect of Connecticut College’s COVID-19 response involves the Covid-19 Dashboard, a website which is updated each time a round of testing comes back. In terms of social life, masks and social distancing are still allowed, with students not allowed into other residential buildings and groups larger than 10 not allowed. Prior to coming to campus, all students were asked to sign the Camels Care Pledge, in which they agree to obey the rules and they understand that if they are caught breaking the rules they may be asked to complete the semester remotely or face other punishments. Overall, Connecticut College has a very wide reaching and extensive set of rules designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and keep all of the students, staff, and members of the New London community safe.
