Weekly COVID-19 update from Health Services

Mark Parisi, director of counseling and health services, sent the following email to Saint Rose students on Friday, September 11. This was the first of what will be weekly COVID-19 updates from Parisi.

Dear Students,

Yesterday, the University at Albany announced a spike in COVID-19 cases (31 cases reported to the Albany County Department of Health within a 24-hour period), which UAlbany is working to address. It is an important reminder that we all must remain vigilant and continue to wear our masks, practice social distancing, fill out the daily health survey, wash our hands frequently, and monitor ourselves for symptoms. And when you suspect there is an issue, testing is always available, so please contact us.

There have been no positive cases at the College this week. You can find a current tally of positive COVID-19 cases on campus by viewing our COVID-19 Dashboard.

In general, New York has done very well in preventing any spike in COVID-19 infections after proceeding with the phased reopening plans. This means that businesses, restaurants, healthcare services, and other agencies and organizations have been able to function following the current safety protocols in place such as physical distancing and mask-wearing. Just this Wednesday in the Capital Region there were 3,193 people tested and only 21 positive COVID-19 cases. So, I think we can feel encouraged with this proven model for successful containment of further mass transmission of the virus. Another important fact is these same safety protocols for COVID-19 transmission prevention also prevent the transmission of the common cold virus and the flu virus. Let these facts help motivate all of you to continue to consistently practice these safety measures so we can all stay safe and well and on campus!

Guidelines for limiting risk: As Dr. Shai Butler, vice president for student development, outlined in her message last week, the College has implemented policies to reduce the risk of transmission in our community. A key point is that students are not to host or participate in social gatherings or parties – either on-campus or off-campus – where social distancing and/or mask-wearing cannot occur. Parties are defined as events or gatherings that are not sponsored by the College with more than 10 people. For students living on campus, please remember the residence life guest policy prohibits visitors who are not residents of the assigned room. We encourage residential students to take advantage of the mild weather and gather outside on campus.

Testing for COVID-19: What is it like to get a COVID-19 test? Call Health Services to ask about the different tests and how it is done if you have concerns about the testing. COVID-19 testing is available through Health Services, and you should call 518.454.5244 or email healthservices@strose.edu if you are seeking testing.

Treatment at Health Services: For any nonurgent medical issue, students can call 518.454.5244 or email healthservices@strose.edu for assistance, and their cases will be triaged by our LPN or nurse practitioner. Based on the presenting concerns, the triage outcome may lead to a telehealth appointment with the nurse practitioner.

Treatment at the Counseling & Psychological Services Center: Students may be experiencing emotional distress in response to the impact of the pandemic on our daily lives in addition to simply adjusting to college life again. Please call our center at 518.454.5200 or email us at counseling@strose.edu to speak with a counselor through a phone or Zoom session.

Staying healthy: We are entering the influenza season, so you may have symptoms of illness that are not COVID-19. Look for our upcoming flu clinic and get vaccinated! We’ll put the word out as soon as we have details.

You can find the most current COVID-19 information on the CDC’s COVID-19 webpage. In addition, you can always call the New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Hotline at 888.364.3065 and ask any question you have regarding COVID-19.

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact the College’s Health Services at 518.454.5244 or healthservices@strose.edu.

Sincerely,

Mark Parisi
Director of Counseling and Health Services