Health Services COVID-19 update for October 30

Mark Parisi, director of counseling and health services, sent the following weekly update to students on October 30, 2020.

Dear Students,

At the time of my writing this message to you, we have no new active COVID-19 cases to report this week. As a reminder, you can find a current tally of positive COVID-19 cases on campus by viewing our COVID-19 Dashboard. It will be updated as new cases are reported.

You will notice that our cumulative tally of positive cases for the fall semester has increased by two. We were made aware of two students who tested positive through off-campus resources and completed their quarantine earlier in October. The information was not communicated to the College in the way we would expect. Therefore, we are asking all students who seek off-campus COVID-19 testing and receive a POSITIVE result to email your test result to covidresults@strose.edu.

This is a busy time of year and one that brings a lot of events that could increase the possibility of COVID-19 spread. We ask you to be vigilant and remember to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and use other COVID-19 prevention and good health practices.

Halloween: This weekend is Halloween, and we know that it is often a time of celebration for college students. Please consider checking out the on-campus events we have planned for the weekend and remember our COVID-19 policies about social gatherings, which carry stiff consequences to protect your health and the health of others.

Thanksgiving: We are only four weeks away from the Thanksgiving break, and our shift to all-remote learning and the closing of the residence halls. Thanks to your efforts, our fall reopening plans have been successful so far! We need to continue to take COVID-19 precautions and wear our masks, social distance, socialize in small groups, and stay home if we’re sick. If you are concerned about vulnerable members of your household back home, please contact us about being tested. We can either work you into our sample testing schedule or refer you to where you can be tested.

Elections: This election season has become a source of stress for many individuals. The American Psychological Association has offered some evidence-based advice on how to cope with any election-related stress you may be experiencing. We are available for you at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center. If you would like to talk, 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. Look for opportunities in the coming weeks to process your feelings about the outcome of the election with other members of our campus community.

We hope that many of you are planning to go out and vote – if you haven’t done so already! The CDC has provided guidance on how to remain safe and minimize your risk of infection while exercising your right to vote!

Daily Symptoms Tracker: Remember to complete the Symptoms Tracker form that appears on your To-Do list in the Navigate app every day. All students must complete the form, whether they will be on campus or not for the day. This includes weekends, too. Student Development staff will reach out each day to students who do not complete the form.

Testing for COVID-19: If you are having COVID-19 testing done, be sure to not drink or eat anything a half hour before your testing appointment. 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.

The College is continuing to conduct sample testing of our population, and we will serve as many of you as we can in the coming weeks. Please email Jen Richardson at richardj@strose.edu, and she will add you to a list for future testing by the College. If you email, you will likely be tested the following week, so please indicate in your message which day at 1 p.m. works best for your schedule.

Treatment at Health Services: For any non-urgent 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 practitioners. Based on the presenting concerns, the triage outcome may lead to a telehealth appointment with the nurse practitioner.

Treatment at the Counseling and 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.

More COVID-19 information: You can find the most current COVID-19 information on the CDC’s COVID-19 webpage. 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.

You can view COVID-19 data for the Capital Region (and by county) on the New York State Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard.

New York State has put out a new COVID-19 contact tracing app that you can download to your phone. This app will be used to help notify you if you have been in close contact with someone that has tested positive for 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