Health Services COVID-19 update for November 6

Mark Parisi, director of health services, sent his weekly COVID-19 update to the community today, November 6, 2020.

Dear Students,

At the time of my writing this message to you, we have two new positive COVID-19 cases to report this week, one student and one employee, bringing our total so far this semester to eight. 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.

Please remember, 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.

We are only two 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. Please also stop by the information table in the Events and Athletics Center (EAC) any weekday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. beginning Thursday, November 12. We will be offering free Saint Rose reusable masks, hand sanitizer, and tips for how to be safe during your Thanksgiving travels, so please stop by and see us!

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. A list of resources can be found on our Counseling and Psychological Services Center webpage.

Election-related protests: On Monday, Steven Stella, our director of safety and security, emailed the campus community recommendations for staying safe in the aftermath of the election. Please keep them in mind in the coming days, as protests are already being seen throughout the country

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