Health Services update for September 3, 2021

Mark Parisi, director of counseling and health services, sent the following update to students today (September 3, 2021).

Dear students,

I hope your first week back has been productive and enjoyable! As you adjust to being back on campus and our specific COVID-19 safety protocols, please keep in mind that masks are required to be worn indoors by everyone regardless of vaccination status. Being worn means the mask is properly covering your nose and mouth. It serves no purpose if you are wearing it as a scarf or chinstrap or mouth-covering only. As a helpful review, here is the CDC webpage with instructions on proper mask use to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Remember that all students and employees who have not filed for and been granted a vaccine requirement exemption must show evidence of having at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the day on September 9. And we’re making it easy for you: We are holding our own COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer) clinic on September 9 in the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium. Sign up for your slot at that clinic here. Your family members are also invited to attend this clinic. But you certainly do not have to wait for our clinic if you would like to receive your COVID-19 vaccination sooner. Here are the local options available for those who are ready to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Please remember to upload your proof of vaccination to Medicat, and be sure to send test results to covidresults@strose.edu.

COVID-19 Dashboard: Four students and one employee have reported positive COVID-19 test results this week, and so we currently have six cases that are considered active. As a reminder, you can find the tally of positive COVID-19 cases on campus by viewing our COVID-19 Dashboard. It will be updated as new cases are reported.

Testing for COVID-19: 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.

Reporting positive COVID-19 results: 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.

Reporting possible exposure: Please remember if you have been exposed to anyone that has tested positive for COVID-19 or you suspect you may have been exposed but are unsure, email covidresults@strose.edu to notify the College and discuss your particular situation so we can best advise you on how to proceed. Remember, this directive applies whether the positive case is affiliated with Saint Rose or not.

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 or in-person appointment with the nurse practitioner. The Health Center will be open for student appointments starting Monday, August 30.

Treatment at the Counseling Center: Students may be experiencing emotional distress in response to the impact of the pandemic on their daily lives. Please call our center at 518.454.5200 or email us at counseling@strose.edu. Students can speak with a counselor through a phone session, Zoom session, or in-person session. The Counseling Center is located on the third floor of Saint Joseph Hall.

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 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