Health Services COVID-19 update for November 13

Mark Parisi, director of counseling and health services, sent his weekly COVID-19 update to the community today, November 13, 2020.

Dear Students,

At the time of my writing this message to you, we have six new positive COVID-19 cases to report this week, five students and one employee, bringing our total so far this semester to 15. 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.

COVID-19 rates are rising in Albany County, as well as statewide and nationally. Because of that, Interim President Marcia J. White sent a message to students and employees on Wednesday with new protocol that mirror some of the steps New York State is taking to stop the spread. Specifically, after 10 p.m. today, we will be limiting indoor and outdoor gatherings other than classes to 10 attendees or fewer, and we are asking members of our campus community to limit how much they are out and about. These are not easy decisions to make, but it is important that we do everything possible to protect your health and the health of those around us.

Now more than ever, we need to consistently follow COVID-19 transmission reduction protocols (wearing masks, social distancing, and hand washing). The CDC announced this week that they now believe masks not only protect others, but they offer some level of protection to the mask-wearer.

Thanksgiving break: We are about one week away from the Thanksgiving break and our shift to all-remote learning and the closing of the residence halls. If you are concerned about vulnerable members of your household back home, please contact us at richardj@strose.edu 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. 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!

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.

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