Student Return to Campus Protocols | ECTC

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Student Return to Campus Protocols

The coronavirus (COVID-19) and other respiratory viruses create significant health risks for some populations. In alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Governor of Kentucky and the State Health Department, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) has developed and established safety protocols to assist its colleges in maintaining safe working and learning environments. These protocols outline additional precautions for student, employee, and community safety.

Elizabethtown Community & Technical College is currently following the guidance provided by the Kentucky Department of Public Health.

STUDENTS AND COVID-19

Students must be aware of and work with faculty, staff, and administration during these extraordinary times as required by the KCTCS Code of Student Conduct, Article II, Section 3, Standard 2.4, and the Appendix, entitled Crisis or Emergency Plans, Protocols and Guidance.

NOTE:  FOR THE PURPOSES OF KCTCS PROTOCOLS IN THIS DOCUMENT, QUARANTINE MEANS TO STAY OFF-CAMPUS OR OUT OF THE OFFICE FOR THE SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME.  While we advise you to follow the CDC guidelines as outlined below, we have no authority over your actions while not on KCTCS property.

ClOSE CONTACT

If you have been in CLOSE CONTACT with someone diagnosed with COVID-19: Monitor Symptoms for 10 days from your last exposure.

  • You do not need to quarantine if you do not have symptoms.
  • Wear a well-fitting face mask for 10 days from your last exposure when in public places.
  • Stay home and get a test if symptoms develop.
  • Get a test 5 or more days after exposure.

Monitoring and Reporting Symptoms

Anyone experiencing the following symptoms must stay away from Campus:

  • Fever of 100.4F or higher
  • Chills or Sweating (regardless of actual temperature rating)
  • New Cough
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Sore Throat
  • Muscle aches, body aches
  • Stomach upset or vomiting and diarrhea
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Link to current CDC list of symptoms

Students who experience any of the symptoms outlined above, should seek a COVID-19 test if possible. While awaiting test results and/or if instructed to self- isolate, students must contact your instructor(s) immediately to report that you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

If COVID-19 Positive or Waiting on Test Results

Calculating Isolation: Day 0 is your first day of symptoms or a positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected.

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status:

  • If you have no symptoms, you can return to campus on day 6.
  • If you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving after 5 days, you can return to campus on day 6. The Health Department recommends that you wear a well-fitting face mask until the 10 days have exhausted.
  • If you are severely ill with COVID-19 and/or have a fever and/or symptoms are persisting, isolate for 10 days and return to campus on day 10.

NOTE: People who are severely ill and/or hospitalized with COVID-19 or have a severely weakened immune system may need to stay home between 10 and 20 days after symptoms first appeared. Consult your healthcare provider.

Return to Campus

Regular class attendance is strongly encouraged to facilitate maximum educational advantage. Attendance may take the form of in-person or online participation. Instructors are required to articulate a course attendance policy within the course syllabus. The attendance policy must include the impact of attendance on related course outcomes (e.g., assignments, examinations, presentations, final course grade, etc.) Regardless of the modality of delivery, students are expected to adhere to each instructor's course attendance policy. In the case of absence, students are responsible for consulting the course syllabus and instructor regarding missed course content.

Return to Class

Instructors are not obligated to provide an opportunity for completing makeup assignments unless student provides timely notice of an absence. Students who are unable to attend class because of sanctioned university events, or extenuating circumstances such as illness, accident, hospitalization, or infectious disease-related reasons (i.e. Coronavirus), should notify the instructor and be prepared to supply the instructor and with any verifications of the absence as specified in the course syllabus. Faculty will work with administration to ensure students have a safe, productive, and appropriate return to classrooms.