Spring 2021: COVID-19 Reporting

• BW has prepared personnel and resources to respond and help guide individuals who become ill or test positive for COVID-19.
• Students or employees who become symptomatic while on campus should immediately isolate and seek medical care. Individuals can contact their personal physician or the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178.
• In the case of positive COVID-19 diagnosis, you or your health care provider should contact the local health department for proper protocols. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health can be reached at (216) 201-2000.
• Following medical advice from the local health board and medical staff, residential students with a positive test result may be sent home, if appropriate, or moved to separate housing with private bath and food delivery. Students in isolation will have continual check-in calls as needed by residence hall staff and campus health professionals. Residential students in close contact with a student that has tested positive (roommate or intimate partner) may be quarantined in their room for a period of time.

The following protocols are subject to change based on the most current information and recommendations by Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Isolation Protocol

Isolation protocol will be initiated when COVID-19 positive status is determined. It may also be initiated by BW Health Center clinicians in cases of high probability based on clinical presentation.

Isolation is defined as the separation of a person or group of people known or reasonably believed to be infected with a communicable disease, and potentially infectious, from those who are not infected, in order to prevent spread of the communicable disease. (Source: American College Health Association).

Protocol for COVID-19 Positive Students Requiring Isolation

1. Residential students who test positive will be advised to move home, if feasible and medically safe, with additional guidance by local and home health departments. Non-residential students will be isolated at their home/place of residence.
2. For residential students unable to go home, relocation to campus isolation housing will take place as soon as positive status is determined.
3. While in campus isolation students must follow all recommended guidelines, which would include but may not be limited to:
   1. Self-temperature checks daily or twice daily; self-monitoring of status
   2. Regular contact by either local health department (Cuyahoga County Board of Health), residence life or public health staff to check status and evaluate for any additional needs. Contact may be by phone, text or email.
   3. Ability to contact the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178, local health department at (216) 201-2000, or other health care providers, if necessary.
   4. If a medical condition worsens, transport to local hospital either by ambulance, if indicated, or other appropriate means available. Call Southwest General hospital at (440) 816-8000 before transporting student there to tell them a COVID-19 patient will be arriving.
   5. Isolation will be continued until the person is fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, and there is improvement in symptoms, and it is at least 10 days since their symptoms first appeared.
4. While in campus isolation, arrangements will be made to safely deliver food and any additional supplies required. Laundry and cleaning needs will be addressed.
5. Remote learning and communication with instructors will continue if it is medically appropriate.
6. Contact tracing to determine close contacts that may require quarantine will be initiated by the local health department and may be facilitated by the BW public health program.

The above protocol is a general overview and not comprehensive. Related campus departments will have additional procedures in place, specific to their areas.

Privacy and Necessary Communication

The privacy and confidentiality of medical information on students in campus isolation will be maintained. To facilitate contact tracing efforts or monitoring actions it will be necessary to share information between some departments. Personal information will not be released to the public.

• BW Health Center staff will communicate with the involved student, the local health department, BW Residence Life and Student Affairs staff, as necessary.
• Residence Life staff will communicate with BW Dining Services and Aramark, as needed. They will also assist with contact tracing efforts, as necessary.
• Student Affairs will communicate with other departments as necessary.

Quarantine Protocol

Quarantine protocol will be initiated when contact tracing efforts indicate known close contact with COVID-19 positive person. Close contact being defined as extended contact (more than 15 minutes), within 6-foot distance, with or without masking.

Quarantine may be initiated sooner in obvious circumstances of close contact such as roommates, intimate contacts, and possibly teammates in athletic situations.

Quarantine is defined as the separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease but not yet symptomatic, from others who have not been so exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the communicable disease (Source: American College Health Association).

1. Residential students, will be advised to move home, if feasible and medically safe, with additional guidance by local and home health departments. Non-residential students will quarantine at their home/place of residence.
2. Residential students unable to go home will be relocated to campus quarantine housing as soon as contact tracing indicates need or in special circumstances. If campus quarantine housing is unavailable, a student may be quarantined in their regular room if there is no roommate. If communal bathroom is necessary, rules will be established per resident hall staff to reduce risk.
3. While in campus quarantine, students must follow all recommended guidelines which would include but may not be limited to:
   
   1. Self- temperature checks daily or twice daily; self-monitoring of status
   2. Periodic contact by either resident life staff or public health to check status and evaluate for any additional needs. Contact may be by phone, text or email.
   3. Ability to contact the BW Health Center (440-826-2178), local health department (216-201-2000), or other health care providers if necessary
   4. Phone consultation with the BW Health Center (440-826-2178) or other health care providers if symptoms occur and medical evaluation and/or COVID-19 testing is advised.
   5. If symptoms or medical condition indicates, transport to local hospital by ambulance or other appropriate means available. Contact Southwest General Hospital (440-816-8000) before transporting any student there to inform them that a COVID-19 exposed patient will be arriving.
   6. If no symptoms or fever, quarantine will continue for at least 10 days from contact with COVID-19 positive person.
4. While in campus quarantine, arrangements will be made to safely deliver food and any additional supplies required. Laundry and cleaning needs will be addressed.
5. Remote learning and communication with instructors will continue if it is medically appropriate.

The above protocol is a general overview and not comprehensive. Related campus departments will have additional procedures in place, specific to their areas.

Privacy and Necessary Communication

The privacy and confidentiality of medical information on students in campus isolation will be maintained. To facilitate contact tracing efforts or monitoring actions it will be necessary to share information between some departments. Personal information will not be released to the public.

• BW Health Center staff will communicate with the involved student, the local health department, BW Residence Life and Student Affairs staff, as necessary.
• Residence Life staff will communicate with BW Dining Services and Aramark, as needed. They will also assist with contact tracing efforts, as necessary.
• Student Affairs will communicate with other departments as necessary.

The following protocols are subject to change based on the most current information and recommendations by Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Isolation protocol will be initiated when COVID-19 positive status is determined. It may also be initiated by an employee’s health care provider in cases of high probability based on clinical presentation.

Isolation is defined as the separation of a person or group of people known or reasonably believed to be infected with a communicable disease, and potentially infectious, from those who are not infected, in order to prevent spread of the communicable disease (Source: American College Health Association).

Protocol for COVID-19 Positive Employee Requiring Isolation

1. Employees requiring isolation will be instructed to isolate at their home/place of residence.
2. If they are on campus in any capacity when their COVID-19 positive status is determined they should leave campus immediately.
3. Employees should be in communication with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216-201-2000. They should also be in contact with their health care provider for health care management and follow-up.
4. Employees should contact their BW supervisor upon COVID-19 positive determination.
5. Supervisors should contact the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 and the Interim VP of Student Affairs at (440) 826-2111.
6. Contact tracing will be initiated by the local health department and may be facilitated by the BW public health program. Contract tracing will be specific to any person in the BW community who may need to be advised to quarantine.
7. Isolation should be continued until the involved employee is fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, and there is improvement in symptoms, and it is at least 10 days since their symptoms first appeared.
8. Employees under isolation may be allowed to work remotely depending on the nature of their work, if medically acceptable and in consultation with their supervisor. Employees who are unable to work from home due the nature of their work, illness or direction from their supervisor will need to submit sick days and, if necessary, vacation days or unpaid days for the days they are unable to work. Employees under isolation orders will be compensated based on their usual scheduled hours.

Protocol for Employee Requiring Quarantine

Quarantine protocol will be initiated for those with known close contact with COVID-19 positive person. Close contact is defined as extended contact (more than 15 minutes), within 6-foot distance, with or without masking.

Quarantine is defined as the separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease, but not yet symptomatic, from others who have not been so exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the communicable disease (Source: American College Health Association).

Quarantine protocol will be initiated when contact tracing efforts indicate. In the work environment it is unlikely co-workers of COVID-19 positive employees will be advised to quarantine if mitigation recommendations were being followed (masking, distancing, hygiene, cleaning, environmental controls).

In most instances, BW employees requiring quarantine will be due to close contact with a positive COVID-19 person, outside of the work setting.

1. Employees advised to quarantine by either the local public health department, their health care provider or public health contact tracers, will quarantine at their home/place of residence.
2. Quarantine should begin as soon as said employee is advised of the recommendation.
3. Quarantine should continue for at least 14 days from employee contact with COVID-19 person.
4. Symptomatic persons will need to seek evaluation from their health care provider.
5. Asymptomatic persons may be advised by the local health department or their health care provider to have testing at some point during the 10-day quarantine.
6. Employees will not be allowed to return to on-site work or campus activity until they have been cleared by the local health department and/or their health care provider. Written documentation may be required for return to work.
7. Employees under quarantine orders will be compensated based on their usual scheduled hours.
8. Employees under quarantine orders may be allowed to work remotely, if medically acceptable, in consultation with their supervisor.

The privacy and confidentiality of medical information on employees in isolation or quarantine will be maintained. To facilitate contact tracing efforts, it will be necessary to share information between some departments. Personal information will not be released to the public.

COVID-19 testing of symptomatic students is available at the BW Health Center, in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic. The Health Center will administer the Cleveland Clinic-provided test and the Clinic’s lab will process and provide results. Please note that COVID-19 testing will not be available in the Health Center for BW employees.

COVID-19 testing is available by appointment ONLY and after phone, telehealth or on-site evaluation with a health care provider. COVID-19 testing access may be affected by local and state testing availability.

Call the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 for availability and assistance.

Familiarity with the symptoms of COVID-19 is key to reducing the risk of the virus spreading. We urge all students, faculty and staff to be familiar with the symptoms described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and to self-monitor on a daily basis and use the BW app RAVE Mobile Safety app. The known symptoms are listed on the CDC site.

Additional Information

View Frequently Asked Questions related to COVID-19 testing and protocols. 

Due to the number of tests available, current national and regional guidance does not call for, or provide, testing for everyone. As the number of available test kits and processing capacity expand, this guidance could be modified. Additionally, there are ongoing local and state efforts to expand testing as spring 2021 progresses. At this time, coordination for testing must occur through the BW Health Center and/or a personal health care provider and/or local urgent care facilities.

Based on availability*, COVID-19 testing for students will be provided either at the BW Health Center or by another local provider. Students should call the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 for testing-related questions. A center health care provider will conduct a phone evaluation and schedule a telehealth or on-site appointment, if needed. A recommendation on whether a COVID-19 test is medically indicated can be given. The BW Health Center will refer you to off-campus testing facilities, as needed.

*Access to testing may be affected by local and state availability. This is a constantly changing situation and access in the next few months could get better or it might get worse. BW stays in contact with the local health department and local health care agencies to have up-to-date awareness of testing availability.

Students should call (440) 826-2178 to access care. Due to COVID-19 concerns, on-site illness evaluations are by appointment only. No walk-in visits for illness. Phone evaluation by a health care provider and tele-health appointments will also be available.

We will continue to offer all our usual services including tuberculosis skin tests, influenza vaccinations, injury evaluation, physical examinations (by appointment) and sexual health care (by appointment).

Every effort will be made to provide comprehensive health care services in a safe, controlled environment. Call before accessing service, phone evaluation, telehealth appointments and on-site appointments are all strategies to manage flow of patients and provision of care.

COVID-19 testing of symptomatic students will be available at the BW Health Center, in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic. The Health Center will administer the Cleveland Clinic-provided test and the Clinic’s lab will process and provide results.

COVID-19 testing will be by appointment ONLY and after phone, telehealth or on-site evaluation with a health care provider. COVID-19 testing access may be affected by local and state testing availability.

Call the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 for availability and assistance.

If you are sick you should stay home or in your room. You should not attend class or take part in athletic or extracurricular events. You should only leave your room or home to seek medical care or essential services. Contact the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 immediately. They will review your concerns and make recommendations based on your status and access to care. The Health Center will schedule a COVID test depending on a student’s symptoms.

It depends on the contact you had with the person who is positive for COVID-19. If you had extended close contact (defined as close contact greater than 15 minutes, with less than 6-foot distancing, with or without the use of facial covering), you should contact the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 to schedule a COVID test.

Self-monitoring and screening are important aspects of early identification of COVID-19 infection and serves to minimize exposure to others. All students, faculty and staff are required to self-monitor daily using the RAVE Mobile Safety app. This includes taking one’s temperature and checking for other COVID-19 symptoms.

You are also required to document your self-monitoring data using the RAVE Mobile safety app.

As the campus wide recommendations of masking, distancing, hand-washing and cleaning are in place, you should self-monitor but you do not need to self-quarantine. The exception would be if you had extended, close contact outside of the classroom or if recommended mitigation guidelines were not followed. You should self-monitor and contact the BW Health Center. You may be contacted by a contact tracer to establish the level of exposure.

You can contact the BW Health Center at (440) 826-2178 or another health care provider for advice. You can also access extensive information at cdc.gov and via the Rave app provided by BW.

The CDC provides guidance for COVID-19 contact tracing. Key concepts from the CDC that are being implemented and/or considered by university, local and state health officials include:

• Trace and monitor contacts of infected people. Notify them of their exposure. BW is working with local health authorities for contact tracing.
• Support the quarantine of contacts. Help ensure the safe, sustainable and effective quarantine of contacts to prevent additional transmission. BW has made provisions to support quarantine and isolation, for affected students.
• Use digital tools - BW will use the RAVE Mobile app for monitoring.