COVID-19 update: 3 steps for return-to-campus and much more

Highlights

• Your 3 steps for returning to campus
• Required testing protocol
• Changes to off-campus work & travel

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As we look forward to our return to campus for the winter term in early January, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the following key changes to our campus access policies and procedures. Please see the end of this message for ways to stay up-to-date on winter term adaptations, including via our Canvas course and the DU COVID-19 dashboard. There is also information about an exciting national conference DU is hosting on COVID-19 and higher education.

WINTER TERM RETURN TO CAMPUS STEPS

Please carefully read the steps below regarding return to campus for winter and email COVIDcoordinator@du.edu with any questions or concerns you may have. Before returning and all during winter term, check your campus access status and testing schedule by logging into Pioneerweb and selecting winter campus access status. The access portal will indicate whether you have met the steps below.

Step 1: Flu vaccine

For the winter term, everyone must receive a flu vaccine before returning to campus. The deadline for submitting a flu shot record or an exemption form was December 15, 2020. If you have not yet received your flu shot, please get a flu shot and provide documentation before returning to campus. Limited flu shots will be available by appointment at the HCC.

Those receiving flu shots off-campus must submit proof of the vaccination.

1. Log into your My Health account at myhealth.du.edu using your DU ID and PioneerWeb password.
2. Click on Messages (on the left sidebar) and then click the New Message button.
3. Select I want to submit my Flu (influenza) vaccine record to the HCC, click continue, and upload your record.

Vaccine exemptions

Medical exemptions require a letter or statement from your doctor indicating the clinically supported reason you should not receive the required vaccinations.

Personal or religious exemptions require submission of a Certificate of Exemption Form via myhealth.du.edu, via email to info@hcc.du.edu, or via fax at 303-871-4242.

Attestation process

If you received your flu vaccination but are unable to provide adequate documentation of your flu vaccination, DO NOT GET ANOTHER vaccination. Instead, you may complete the Flu Attestation Form.

1. Download the Flu Attestation Form
2. Fill in the information about your vaccination, date, location, and place of service.
3. Fill in the identification information and sign at the bottom of the form.

Step 2: 10-day quarantine

To reduce exposure and virus spread, you must self-quarantine for 10 days before your scheduled return-to-campus.

During that time, our expectation is that you will wear a face covering when outside your home, avoid touching your face, maintain social distancing, practice excellent hand hygiene and minimize all but the necessary exposure outside of your home.

You MUST log your quarantine on the quarantine daily log – please log into PioneerWeb and choose Quarantine Daily Log on the top left. You should begin this 10 days before your planned return date. Once you have been cleared to return to campus you may do your daily symptom monitoring check via the Everbridge app or PioneerWeb.

Step 3: Negative COVID-19 test

Everyone must receive and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within their 10-day quarantine period. Students, faculty and staff can receive a FREE COVID-19 test on campus. If you are in Denver, please plan ahead and take your test earlier in your quarantine window and at least 48 hours before your return date:

• Location: North side of the Ritchie Center, off Buchtel Blvd.
• Testing hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Note that to support surge testing, from January 2 through January 24, the pod will be operational 7 days a week from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m.

To schedule an on-campus test appointment:

• Log into your My Health account at myhealth.du.edu using your DU ID and PioneerWeb Password. 
• Click on Appointments (on the left side bar) then click the Schedule an Appointment button. 
• Select Required COVID-19 Testing and click Continue. 
• Choose a time within your 10-day pre-arrival quarantine to take your test
• Print or save your unique QR code and bring that to your scheduled appointment.

If you have difficulty making an appointment, please call the Health and Counseling Center at 303.871.2205 or email info@HCC.du.edu

Testing outside of DU

Those receiving COVID-19 tests elsewhere must submit proof of the COVID-19 test. You must complete a PCR nasal swab test. Other types of tests will not be accepted.

Submit proof of the test result by logging into your My Health account at myhealth.du.edu using your DU ID and PioneerWeb Password.

1. Click on Messages (on the left side bar) then click the New Message button.
2. Select I want to submit my COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Results to the HCC
3. Upload your record

REQUIRED TESTING IN WINTER TERM

During winter term, everyone with campus access must test according to their individualized testing schedule. Your individualized schedule and compliance will be visible when you log into PioneerWeb in the Winter Campus Access Status portal. This testing is mandatory and failure to test during your assigned time could result in losing your access to campus or other consequences.

The protocol addressing the testing requirement and consequences for not adhering to the testing schedule is described in detail here.

Important to note:

DU will assign individuals to a testing group, which will determine their testing days each week. In all cases, individuals will have a 24-hour window on either side of their testing day to complete testing and comply with testing requirements.

Testing schedules and testing compliance will be available on PioneerWeb.

• Undergraduate students living in congregate housing must be tested twice per week with at least one Nasal Swab PCR test every two weeks. The remaining three tests may be Saliva PCR tests.
• Undergraduate students not living in congregate housing must be tested once per week with at least one Nasal Swab PCR test every two weeks. The alternative week test may be a Saliva PCR test.
• Graduate students must be tested once every other week and every other test (once per four weeks) must be the Nasal Swab PCR. The alternate test may be a Saliva PCR test.
• Lower contact faculty, staff, and other personnel must be tested once every third week and every other test (once per six weeks) must be the Nasal Swab PCR test. The alternate test may be a Saliva PCR test.
• Higher contact staff and personnel must be tested once per week and every other test (once every two weeks) must be the Nasal Swab PCR test. The alternate test may be a Saliva PCR test.

NEW! OFF-CAMPUS AND TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

After you have successfully met the steps to return to campus, if you travel anywhere outside of Colorado during winter term, you are required to quarantine for 7 days off-campus. This requirement is in place because travel increases contact with people outside of your household.

If you have a job or field placement off campus, you may resume both on-campus and off-campus in-person obligations. This policy will be reevaluated frequently – if conditions in Denver or in the region are concerning and those on campus are more favorable, we may need to reinstate restrictions on access to campus.

IN CLOSING

You can continue to monitor real-time COVID-19 information at DU's coronavirus dashboard and report positive cases by calling 303-871-COVID. Be sure to check out all our winter updates in our Pathway Back to Campus Course “Winter Updates” here. You can also visit the COVID-19 Help Center (January 2 – 15), located in the Colorado Women’s College Garden Room, Chambers Center on Ashbury.

All members of the DU community are also invited to join DU and schools from across the country in the DU-hosted virtual event, The STAT Conference, on January 8. Learn more about this Coronavirus-focused event here.

And finally, should you ever have questions about a particular term used relating to the pandemic, please visit our handy glossary page on DU's coronavirus site.

Thank you for your continued commitment to a safe and healthy DU campus.

Sarah Enos Watamura, Ph.D.
University COVID-19 Response Coordinator