COVID-19 Response Team Updates (2020)
An archive of messages sent from the William & Mary COVID-19 Response Team (CRT) about the university's plans and policies responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 17 | Spring COVID-19 Prevention Measures
November 11 | Winter Break Guidance from CRT
November 1 | William & Mary Identifies False Positive COVID-19 Tests
October 26 | Information needed: COVID-19 End of Semester Testing
October 14 | COVID-19 Response Team Update
October 12 | Important: Flu season and COVID-19
October 7 | ESSENTIAL INFO: COVID-19 Update
September 11 | Maintaining COVID-19 protections at W&M under VA Phase 3
September 10 | Guidance for faculty & staff on mandatory health protocols
September 6 | What to Do If You Test Positive Through Prevalence or Third-Party Testing
August 21 | COVID-19 Prevalence Testing Coming Soon
August 20 | After-Hours Access to Academic Facilities
August 10 | Mandatory COVID-19 Health Video Series
August 7 | CORRECTION: COVID-19 Test Results Time Frame
August 7 | Required COVID-19 Testing for Employees
July 22 | COVID-19 Testing
July 14 | Face Covering Requirements July 15-Dec. 31, 2020
June 26 | W&M work guidelines through July 31 and fall public health protocols
Spring COVID-19 Prevention Measures
December 17, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
As many of you know, Sam Jones retired at the beginning of December after an exemplary career at William & Mary, capped by his able leadership of the COVID-19 Response Team. I am honored to succeed Sam in that role while also chairing W&M’s Public Health Advisory Team and serving as the university’s chief operating officer. In that capacity, I write with an update on the spring semester. Many of W&M’s protocols in the spring will mirror what proved successful in the fall, though W&M continues to refine processes and evaluate response to the ever-changing public health landscape.
Pre-Arrival Quarantine and Testing
For Employees:
- As in the fall semester, students, faculty and staff who work closely with others will need to self-quarantine for eight days before returning to in-person activities on campus.
- In addition, employees who work in positions identified by Human Resources as being in high-contact roles in which they may not be able to use mitigation strategies – such as masks, physical barriers and social distancing at all times – may be tested for COVID-19 before students return to campus.
For Students:
- As with the fall semester, students are expected to quarantine eight days prior to returning to campus to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19.
- All students living in campus housing, who plan to attend in-person instruction or use university facilities, will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test before returning to campus. Students within a 30-mile radius of campus will also need to test negative.
- W&M will provide each student a free COVID-19 saliva test, mailed in advance of returning. The COVID-19 testing group will soon begin contacting students by email to coordinate test registration and shipments, based on students’ anticipated arrival dates.
- The self-collected saliva test is administered through Clinical Reference Laboratory as part of the network of labs that includes VCU Health, our health care partner.
- These are the tests required for move-in and in-person instruction; W&M does not plan to accept outside test results due to the variability and efficacy of COVID-19 tests nationally and difficulties in streamlining testing results and reporting requirements from multiple sources.
- Students will not be permitted to be on campus until their negative test results have been received and verified.
- You will be notified by the William & Mary testing program when it is time to confirm the shipping address where you’d like to receive your test kit. Tests will be sent based on your anticipated return date, according to a predetermined schedule arranged with W&M’s health care partners. Completing the address confirmation and questionnaire is necessary, but your test may not ship immediately. Please note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires COVID-19 laboratories to provide certain medical information on individuals taking tests. Neither Kallaco nor William & Mary access or retain this data.
- International students will be notified by email about specific testing requirements.
- If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the 90 days prior to your return, please fill out the form at ReportCOVID to alert the university.
Vaccine Information and Public Health
- As COVID-19 vaccine testing and deployment accelerates, the Virginia Department of Health is developing a protocol to administer inoculation across the Commonwealth. Currently, the state is prioritizing health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities for the first doses of the vaccine allocated to Virginia. William & Mary will continue to track the state’s plans regarding vaccinations and higher education.
- On Thursday, Dec. 10, Gov. Ralph Northam announced enhanced COVID-19 precautions through the end of January, which we are evaluating. They seem to affect W&M little in the immediate term, as we are between semesters, avoiding gatherings and largely working remotely.
- William & Mary’s Public Health Advisory Team and the COVID-19 Response Team continue to closely follow local, regional, state and national developments during the pandemic. These trends, along with additional data and considerations, will inform William & Mary’s spring operations.
As William & Mary finalizes plans for the spring, I will be in touch with additional updates and details. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season.
Amy Sebring
COVID-19 Response Director
W&M Chief Operating Officer
Winter Break Guidance from CRT
Nov. 11, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
As we enter the final weeks of the Fall 2020 semester, let me first thank you on behalf of the university and the COVID-19 Response Team (CRT) for your efforts to keep our campus safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, our number of positive cases has remained low and this reflects your commitment to stay Healthy Together. Your willingness to take the Daily Health Check, wear masks, gather only in small groups with adequate physical distance, use outdoor spaces, practice effective hygiene and support our robust testing program allowed us some success in managing virus spread on campus and in the community.
It is important we remain vigilant and focused. Your care for each other during these unprecedented times is William & Mary's best defense against the virus. Let’s finish the semester strong!
This email covers information for students, faculty and staff on what to expect this winter. Additional details will be communicated in the coming weeks. Please watch your email and save any messages that might be helpful to you in the future.
Winter Break
- Remote Work. W&M faculty and staff, please plan to return as much as possible to remote work over the break, coordinating this effort with your dean, department chair or supervisor. This not only effectively de-densifies campus, but it allows facilities management the opportunity to complete deferred maintenance of our spaces. It also allows staff from facilities management, public safety and other teams that have been working without pause since last spring to schedule time off. This slowdown is a stated priority of President Rowe and is also key to our restoring and maintaining critical healthy immune systems during the coldest months.
- In-person Services. Campus buildings will continue to be unavailable to the general public, but the university will be operational. We anticipate that some student-employees will continue to work on campus and have approved access to campus buildings, but in-person resources will be reduced for all students, faculty and staff.
- Flu Shots. If you have not yet scheduled a flu shot, please do. The symptoms of seasonal flu and COVID-19 can be hard to differentiate, and our community’s health care facilities need to reserve capacity. Many places, including retail pharmacies, offer free or low-priced shots.
- COVID-19 Testing. If you did not sign up for a W&M/VCU Health COVID-19 test before leaving campus, but would still like one, please check local providers, including pharmacies. Many are offering free or reduced-price tests. No at-will testing will be available from W&M during December. Limited W&M prevalence testing will be provided for employees in predetermined high-contact occupations.
- Daily Health Check. While we encourage students, faculty and staff to monitor their health over the break, we will discontinue the reminders until late December or early January.
You will receive more information about the spring semester in the coming weeks, but I wanted to address immediate questions as we all begin to shift our focus to December and the upcoming winter break. Please continue to send questions to [[COVIDResponse]].
I wish you a healthy and restorative winter break.
Sam Jones,
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
William & Mary Identifies False Positive COVID-19 Tests
November 1, 2020
Dear W&M Campus,
We write to provide you information about a number of false positive COVID-19 results among the student population. Beginning Friday morning and into that night, William & Mary received more than 20 positive COVID-19 test results from the student census testing, more than we have seen in any previous testing time frame. As results returned, the university initiated its established case management protocol. W&M’s physicians and case managers immediately began contacting those students as well as their presumptive close contacts, supporting them to isolate and quarantine.
Consistent with our careful review process, W&M staff overseeing testing identified these results as outliers, inconsistent with the other eight days of census testing and not aligned with wastewater results. The university immediately asked both Kallaco Health Technology and Wisconsin Diagnostics Laboratories to perform integrity reviews of the results. Kallaco verified that its reported data accurately reflected the lab results it received. However, after William & Mary requested this review, Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories identified a lab error that resulted in 19 false student positives. The tests were repeated by the lab with the original specimens, confirming negative results in 19 cases.
William & Mary case managers are currently contacting every student in quarantine and isolation housing, both on-campus and off, to affirm their status, and are releasing anyone receiving a false positive result and their presumptive close contacts. Students should remain in quarantine or isolation until they have been cleared. Once contacted, the students whose results were false are free to move back into their residence halls and those off-campus are no longer restricted to their homes.
The COVID-19 Response Team is grateful for the vigilance of the testing team. Because of the personal attention that is applied throughout W&M’s multilayered testing system, their close scrutiny of the data enabled W&M to alert the lab and confirm accurate results. As intended, the different sources of testing data – from census and from wastewater – enabled the cross-comparison that prompted W&M staff to double check the lab’s results.
Wisconsin Diagnostics Laboratories is also contacting affected students directly and released this statement: “Wisconsin Diagnostics Laboratories appreciates William & Mary's vigilance and partnership in alerting us of the unexpected positive test results. Through the university's efforts, we were able to swiftly investigate, find the specific issue and adjust our lab processes to mitigate this type of error in the future.”
In following William & Mary’s safety protocols for isolation and quarantine, we recognize and regret the disruption some students experienced. At the same time, we are grateful for the fast, capable and compassionate response of the quarantine & isolation housing, case management and medical teams – and for the understanding and responsiveness of all the students impacted. The attentiveness and care of the testing team led to a more favorable outcome than what was indicated by the initial results.
Thank you,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Information needed: COVID-19 End of Semester Testing
October 26, 2020
Dear William & Mary Community,
The William & Mary COVID-19 Testing Group is working to coordinate the round of end-of-semester tests. As a reminder, the university is offering free, optional tests to any student, faculty or staff member who wishes to take one as a precaution before they return to their home communities for winter break. These tests should provide you peace of mind that you are healthy and pose little risk to your family and friends at home.
To plan for the round of optional testing, we are trying to determine roughly how many tests we will need and the timeframe we’ll administer them and return results so they are of maximum helpfulness to you. If you think you may want to take an end-of-semester COVID-19 test, please take a moment to fill out the COVID-19 Exit Survey. You must complete this survey by Monday, Nov. 2, in order to be eligible for an exit test.
The survey asks two questions: 1) Whether you’ll want a test and 2) What day you last anticipate being on campus. Having this information will help us implement the testing program quickly enough to be useful to those of you who want to leave campus early, finishing the final week or two from home.
We appreciate your continued commitment to your health and to that of those around you. Thank you for your help!
COVID-19 Response Team Update
October 14, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
We write today to follow up on a number of COVID-19 topics: testing, contact tracing, quarantine efforts and expanded public information.
Prevalence Testing
William & Mary continues to provide weekly prevalence testing of students and employees. Consistent with its charge, the Public Health Advisory Team meets at least weekly to evaluate emerging national, regional and local trends to determine appropriate sampling for prevalence testing. Beginning this week, the Public Health Advisory Team has turned increased attention to on-campus housing and will begin testing residents in select dorms as part of each weekly cohort. As we move into colder weather, we expect indoor activities will increase and want to make sure that our testing protocols are adjusting to reflect those changing conditions. In addition, our commitment to behavioral health norms, including masking, social distancing and hand washing, will be increasingly important in the weeks ahead. Finally, as a reminder, we will begin the third round of testing for on-campus students next week.
Wastewater Testing
Last week, we announced the addition of wastewater testing to William & Mary’s efforts to monitor COVID-19 trends on campus. Wastewater testing is another way to evaluate the presence of this virus in the community. Rather than testing at an individual level, wastewater testing allows us to monitor broad patterns on campus. Wastewater testing is not diagnostic for individuals.
Results from the wastewater testing are analyzed by William & Mary’s Public Health Advisory Team, which includes medical staff as well as faculty with expertise in public health and epidemiology, to inform the focus of prevalence testing. We expect to use the results both to affirm what we are already seeing in prevalence testing and to help us refine our prevalence testing methodology going into the spring semester.
Both prevalence testing and wastewater testing work in conjunction with other protocols, such as contact tracing and individual testing, to provide a micro- to macro-level understanding of COVID-19 at William & Mary and to mitigate spread.
Athletics Testing
W&M has received the results from last week’s testing of all student-athletes and Athletics staff. In total, 20 members of the Athletics department tested positive for COVID-19. Positive students and staff are currently in 10-day isolation, consistent with CDC guidelines. All student-athletes are in contact with Athletics’ chief medical officer and W&M case managers.
All other student-athletes and Athletics staff have tested negative. The Athletics department continues to employ appropriate masking, cleaning and other safety precautions in practices and related athletic activities. Student-athletes and staff in high-contact sports continue to receive a higher level of prevalence testing, consistent with NCAA and CAA requirements.
Quarantine and Isolation
We want to underscore the importance of our quarantine and isolation processes. As a reminder, anyone receiving a positive result is immediately assigned a dedicated W&M staff case manager to help transition work and study to the required 10-day isolation period. They must be cleared by a physician before returning to campus. In addition, when W&M receives any positive test result, the university notifies the Virginia Department of Health of those test results so that they can contact any additional students or staff members who may have been in close contact. Close contacts are required to quarantine either at home or in W&M dedicated housing for 14 days, consistent with CDC guidelines. All students placed in isolation or quarantine must be cleared by William & Mary’s medical staff prior to resuming any on-campus activities.
Dashboard
Please note that the W&M COVID-19 Dashboard has been updated to include the number of active COVID-19 cases as well as the cumulative number of cases since August and the number of tests administered. We hope the new information proves useful; it’s just one of many updates that Information Technology has in the works based on feedback from students, faculty and staff, parents and friends who have taken the time to contact W&M or serve in an advisory capacity.
The entire COVID-19 Response Team is proud of the commitment you’ve shown to your own health as well as that of your friends, students, professors and colleagues. Please do not flag in your efforts. And as always, feel free to connect with us at [[COVIDResponse]].
Thank you,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Important: Flu season and COVID-19
October 12, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
As we enter into flu season and a time when allergies once again flair up in Virginia, the COVID-19 Response Team offers the following directive, guidance and resources:
- Stay home if you’re sick, and seek medical care. It can be tricky determining if symptoms are the result of allergies, the flu or COVID-19. Both the flu and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory diseases that require you to stay away from others. Do not assume that because you have had allergies or the flu in the past that similar symptoms now means that’s what you have. If you are exhibiting symptoms such as headache, fever, chills, cough, congestion or runny nose, you are expected to stay home and seek medical care. Do not come to work or attend class. The best way to protect the health of W&M’s students, faculty and staff is by staying home and contacting a physician for guidance.
- Get your flu shot. The need for a flu shot is paramount as the country responds to the ongoing pandemic. To facilitate getting the flu vaccine, William & Mary is offering a number of dates and options for faculty and staff. At the Kaplan Arena concourse, W&M is offering free flu shots for faculty and staff from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 22. You must book an appointment beforehand, complete a Vaccine Consent Form (pdf) and complete your Daily Health Check. Visit the Human Resource Flu Shot Clinic page for more information, as well as additional free testing sites.
W&M students enrolled in the W&M Student Insurance Plan must receive the flu shot at the Student Health Center. Call (757) 221-4386, Option 1, to schedule. The hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
All other students should attend a walk-in student flu clinic at Kaplan Arena, scheduled 9 a.m.-3 p.m. every Tuesday this month, beginning Oct. 13, as well as on Friday, Nov. 6. No appointment is necessary. Students should bring a copy of their prescription insurance card, if separate from their health insurance card, as well as a completed Vaccine Consent Form (pdf). Consent forms are also available on site. The vaccine will be administered by Harris Teeter and filed with the students’ insurance provider.
If you’re a supervisor, department chair or program manager, prioritize the health of faculty and staff members and the workplace under pandemic conditions. Please check in with your faculty and staff members, ideally daily, to make sure they are well. Promote a culture that encourages people to remain off campus if they don’t feel well and to seek appropriate care. Encourage erring on the side of caution in health & wellness. W&M enjoys a strong work ethic; let’s make sure that ethic doesn’t tempt us to work when we don’t feel well. Doing so delays recovery and puts others at risk.
Check if a bacterial pneumonia vaccine is recommended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children under 2, healthy adults 65 and older and some other adults receive the pneumococcal vaccination. The vaccination helps protect against a common bacterial pneumonia that also presents similarly to COVID-19 symptoms.
The flu is dangerous enough on an annual basis, but its threat is compounded this year with the presence of COVID-19. Even if you’ve never received a flu shot before, please do it this year. Aside from benefiting the immediate William & Mary community, vaccinating against the flu can help protect the wider community and preserve needed medical and hospital capacity.
We hope you stay well. As always, please feel free to email [[COVIDResponse]] if you have additional questions.
Sincerely,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
ESSENTIAL INFO: COVID-19 Update
October 7, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
We write today with a number of essential updates about COVID-19 and testing at William & Mary. As we progress through the fall semester, W&M continues to actively seek to uncover positive cases within our community in order to protect community health.
Athletics Testing
After a number of positive cases emerged among members of Tribe Athletics over the past week, the Athletic Department’s chief medical officer paused all practice and training activities for all sports effective Wednesday, Oct. 7, to allow the entire department to test for COVID-19. This testing began immediately. So far, William & Mary has 12 positive results from people associated with W&M Athletics. Aggregated information is released publicly on the W&M COVID-19 dashboard and reflects both W&M’s testing program as well as self-reported positive test results.
Student-athletes or staff members who have tested positive or are close contacts are isolating or in quarantine, closely monitored by Athletics’ chief medical officer. W&M Athletics takes extensive precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including physical distancing, comprehensive and frequent cleaning and mask-wearing. They are following all guidelines set forth by the university, CDC and NCAA.
Student-athletes who are neither positive nor close contacts may still attend in-person classes. Observing physical distance guidelines and wearing masks, students should not be in close contact with one another in classrooms.
On-Campus Student Testing
William & Mary continues robust weekly prevalence testing and will be launching another round of COVID-19 testing for all students on campus and in the surrounding area in the coming weeks. Students should watch email for a link from the Testing Coordination Team.
Wastewater Testing
This Wednesday, Oct. 7, William & Mary began testing campus wastewater for traces of COVID-19. This testing divides campus residential facilities into 13 zones, capturing the majority of our residence halls. We anticipate results from this testing to be available as early as next week.
Wastewater testing may, after review by the university’s Public Health Advisory Team, allow William & Mary to more effectively direct prevalence testing to areas that show some evidence of the virus. The Public Health Advisory Team will analyze the results and determine what actions William & Mary needs to undertake in response.
As a final word, we want to thank you again for your continued vigilance as we all strive to successfully learn, study, teach and work together under pandemic conditions. Please continue to stay home or in your residence hall if sick, wear your mask, remain physically distant, complete the Daily Health Check in the Healthy Together module and practice good hand hygiene. If you do receive a positive COVID-19 test result or are identified as a close contact, please remember to fill out the form at ReportCOVID.wm.edu to alert the university. Students are required to do this in support of our Healthy Together Commitment. You will then be assigned a case manager to help you transition to isolation or quarantine study or work.
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Maintaining COVID-19 protections at W&M under VA Phase 3
September 11, 2020
Dear William & Mary community,
The COVID-19 Response Team is pleased that health metrics in Hampton Roads have improved over the past few weeks. As a result, Gov. Ralph Northam announced yesterday he was lifting enhanced restrictions on the region.
While the governor loosened some restrictions, William & Mary’s requirements remain in place, to minimize spread of the COVID-19 virus:
- On- and off-campus gatherings continue to be limited to no more than 10 people with required masks and physical distancing.
- Programs or events sponsored by the university or student groups will continue to be limited to 50 people, with required masks and physical distancing.
- Masks must be worn indoors and outdoors on campus and off-campus, in all instructional and social situations.
- At least six feet of physical distance must be maintained – 10 feet for those exercising, singing or cheering – consistent with state guidelines.
So far, your compliance with these basic requirements has resulted in a limited number of positive cases in the community. Our comprehensive testing and case management programs actively seek positive cases on campus so we can prevent them from further circulating in the community, provide individuals needed care and limit the opportunity for spread.
Remember, if you do test positive for COVID-19, through William & Mary’s testing regimen or an outside provider, you must respond immediately to any outreach from the university and visit ReportCOVID.wm.edu to be assigned a case manager to assist in transitioning work and study while isolating. If you test positive via W&M’s program, a case manager may reach out to you first. By reaching out after a positive test or by answering our call, you gain immediate help and protect other members of the campus community.
The health and safety protocols we’re currently maintaining are helping to limit the spread of COVID-19 in W&M’s close-knit community. We must continue these measures with increased vigilance. Thank you all for working so hard to protect your own health and that of the community this semester.
All the best,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Guidance for faculty & staff on mandatory health protocols
September 10, 2020
Dear W&M faculty and staff members,
We are writing to clarify and reinforce some of the mandatory COVID-19 health protocols in place for this fall. We are heartened to see so many students, faculty and staff members acting responsibly this semester, increasing William & Mary’s chances of completing a successful in-person school year. We are all watching closely the successes and challenges at other universities, and adopting those lessons into our phased re-opening of campus. At this moment, we are specifically and actively searching for positive cases of COVID-19 among our in-person student population, so that we reduce potential outbreaks, protect the health of the greater community and prevent spread.
- Prevalence Testing: To support that effort, we’d like to remind you that participation in prevalence testing at W&M is mandatory. All in-person students received a negative test result for COVID-19 before coming to our campuses, and they are all undergoing another round of testing starting this week. From that point, ongoing prevalence testing of the student population and of faculty and staff is essential to reducing any spread of the virus.
- If you, as a staff or faculty member, are selected for prevalence testing, you will be notified by email, as will your supervisor, dean or department chair. You must then schedule a time for your test. It is imperative that you respond to these emails, get tested and show our students and the greater community our commitment to William & Mary’s health. Given the importance of testing in reducing potential outbreaks, ignoring this requirement is not an option. You can expect follow-up if you fail to schedule an appointment.
- Masks: Please continue your vigilant, and required, use of masks on campus – indoors, outdoors, in shared spaces, when teaching, exercising, etc. While on campus, masks are required indoors and outdoors in all social situations. Again, we must all lead by example.
- Consequences: To ensure that we all do our absolute best to protect the health of our community, faculty and staff members not abiding by the Healthy Together guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The disciplinary procedures will follow the policies for the employee's classification (hourly, classified, operational, professional, faculty, etc.). The circumstances will determine the discipline administered. In all circumstances, William & Mary is committed to holding all faculty and staff members accountable for their actions (and inaction) related to keeping our community as safe as possible.
- Additional Guidelines: Please follow other Healthy Together guidelines: Complete the required online training, respect physical barriers installed on campus, stay home when sick, quarantine if you’ve been so advised by the Virginia Department of Health and complete W&M’s form at ReportCOVID.wm.edu if you test positive for COVID-19.
- Daily Health Check: Beyond these requirements, complete the daily health check through the W&M Mobile app or at m.wm.edu by selecting Healthy Together. To help us all adopt the daily habit, we will send reminders to anyone who has not completed it in 48 hours. The Healthy Together module has many additional useful features, including a link to reporting positive test results and concerns, checking test results, arranging pick-up dining and downloading COVIDWISE, Virginia’s anonymous exposure app.
Each of us plays a role in modeling the behavior we’d like to see adopted widely. We are examples to students of the value we collectively place on health. William & Mary is shifting the culture toward being more considerate and health-conscious. To that end, please hold each other and visitors to our campus accountable; there was terrific guidance in the required Healthy Together training videos which can be viewed on W&M’s YouTube channel whenever you need a refresher.
Finally, a number of you have said you admire the new “Masks UP” banners around campus and along Richmond and Jamestown roads, and that you’d like similar graphics for your own use. Attached you’ll find an 8.5x11 version (pdf) and an 11x17 version (pdf) to print for your spaces. They’re a quick way to signal your respect for students and colleagues as we establish a health-oriented culture at William & Mary.
Wishing you good health,
Peggy Agouris, Provost
Christopher D. Lee, Chief Human Resources Officer
What to Do If You Test Positive Through Prevalence or Third-Party Testing
September 6, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
As William & Mary expands student and employee testing for COVID-19, we wanted to offer guidance to the community about what to do in the case of a positive result and introduce you to the new case management system.
If you are a student and receive a positive test result from William & Mary’s ongoing testing or from another health service provider:
- Immediately isolate yourself in your residence hall, or if off-campus, in your residence. It is critical that you avoid interactions with others, maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distance and wearing your face covering.
- Please visit ReportCOVID.wm.edu to fill out the Positive COVID-19 form to generate a case. A case manager representing the COVID-19 Response Team should respond within an hour. During regular business hours, if you do not hear from a case manager or the Student Health Center, call (757) 221-2998. If it is after-hours and you have not heard from a case manager, please call W&M Police Dispatch at (757) 221-4596, which will refer your call to the on-call physician. Please also visit If You’re Feeling Ill for instructions, especially if you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, emergency or mild.
- The Student Health Center will assist you in deciding where to isolate. On-campus students may move to Richmond Hall or return home. Off-campus students can either return home or isolate at your local residence.
- Students moving to Richmond Hall should prepare personal items, books, laptop, phone, chargers, prescriptions and clothing to last approximately 14 days.
- Staff at Richmond Hall will assist with your move-in, providing transportation as appropriate. Your case manager will help make the arrangements.
- A Student Health Center physician will clear you to return to normal campus activity after 10 days, as long as you have gone at least 24 hours without symptoms, including no fever (without the use of fever-suppressing medications).
If you are a faculty or staff member and receive a positive test result from W&M’s ongoing testing or from another health service provider:
- Immediately isolate yourself in your residence and contact your health services provider. Avoid interactions with others, maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance and wear your face covering.
- Please visit ReportCOVID.wm.edu to fill out an intake form and advise your supervisor, dean or department chair. During regular business hours, a case manager will contact you. Please also visit If You’re Feeling Ill for instructions, especially if you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, whether emergency or mild.
- To return to normal campus activity after 10 days of isolation, you will need to be cleared to return to work by a physician and have gone at least 24 hours without symptoms, including no fever (without the use of fever-suppressing medications).
COVID-19 Case Management at William & Mary
William & Mary has established a network of case managers (all W&M employees) to help members of the community navigate living, study and work after a positive test result. Case managers will be assigned after you have completed the intake form at ReportCOVID.wm.edu. For students, case managers will serve as a point of contact throughout the isolation period, helping with the transition to isolation or quarantine housing as needed, and arranging for cleaning and disinfecting of campus spaces, among other assistance. For employees, they will help transition to remote work or leave, coordinate notification to departments and arrange cleaning and disinfecting. William & Mary will not identify the names of people who have contracted COVID-19 to the public or greater campus community.
We understand that a positive test result is by its nature distressing. By establishing a care network, we hope to lessen the complications of navigating the university system as you work to remain well or recover.
We hope this information proves helpful and comforting,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
COVID-19 Prevalence Testing Coming Soon
Editor's Note: Phased planning has amended some information in this message. At-will COVID-19 testing was offered for faculty and staff the week of Sept. 8; in October the copay was removed and the tests are offered for free.
August 21, 2020
Dear W&M Employees,
As you know, William & Mary this semester is adopting a vast array of safety measures to promote a healthy campus this fall. One key aspect of this program is COVID-19 prevalence testing, by which random samples of students, faculty, staff and contractors are chosen periodically to take COVID-19 tests so the university can rapidly assess potential community spread. W&M will begin its prevalence testing next week, with 5% of the student population and 2% of employees testing every two weeks, pulled from the local and on-campus population. These tests are administered at no cost to you.
As a result, you may be chosen to conduct a test at the clinic at 332 N. Henry Street. If so, you will be notified by email and will be given instructions for making a testing appointment. Appointments will be considered hours worked for which you will be paid.
To prepare, William & Mary faculty and staff must immediately register with Kallaco Health & Technology at https://kallaco.wm.edu, which William & Mary is using to coordinate student and employee COVID-19 testing. To register, click “forgot password,” and do not use your W&M password for the account. Your Kallaco account is where you will see results of your prevalence testing.
If you are selected to participate in prevalence testing, your testing appointment will be considered hours worked, and you will be paid for that time. Your supervisor will also be notified that you have been randomly selected. If you are unable to schedule an appointment within the timeframe you have been instructed to, please work with your supervisor to coordinate when you will be tested. If you receive a notification of prevalence testing in error, because you will not be attending or visiting any William & Mary properties within the next six weeks, please contact [[COVIDResponse]].
If you are sick or symptomatic when you are randomly selected, please stay home, contact your healthcare provider, advise your supervisor, and do not make a prevalence testing appointment. You will automatically be included in the next round of prevalence testing, approximately two weeks later.
To faculty members: Students are encouraged to make their appointments outside of class hours, but may be unable to do so. The provost has agreed that missing class or a portion of it for prevalence testing should be considered an excused absence.
Participating in prevalence testing is a condition to which we have agreed in order to work and study in person at William & Mary under the Healthy Together Community Commitment. The information it provides allows us to better support your health, and for you to better support the health of students, colleagues and others in our community. It is mandatory. We hope you will participate willingly, but need to advise you that not participating will result in disciplinary action.
Finally, many of you have asked about William & Mary’s plans to offer voluntary COVID-19 tests for $15 to employees who are not displaying symptoms. [Ed. Note: The tests are free as of Oct. 5.] We will begin offering some at-will testing beginning next week and will be ramping up as the national testing supply chain and testing options allow. We will provide additional information next week. If you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider; tests for symptomatic personnel are covered under all of W&M’s insurance plans.
Please continue to direct your questions to [[COVIDResponse]].
Thank you for your attention and I wish you a healthy and safe semester,
Peggy Agouris, Provost
Christopher D. Lee, Chief Human Resources Officer
After-Hours Access to Academic Facilities
August 20, 2020
Dear W&M Students, Faculty & Staff,
As some Arts & Sciences classes begin in person across campus, this message addresses after-hours access to selected academic facilities.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 19, academic buildings supporting Arts & Sciences are open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. These hours allow for student access for both day and evening classes. To allow for after-hours study, the following facilities will remain open until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday:
- Tyler Hall
- Tucker Hall
- Morton Hall
- Jones Hall
- Integrated Science Center (except the third floor)
- Blow Hall (third floor)
- McGlothlin-Street Hall
While these facilities will be locked at the times noted above, students may remain in the facilities until midnight if necessary. The William & Mary Police Department will periodically patrol the facilities during this time.
Not all spaces within a building will be available for student use. Classrooms previously scheduled for classes, departmental offices and spaces restricted by departments will not be available for student use.
All university health and safety guidelines apply for after-hours use of these facilities. These include, but are not limited to, at all times wearing a mask that covers both nose and mouth, maximizing physical distancing in all approved locations with no less than six feet when working or seated with another person, and frequent and consistent personal hygiene (hand washing, etc.). Additional guidelines may be posted depending on building-specific requirements.
Access to these spaces brings with it an obligation to sanitize the space when you come in and as you leave. Please bring the necessary wipes with you. This is for your own safety as well as that of others. Food is prohibited throughout these facilities.
Swem Library and the Sadler Center continue to be available as study spaces for students. Please check their respective websites for current operating hours and follow their guidelines for care and use of space.
The School of Law, School of Education, and Mason School of Business (Miller Hall) facilities remain closed until one business day before in-person classes resume for each school. Their respective operating hours and availability after-hours will be determined at that time.
The COVID-19 Response Team will evaluate the effectiveness of this approach prior to additional undergraduates arriving around Labor Day weekend.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to being Healthy Together,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Mandatory COVID-19 Health Video Series
Editor’s note: Phased planning has amended some information included in the Aug. 10 message. The deadline for student, faculty and staff training has been extended to Friday, Aug. 28.
August 10, 2020
Dear W&M Community,
One aspect of our being able to reconvene this fall with health and safety foremost in mind is agreeing on best practices, and then committing to them, through the Healthy Together Community Commitment. To that end, the university has developed a series of training videos to teach the community about COVID-19 and how to protect ourselves and others in a campus environment.
This baseline training, designed for students, faculty, staff, contractors and vendors, introduces skills to promote the health of yourself and others. It outlines hygiene practices and how to best navigate situations in which the people around you don’t uphold our community’s standards. They are based in our shared values of “respect” and “flourishing,” by which we empower those who live, learn and work here to make choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.
The series consists of five modules:
- An introduction to the Healthy Together commitment, COVID-19 and its prevention
- A tutorial on mask use and requirements at William & Mary
- A review of proper preventative hygiene, including hand washing, the use of sanitizer and the difference between cleaning and disinfecting spaces
- Tips on how to handle situations in which people’s behavior diverges from our shared commitment to health
- A conclusion that reinforces the main points and offers additional resources
The modules are mandatory viewing for both students and employees on all of our campuses and properties as you return over the next several weeks.
Students may access the video series through Blackboard, and must view the training by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 14 to ensure that no holds are put on their accounts.
Employees will access the series through Cornerstone Learning. Human Resources will send you an email detailing how to launch the training. For employees who do not have computer access, we will work with supervisors to make the training available to you. Completion of the training program must occur by Monday, Aug. 24. You will receive a reminder four days before the deadline, and you and your supervisor will be notified if you have not completed the training by Aug. 24.
While the series is mandatory, the COVID-19 Response Team hopes you will find the videos informative and reinforcing of the promises we’ve made to one another as community members through the Healthy Together Community Commitment.
We continue to invite your questions and comments at COVIDResponse@wm.edu as we implement the Path Forward: Fall 2020 plans.
I wish you a safe and productive semester,
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
CORRECTION: COVID-19 Test Results Time Frame
August 7, 2020
Dear William & Mary students,
Recently I shared with you detailed instructions for registering with Kallaco so we may send you an off-campus COVID-19 test based on your move-in date or the date you will resume in-person classes.
The prior message you received included incorrect information regarding the time frame for tests to be analyzed and results posted for view in your Kallaco account. The correct time frame is between 36-72 hours of receipt of the test kit by the lab.
We anticipated a 72-hour maximum turnaround time in determining when to mail the test kits to you. Assuming you returned the kits as promptly as expected, we do not anticipate the turnaround from lab to results will affect your ability to move in or begin classes as scheduled; however, we want you to know accurately when your test results will be available to view.
Questions can still be submitted to us at COVIDResponse@wm.edu. Thank you for your patience as we continue to work diligently to ensure a safe and successful fall semester.
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Required COVID-19 Testing for Employees
August 7, 200
Dear W&M Faculty and Staff,
Recently, I shared details about the university’s COVID-19 testing program, which goes beyond state health and CDC guidelines and is designed to be responsive to the most vulnerable populations within our community as we return to work on campus. Central to that effort is the initial testing of certain employees if their work may require them to be in close contact with others where barriers, distancing or changes in ways of working may not be able to be consistently maintained.
Once the semester begins, we will be engaging in ongoing (prevalence) testing that allows W&M to see trends of COVID-19 within the community. These tests consider cross-samples of both students and employees to understand the extent to which we are seeing positive cases, or trends, of COVID-19.
To facilitate our testing program, William & Mary through its agreement with VCU Health System has partnered with Kallaco, a national lab network, for integrated testing. The Kallaco platform provides a quick, centralized way to check test results.
To prepare for the faculty and staff testing process, all faculty and staff members should visit the Kallaco portal and activate an account. Those who have already been tested will receive their test results through the portal. To activate your account, enter your William & Mary employee email address, click forgot password and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password. Please note, Kallaco does not offer single sign-on at this time, so you must create a password unique to the Kallaco platform. Do not use your William & Mary password.
If you are identified as an employee who must complete a COVID-19 test either in conjunction with the return to campus or as part of the prevalence testing, you will be notified by your supervisor and advised to contact the VCU Health Center in Williamsburg. You will not be expected to quarantine based on your participation in the required testing, although you will be expected to isolate if you develop symptoms or test positive. Required tests will be conducted at the VCU Health System clinic at 332 N. Henry Street in Williamsburg and shared with the university. This allows the university to respond quickly to any positive test result. As a reminder, you must report to your supervisor if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through your health care provider or other testing programs.
In the coming weeks, we will update employees on the availability of optional testing that they can request for a low co-pay if they are concerned that they’ve contracted or been exposed to COVID-19.
Until then, wishing you continued health and a successful start to the fall,
Sam Jones,
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
About Kallaco and W&M
Kallaco is an information distribution portal facilitating COVID-19 testing at William & Mary and a number of other universities in Virginia. Kallaco’s founders have a long history in software development and the healthcare space. One of the many reasons William & Mary selected Kallaco as a partner is their relationship with a robust network of national labs. William & Mary conducts a formal security review process within Information Technology, against which all enterprise applications are evaluated. The university’s chief information security officer completed that privacy review of Kallaco and is in frequent communication with the vendor to ensure that student and employee data is securely stored and privacy is protected. W&M’s university counsel and procurement offices also ensured our contract reflected William & Mary's commitment to privacy and appropriate data use.
COVID-19 Testing
Editor’s note: Phased planning has amended some information included in the July 22 message. While W&M is allowing student to upload rapid test results to satisfy requirements for move-in and on-campus activities, the university asks that students still complete the test process with Kallaco, which provides a different type of COVID-19 test. Additionally, in October, W&M began offering voluntary COVID-19 tests to faculty and staff members for free.
July 22, 2020
Dear William & Mary Students, Faculty & Staff,
As William & Mary moves into the Fall 2020 semester, the COVID-19 Response Team provides the following summary of the university’s testing protocol for students and employees. We are establishing a testing program that goes above and beyond state health and CDC guidelines and is designed to be responsive to the most at-risk populations within our community.
Recognizing that the health landscape continues to evolve, a robust testing effort allows us to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus among students and employees, and to track campus trends relative to those locally, within Virginia and nationally. Testing frequency and population percentage will evolve based on campus trends and available testing methods.
Who will do the testing?
William & Mary is partnering with the VCU Health System (VCUHS) for expanded physical and mental health services, including COVID-19 testing for students and employees.
If you are a student, how and when will testing occur?
All students are required to be tested before the fall semester. The timing of initial testing depends on when a student arrives on campus:
- Students will receive a self-administered, mail-in test kit prior to coming to campus. Test kits will arrive in time for students to self-administer the test, mail it back along with the required consent form, and get test results before they are due to arrive on campus.
- International Students will receive specific testing instructions in the next week to 10 days.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, you must self-isolate at home or off campus until you have a confirmed negative test. Students who test positive will be mailed a retest approximately 10-14 days following the initial positive result.
- Prevalence testing (initial sampling of 5% of the student body) will occur at least every two weeks. Testing frequency and population percentage will evolve based on campus trends and available testing methods.
- Students who experience symptoms over the course of the semester should make an appointment with the Student Health Center for a clinical assessment and testing if necessary. The Student Health Center will provide instructions on necessary next steps.
If you are an employee, how and when will testing occur?
- William & Mary employees are preparing for students to return to campus in early August. Supervisors on the main campus and VIMS’ campus will be communicating with employees this week, confirming that they will be working on campus, remotely or in a blended fashion as students begin returning to campus, as well as schedules for those modes of work.
- All employees will have access to voluntary at-will testing through the VCUHS for a $15 out-of-pocket copayment, with the university covering the balance. The schedule and location for voluntary testing will be provided shortly. [Ed. Note: In October, W&M began offering these tests for free.]
- Prevalence testing (initial sample of 2% of the employee/contractor population) will occur at least every two weeks. Testing frequency and population percentage may vary based on campus trends and available testing methods.
- Employees or contract workers with positions that cannot maintain physical distancing, or where other work modifications to reduce virus spread are infeasible and impractical, will be tested prior to working with students. These employees will be contacted over the next two weeks with instructions for testing before students return to campus. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be expected to isolate and retest with a negative result before returning to work.
Will there be testing at the end of the Fall 2020 semester?
William & Mary will cover the cost of a voluntary test for students and employees who wish to be tested prior to returning home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Testing schedules will be released later.
Thank you for your support of our testing effort.
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Face Covering Requirements July 15-Dec. 31, 2020
Editor’s note: Phased planning and increased understanding of COVID-19 has amended some information included in the July 14 message. Faculty members may not opt for face shields or plexiglass in lieu of masks. Face shields and plexiglass are additional and valuable aids, but do not replace the need to wear masks. Accommodations to this requirement are only approved by the W&M COVID-19 Response Team at [[COVIDResponse]].
July 14, 2020
As we move through this summer and into the fall semester, the COVID-19 Response Team is providing guidance regarding the required use of face coverings on campus from now through the end of the calendar year (July 15-Dec. 31, 2020).
Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for this period.
General Requirements:
- University requirements for face coverings apply to all faculty, staff, students, contract workers, vendors and others who are on William & Mary’s various campuses or enter university owned or leased buildings.
- Indoor public spaces: when in a facility, everyone should wear a face covering over the nose and mouth including building entry areas, classrooms and labs, libraries, conference rooms, hallways, elevators, restrooms, lounges and other shared spaces that allow for public interaction or gathering. The ability to physically distance within a space does not eliminate the above requirements.
- Outdoor spaces: face coverings may be removed only when an uninterrupted 6’ distance can be maintained between you and other individuals for the continuous duration of an activity.
- Face coverings include cloth or disposable masks or face shields. [Note: W&M policy has changed since this message was released: Faculty are required to wear masks at all times in the classroom. Faculty members may not opt for face shields or plexiglass in lieu of masks. Face shields and plexiglass are additional and valuable aids, but do not replace the need to wear masks. Exceptions to this requirement are only approved by the W&M COVID-19 Response Team at [[COVIDResponse]]. -- Ed.]
If you are a student:
- All general requirements stated above apply.
- You are required to wear a face covering when in a classroom, lab or other instructional space. The exact type of face covering may vary depending on the instructional environment (e.g., a university-provided face shield may be required in a lab).
- All requirements apply to both indoor and outdoor co-curricular activities and spaces.
- You are not required to wear a face covering when in your room or suite in your residence hall.
- You are required to wear a face covering when in university housing hallways, other shared spaces and hall baths (except when actively washing, brushing teeth, etc.).
If you are faculty, staff, contract worker, vendor or other:
- All general requirements stated above apply.
- Faculty and instructional support staff are required to wear a face covering in indoor or outdoor classrooms, labs and other instructional spaces.
- Teachers have the option to wear a face shield during instruction as an alternative to a cloth face covering, to enable learners to better understand their speech. A cloth face covering will be used immediately before and after instruction and when interacting with others and unable to maintain 6’ physical distancing. Other options shall be submitted to the COVID Response Team for approval. [Note: W&M policy has changed since this message was released: Faculty are required to wear masks at all times in the classroom. Faculty members may not opt for face shields or plexiglass in lieu of masks. Face shields and plexiglass are additional and valuable aids, but do not replace the need to wear masks. Exceptions to this requirement are only approved by the W&M COVID-19 Response Team at [[COVIDResponse]]. -- Ed.]
- Faculty and staff are not required to wear a face covering while in their private offices or work spaces where a physical distance of at least 6’ can be maintained. Open-floor plans can be enhanced through the reconfiguration of space, installation of plexiglass barriers, etc.
- Face coverings must be used when interaction with others precludes physical distancing, such as conferring with colleagues, advising students, etc.
- Employees who move throughout buildings, including private office spaces, to perform their work (e.g. IT, maintenance, dining, library staff, etc.) must wear face coverings at all times.
- Employees working in outdoor spaces are not required to wear face coverings as long as a 6’ physical distance from others can be maintained continuously during their activity.
Exceptions:
As noted above, these requirements apply to all faculty, staff, students, contract workers, vendors and other visitors to campus. Students who require an exception to these requirements due to health concerns should request an exception from the Office of Student Accessibility Services. Employees should request an exception for health reasons through Human Resources.
Other measures being taken to mitigate risks as students and employees return to campus this fall will be discussed at a community Town Hall scheduled for July 20.
Compliance with these requirements keeps our campuses safer through the summer and into the fall. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
W&M work guidelines through July 31 and fall public health protocols
June 26, 2020
Dear William & Mary Community:
On June 12, 2020 William & Mary released its planning process for the coming semester – the Path Forward: Fall 2020. That plan reflected the work of five Plan Ahead squads composed of campus experts – faculty, staff, students, administrators. It is based on collaborations with Commonwealth public higher education (including peer university public health and medical centers), CDC and VDH guidelines, and the Governor’s guidelines.
I write to share updates on telework (below) as well as additional details now on our website about fall planning, including:
- Fall schedule/key dates
- Protocols for mitigating risk to health: PPE, physical distancing in classrooms and workspaces, cleaning/hygiene, testing, symptom monitoring, case management, contact tracing, quarantine and isolation.
W&M is part of an active effort to partner with the Commonwealth on a testing network anchored in our three VA university medical centers: VCU, UVA, and VT. Our testing and other public health protocols are based on ongoing epidemiological modeling with those centers.
We continue to move forward in a phased way: focusing on adaptations and flexibility, to mitigate risk to health, while ensuring we can sustain W&M’s mission of teaching, learning, and research. We ask the community to be aware that the public health context and VA directives will continue to change in the coming weeks. W&M leadership will continually evaluate our path forward in light of those changes.
Telework through July 31: current restrictions and/or guidelines for telework, campus events and on-campus building access continue. Virginia’s Phase 3 reopening does not change W&M’s campus-specific guidelines.
After July 31: information will be provided next week by the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Human Resources Officer on the specifics of how we will assess return to work timelines based on the university's mission and areas of work.
Going forward, we will continue to update the community on a weekly basis, to add clarity as frequently as we may. Coordinated through the COVID-19 Response Team, updates to the Path Forward: Fall 2020 have been added to the university’s COVID-19 website. Further messages will be coming early next week from the provost, vice president for students affairs, the chief operating officer and the chief human resources officer.
Thank you for your patience as we work through the details that will allow us to navigate the extraordinary challenges wrought by pandemic.
Sam Jones
Chair, COVID-19 Response Team
Fall Schedule
A reminder, to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus the university will operate with a compressed schedule with an extended break between Thanksgiving and the start of the spring 2021 semester. Recognizing that the schedules for graduate and professional schools may vary, some key dates for undergraduates are as follows:
- August 12-14: Phased move-in of new students
- August 15-18: Phased move-in of returning students
- August 19: Classes begin
- November 13: Last day of classes
- November 24: Last day of exams
Telework
The current restrictions on campus operations with most employees working remotely will continue through July 31. With the return of students to campus, there will be a need for core functions to return as well. Information will be provided next week by the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Human Resources Officer on the specifics of how we will assess timelines for resuming campus operations based on the university's mission and areas of work.
Mitigating risk under pandemic
The university is taking a systematic approach to mitigate risks of transmission in face-to-face situations, via education, prevention, testing/tracing and treatment including quarantine and isolation.
NOTE: the following protocols are based on epidemiological modeling and analysis pursued in partnership with the major medical centers in the Virginia public university system. Guidelines will continue to be adjusted based on research and analysis arising from that partnership.
Specific measures:
PPE
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Students returning to campus
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Symptom tracking and additional testingA symptom-tracking app will be provided to all students, faculty and staff, allowing for a daily prompt for symptom assessment. More information on the app will be shared by mid-July. W&M is part of an active effort to partner with the Commonwealth on a testing network anchored in our three VA university medical centers: VCU, UVA, and VT. Our testing and other public health protocols are based on ongoing epidemiological modeling with those centers.
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Hygiene practices and cleaning/disinfectant protocolsW&M practices will continue to be based on CDC/VDH guidelines with oversight by the university's Environmental, Health & Safety Office.
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Physical distancing and adaptations to workplace environments
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Physical distancing and adaptations to classroom environments
All of these efforts will be supported by an increased cleaning regiment focused on individual responsibility for personal space and more extensive and frequent cleaning of public spaces by the university. |
Physical distancing outside the classroom
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Dining hallsFor campus dining William & Mary, in partnership with Sodexo, will maintain compliance with CDC guidelines for restaurants. Physical distancing will be implemented. Other actions being taken include:
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Student housingThe university is using multiple strategies to decrease the risk of COVID-19 transmission within residence halls. These include:
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Student quarantining and isolationThe university has set aside Richmond Hall to be used only as residence hall space for student quarantine (potential exposure) and student isolation (positive case). Active cases within the student population will be monitored through the Student Health Center under guidance from the Center's Medical Director. |
Coordination with local health authoritiesThe President and other university leaders meet monthly with City of Williamsburg leadership to coordinate COVID-19 response. William & Mary also participates in weekly calls with a Greater Williamsburg COVID-19 Partnership which includes membership from localities, school divisions, major employers and local health service providers. Through this group, the university remains current on regional testing volume, positive cases, hospitalizations and hospital capacity. |
