Covid Plan (Updated Summer 2023)
As the world turned upside down from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Moravian community stepped up to "Protect the Pack." Since the spring of 2020 the faculty and staff at Moravian University have worked tirelessly to deliver the Moravian experience to all of our students, both in and out of the classroom. While the pandemic continues, Moravian (on both our Bethlehem and Lancaster campuses) will stay current with guidance from the CDC and our partners in the community.
Masking:
Moravian University announced a shift to a mask optional policy as of March 2022 based on current trends and guidance from St. Luke's University Health Network.
Please be aware of following exceptions:
- Health care clinical settings where wearing a mask is required.
- Moravian University Campus Health Center (or any medical office, or clinical field work site).
- If you:
- Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 (even if vaccinated).
- Are instructed to wear a mask by a healthcare provider.
- Feel ill with upper respiratory symptoms.
- Are COVID-positive, and isolated.
- Masking will be recommended on our campus shuttles in accordance with CDC recommendations. All students should continue to carry a mask to class as faculty members may require masking because of health concerns in a particular classroom.
- For those concerned about their health, making sure you are fully vaccinated (including boosted) and wearing a N95/KN95 mask will provide the greatest protection against infection.
Moravian University will continue to support all members of our community who choose to wear a mask.
Information for Students:
Moravian will continue to review recommendations from the PA Department of Health, the CDC, and the American College Health Association regarding COVID-19 protocols for colleges and universities. Updates will be communicated to the campus community as necessary.
Students living on campus that are diagnosed with Covid and have a roommate should go home for their isolation. If unable to go home, they may isolate in place if the affected roommate agrees to this plan. The ill student will need to maintain isolation for 5 days and retest after day 5. If still testing positive, ill student will be asked to maintain isolation for the full 10 days. If the test is negative they may be out of isolation with STRICT masking for the rest of the 10 days. They will need to arrange for food delivery to their space. Roommates involved in this situation must be masked when out of their rooms to prevent further infection campus wide. Masking for the roommate must continue until they are tested 5 days after their last contact with the ill roommate. (regardless of vaccination status).
If unable to go home and the roommate does NOT agree to share the space then the sick student may request isolation housing on campus. VERY limited number of spaces are available for on campus isolation. The ill student arranges their own food delivery while in the on campus isolation space.
Athletes should continue to follow the protocols as mandated by the NCAA and Landmark Conference. Coaches and athletic department leadership will continue to communicate expectations.
Information for Moravian University faculty and staff:
On August 11, 2022 the CDC streamlined its guidance for protecting against COVID-19, please see the CDC web page here: CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk .
The updates include:
- Recommending that instead of quarantining if you were exposed to COVID-19, you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
- Reiterating that regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19.
- You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results.
- If your results are positive, follow CDC’s full isolation recommendations.
- If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.
- You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results.
- Recommending that if you test positive for COVID-19, you stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.
- If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
- Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
- You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.
- Recommending that if you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19 or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.
- Recommending that if you had severe illness or have a weakened immune system, consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you. If you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance.
- Clarifying that after you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.
- Recommending screening testing of asymptomatic people without known exposures will no longer be recommended in most community settings.
- Emphasizing that physical distance is just one component of how to protect yourself and others. It is important to consider the risk in a particular setting, including local COVID-19 Community Levels and the important role of ventilation, when assessing the need to maintain physical distance.