
A Dose of Doing Good
Ohio Wesleyan Pre-Med Student Volunteers to Conduct Health Screenings at Early Childhood Center
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Each of us in the OWU community has a great responsibility. If we follow campus guidelines and act with care and empathy, we can create a campus environment where OWU students, faculty, and staff can work, study, live, learn, and interact in ways that fulfill our educational mission and protect the health, safety, and well-being of us all.
Since November 12, 2020, Delaware County has been listed as a Red Level 3 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. The state system includes four levels, with Level 4 being the most urgent.
With a Red Level 3 designation, Delaware County is considered to be in a period of “very high exposure and spread,” and residents and visitors are encouraged to “limit activities as much as possible.”
As part of the designation, people are instructed to follow these public health protections:
Learn more here about the levels and their complete list of public health requirements.
As students return to the OWU campus for the 2021 spring semester, everyone will receive a rapid-response antigen test. Results will be ready in about 15 minutes, and anyone who tests positive will then receive a PCR test and will be isolated until results come back from that test (usually by the next day).
With the antigen tests, we will be able to immediately isolate anyone before they go to their residence hall or room and before they mingle with classmates.
As in the fall, about 200 students will be selected randomly each week for PCR tests. Results will be posted each week on OWU's Testing Dashboard. In addition, student-athletes and coaches will be tested prior to competitions, in line with NCAA guidelines.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic challenges us. Can we recreate a vibrant OWU campus for learning and living while protecting the individuals in our community from the coronavirus?
To create the framework for this new campus life, OWU's Safe Campus Opening Task Force developed the Safe Opening Plan in consultation with public health experts in Delaware County and at The Ohio State University, and with reference to state/federal guidance and emerging industry standards. The plan addresses how OWU will return to campus, monitor individuals' health, contain the virus if it's detected, and prepare plans for major changes if they are needed.
The plan is explained in this website.
However, this plan will work only as well as we all make it work. Any weak link can put the campus at risk. Each of us – students, faculty, staff, visitors – is responsible for the health of everyone around us. The following mnemonic can help us all remember our day-to-day responsibilities.
Wear your face covering
Evaluate your health daily
Avoid unnecessary travel
Remain six feet apart
Engage your peers in protecting our community
Observe university group size limits
Wash your hands frequently
Use kindness
All students, faculty, and staff who will be learning or working on campus are asked to make the following commitment to keep our community healthy:
Protecting the health and safety of our OWU and local Delaware community is the responsibility of every member of the community. I recognize that my actions and choices have a significant health impact on others around me and can contribute to the success of the 2020-2021 academic year. With this understanding, I commit to the following for the benefit of myself and my community:
If you have concerns about unsafe situations or unsafe behavior on or off campus, please send a message to covid19@owu.edu.
Ohio Wesleyan Pre-Med Student Volunteers to Conduct Health Screenings at Early Childhood Center
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