Editor’s note: The Health Professions Center no longer provides COVID-19 vaccinations. The PCR test is available for $139, or the antigen test is available for $20.
The Dean of Students Office has given several updates to USI’s COVID-19 policy on campus as of Aug. 22.
These updates include the removal of the COVID self-reporting form. Warning signs and plexiglass will also be removed from campus.
According to the Dean of Students’ Office COVID-19 update, “As the university continues to move forward from the pandemic, the COVID self-reporting form for students, faculty and staff has been removed from the website.”
David Bower, vice president for development, said the university is taking time to get signs and the plexiglass down.
“We’re ready to mobilize and and go back to everything that’s needed,” Bower said. “I think the philosophy we had, the world has said ‘let’s sort of redefine the masks and all the signs and the plexiglass,’ so we went along with that, although we still have signs up and the plexiglass because we’re just taking time to get all that stuff down.”
The university has continued to follow the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in regard to COVID-19 quarantine and self-isolation.
Kendra Bunch, junior dental hygiene major, said she agrees with USI’s current COVID-19 policy.
“I think it’s nice that we have to report it as soon as we know about it, and how they went about if you felt bad that you were excused,” Bunch said.
Bower said COVID-19 is still a concern for the university.
“We will be ready to follow the CDC guidelines but so far I have heard nothing about universal mask-wearing,” Bower said.
He said they are watching out for any CDC guideline updates but are not concerned about making any changes to the COVID-19 policies.
Haley Kippenbrock, junior dental hygiene major, said she would not be worried if she got COVID at this point.
“I know for the sake of the university and, because we’re dental hygiene majors, so like with the clients, we have to wear masks and stuff anyway, but we just know with COVID a lot of people aren’t going to be coming in as much anymore,” Kippenbrock said. “It’s just really going to hurt us being able to bring in patients and stuff so, that’s probably my biggest concern.”
Bower said the COVID-19 task force has not dispersed.
“We would simply start meeting more regularly and make those decisions together,” Bower said.
Sarah Will, director of Human Resources, said the University’s employee benefit plan covers COVID testing.
“Even at home, we took the choice of at-home tests, you have up to two per month covered under our prescription plan,” Will said. “There are some things we have continued to put in place to try and give employees that are under our health plan the option to help them be able to have the access they need to be able to monitor.”
If a student has tested positive for COVID-19, they are encouraged to follow the CDC’s guidelines. The university offers vaccinations and flu shots, as well as employee health benefits.
“Always speak up,” Bower said. “Report to your advisor or your family or the Dean of Students if you’re ill, or to HR. We want to help and we encourage everyone to get the vaccinations and the flu shots, so we certainly do that.”
