In response to returning to campus for research, Emory University has put processes and protocols into place to prepare Faculty, Staff, and Researchers to return to campus and how to maintain a healthy environment while on campus. A COVID-19 Dashboard was also recently launched to provide accurate and timely updates of all positive case reports as determined by Emory University’s contact tracing team. In the event of a COVID positive (COVID+) case on campus, Emory University and the Environmental Health and Safety Office have implemented processes for notification and response to COVID+ persons.
Emory Working Through COVID-19 Webpage
Emory University has created a “Working Through COVID-19” webpage. On this page, Faculty and Staff can find information and resources on COVID-19 as it relates to returning to campus this fall. This page is updated regularly as Emory University continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Resources that can be found on this page are:
- Fall Semester Information and Resources
- Support Resources
Emory University COVID-19 Dashboard
The Emory University COVID-19 Dashboard lists COVID-19 positive cases at Emory University since June 1, 2020, since many people remained on campus during the summer months.
The dashboard includes all positive case reports as determined by Emory University’s contact tracing team. Emory is providing a COVID-19 screening process for students, faculty, and staff. The dashboard includes positive test results from the screening process as well as results from other testing sources if reported to the university. (The dashboard does not include cases of Emory Healthcare employees or university employees who work in health care facilities.)
The dashboard can be located here: https://www.emory.edu/forward/dashboard/index.html
Emory University COVID-19 Health and Safety Response Toolkit
This toolkit provides actionable information, processes and protocols, and quick links to important information that will help guide your response to COVID positive (COVID+) cases that impact your school or unit.
It is important that these processes and protocols are followed by schools, units, faculty, students, and staff to ensure consistent response and care for the entire Emory community.
If you have any questions about using the toolkit, please contact your local HR leader.
Policies and guidelines contain information about policies that have been approved by Emory’s executive leadership, including:
- Notification hierarchy for those who have contact with a community member who has tested COVID+,
- Academic Continuity Policy,
- New and Modified Academic Policies and Guidance,
- COVID+ Notification Policy
- Face covering guidelines
- Link to the Student of Concern Referral Form
- Student Community Compact
- Faculty and Staff Community Compact
The Positive Notification Policy page provides policy details, privacy information and links to:
- Instructional Guides
- Notification and Communications Workflow PDFs
- A downloadable illness template letter
- A downloadable COVID-19 Positive Template Letter
The COVID-19 Positive Instructional Guide provides an overview of the responsibilities related to notification and communication to the community when a student, faculty member or staff member tests positive for COVID-19. This overview includes privacy and compliance information, and links to detailed process and protocols:
- Employees webpage and downloadable PDF
- Faculty webpage and downloadable PDF
- Supervisors webpage and downloadable PDF
- Schools and business units and downloadable PDF
- Students webpage and downloadable PDF
- Residence Life webpage and downloadable PDF
- Student Health Services webpage and downloadable PDF
Please review these materials closely and share any questions or concerns with your HR leader. In the meantime, many thanks for your continued diligence and cooperation as we work together to keep our Emory community safe and healthy.
Environmental Health and Safety (EHSO) Response to COVID Disinfection
Emory University Community Health and Safety Committee has developed a process for notification and response to COVID positive persons on the Emory Campus. EHSO is part of this committee and has developed methods of response and disinfection of impacted areas.
When EHSO is notified of a Person Under Investigation (PUI) or COVID positive person on campus we respond by triaging case information and deploying resources to disinfect the impacted areas. Information regarding the need for disinfection is provided to EHSO in several ways including direct notification from Student Health, Residence Life, Campus Services, or from EHSO Spill Line which is a 24/7 resource. Once notified EHSO evaluates how resources should be deployed to disinfect potentially contaminated areas. While we do have the capacity to disinfect, normally a Campus Services Building Residential Services (BRS) disinfection team is deployed to provide this service. It should be noted that BRS conducts nightly disinfection of common areas and consistently disinfect high touch surfaces during the day.
Additional Resources
The latest COVID-19 updates for researchers can be located on the Office of Research Administration’s dedicated COVID-19 page. Please visit http://www.or.emory.edu/COVID/index.html for more information.
As Emory University continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, information and resources are updated regularly. Please check back to the resources listed above often to receive the latest updates.