Important Spring 2022 Updates

McDaniel College has announced additional safety measures for the Spring 2022 return to campus for undergraduate students. This is in addition to the required COVID booster and flu shot for all undergraduate students.

Dear McDaniel Community,

The Return to the Hill Committee continues to closely monitor the trajectory of the COVID-19 virus nationally, regionally, and here in Carroll County, as we prepare to welcome back students for an in-person spring semester.

Due to a significant rise in COVID-19 cases since the fall semester ended, we will be implementing some additional safety measures when students arrive on campus at the beginning of the spring semester. This is in addition to the required COVID booster and flu shot prior to returning to campus.

The purpose of this email is to share these measures with you to allow time for you to prepare for your return to campus. The Return to the Hill webpage will continue to have the most up-to-date information regarding the spring semester.

We believe that the measures outlined in this email and our community’s continued commitment to following our health and safety protocols will set us on the path for another successful semester.

Sincerely,

Return to the Hill (RTTH) Committee

Recommended Pre-Arrival COVID Test: We strongly encourage all students, but especially students traveling to campus from a distance, to receive results from a COVID test on your own as close to your return to campus, as possible, and no more than 72 hours before arriving. This step will allow you to reduce the likelihood that you are unknowingly COVID-19 positive because any residential student who tests positive at move in will be required to return home immediately.
First Week Back: To accommodate any students who may be isolating at home as we move through this transition period, all classes will be fully online for the first week. During the testing period, all food service venues will operate as take-out only between dinner on January 23, 2022, until breakfast on January 26, 2022. Scotty’s Convenience Store in the Roj Student Center will also continue to be accessible via your McDaniel ID card 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Student-athletes will hear directly from their athletic coach regarding team activities and practices.
Required COVID-19 Arrival Testing prior to Entering Residential Spaces: All students are required to complete a college-provided COVID-19 rapid test before moving into residential spaces. Tests will be administered in Gill Gym during move in on Sunday, Jan. 23, Monday, Jan. 24, and Tuesday, Jan. 25. If the college-administered COVID-19 rapid test result is positive, the student will be required to return home immediately to begin the isolation period as prescribed by the Health Department. If the college-administered COVID-19 rapid test result is negative, the student may move into their campus housing assignment.

Students will receive an email next week with instructions to sign up for an arrival testing appointment. Please remember, students must complete a college-administered test prior to entering their residence and should not arrive back to campus until the date and time of their testing appointment. Please note that this means all students do not arrive to campus on Sunday but rather over the course of the three testing days. Please plan your arrival accordingly.

Arrival Testing Times:

Sunday, January 23: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Monday, January 24: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 25: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 during the past 90 days may provide documentation of the diagnosis from a medical provider to the Wellness Center at wellness@mcdaniel.edu or at the Arrival Testing site in order to not be tested. At home, over the counter, rapid test results will not be accepted as documentation because of the inability to verify the individual tested.
COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot Documentation Required on Arrival: If you have not already provided the Wellness Center with the following information, please bring this documentation with you to the Arrival Testing area in Gill Gym.

Proof of COVID-19 Booster Vaccine

Documentation verifying that the booster has been received may be emailed in advance to wellness@mcdaniel.edu.

If you have recently tested positive for COVID, your healthcare provider may recommend delaying the administration of your booster. In this situation, you will need to provide the Wellness Center with documentation of COVID-19 diagnosis within the past 90 days and/or a written statement from your healthcare provider about the necessity of delaying the booster.

Please note, a Booster Vaccine Clinic will occur on campus on January 25, 2022, for those few students unable to receive the Booster while at home. Additional information about the clinic will be available at the Arrival Testing site.

Those students who are not yet eligible for their Booster or who have specific questions related to their own personal circumstance, should contact the Wellness Center at wellness@mcdaniel.edu.

Proof of Flu Shot

Documentation verifying that the flu shot has been received should be entered on the Flu Vaccine Requirement online form or can be emailed in advance to wellness@mcdaniel.edu.

Any student needing information about where to receive a flu shot in the Westminster area may contact the Wellness Center.

If you are not able to receive the flu vaccine due to extenuating medical or personal circumstances, please enter that information on the Flu Vaccine Waiver Request.

Updated health and safety protocols for the spring semester

The following updated protocols will also be in place for the spring semester:

As in the fall semester, students are not permitted to host off-campus guests in campus housing after their move-in is completed.
Based on the latest CDC recommendation to wear masks with multiple layers, the college will provide each student and employee with three KN95 masks at the beginning of the semester. Distribution information will be provided to students upon arrival to campus. Please consider placing an order now for a supply that would last you through the end of the semester.
Due to new procedures enacted by the State of Maryland and the Carroll County Health Department, new isolation and quarantine protocols will be in effect.
Residential students who live less than 200 miles from campus will be required to isolate and quarantine at home. Any student who lives within 200 miles of campus should have a plan in place.
In addition, any individual who is not up to date with the COVID vaccine—two doses of an mRNA vaccine or one dose of the J&J vaccine, plus the booster once eligible—will be required to quarantine for 5 days following exposure, regardless of test result. While we want to bring this to your attention, we expect that this will have minimal impact on our student body since the booster vaccine is required of all students prior to returning to campus.

We encourage you to review the COVID-19 Protocols for Prevention, Exposure, Testing, and Isolation/Quarantine, as well as the Community Health Protocols that will continue to be in effect during the spring semester.