PERALTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Guidelines for employees in the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case or flu.
Guidelines for Staff in The Event of a Suspected or Confirmed Student COVID-19 Exposure Peralta Community College District is committed to providing accurate and timely information about COVID-19 to students, staff and faculty. With guidance from the CDC, State and Local public health officials, the District has developed a protocol for staff to serve as a resource in the event of a student related COVID-19 exposure, confirmed case, or outbreak on a Peralta college campus.
During Fall 2021, college onsite Health Services clinics remain closed. In the event that a student is exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or develops flulike symptoms, the student should call first, then go directly to the Roots Clinic at 7272 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA (510) 533-1248 for testing, follow-up and assessment. Clinic services are covered by the student health fee.
If a Peralta student tests positive for COVID-19, an automatic referral to the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) from the origin of the testing site is required; they will begin contact tracing. Students are discouraged from performing home tests since reporting and capturing data is less reliable.
All confirmed COVID-19 cases should be immediately reported to the College’s Administrative Team, Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Dr. Ron McKinley at rmckinley@peralta.edu and the Director of Health Services, Dr. Mia Kelly at mkelly@peralta.edu
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NOTIFICATION SEQUENCE
1) THE STUDENT IS OBSERVED COUGHING WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH
a. If the situation is emergent and the student is experiencing severe respiratory symptoms, bluish lips or face, difficulty breathing, chest pain, pressure or tightness in the chest, difficulty remaining conscious, or confusion, call 911 immediately!
b. If the situation is not emergent, immediately direct the student to the Roots Clinic or their Primary Care Physician (PCP) for further evaluation. For optimal service, call the Roots Clinic first (510) 533-1248 to describe symptoms, M-F between 8:30-5pm.
c. In the health clinic, the nursing staff will use a Screening Questionnaire and document all symptoms.
d. The student will be offered COVID-19 testing; results are available in 48-72 hours.
e. At the determination of the nursing staff, students with severe or acute symptoms may be referred to their PCP to seek prompt medical attention.
f. If a student does not have a PCP, they will be directed to the nearest community health clinic.
g. The student may be asked to self-quarantine for 10-14 days to monitor for symptoms.
2) THE STUDENT STATES THAT THEY HAVE A CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19
a. Once the student is notified by the ordering physician or agency of a positive COVID-19 status, it is the student’s responsibility to then notify the school; however, this notification is optional; the COVID-19 positive diagnosis is verified by the testing agency via documentation.
b. A determination will be made whether the student has been on any of the Peralta campuses.
c. The student can opt to identify potential contacts within the Peralta colleges for proper follow-up.
d. Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) is notified of positive COVID-19 cases from the testing facilities or the ordering physician.
e. ACPHD does not notify facilities and will only contact the affected individuals in confirmed cases, potential exposures may be notified.
f. If a student has performed a home test (not recommended) further verification of results may be requested. ie) the student may be referred to the Roots Clinic.
g. The individual colleges notify the larger college community of the exposure via broad-based communication. (see Sample Exposure Letter)
h. The Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and the Director of Health Services should be notified of the occurrence.
i. For students who test COVID-19 positive at the Roots Clinic, the staff will regularly contact the student to assess progress and current status.
3. THE STUDENT STATES THEY HAVE HAD CLOSE EXPOSURE WITH SOMEONE
WITH COVID-19, Per CDC, students need to quarantine if they have been within 6 feet of someone with COVID- 19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period unless they have been fully vaccinated (2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s. (If these requirements are not met, students are NOT fully vaccinated). Students who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms of,
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Fully vaccinated students should get tested 5-7 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
4) IF A CLASSROOM OUTBREAK OCCURS,
Defined as at least three probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in people who are epidemiologically-linked in the setting, are from different households, and are not identified as close contacts of each other in any other case investigation. Outbreak Definition and Reporting Guidance (ca.gov)
a. The individual colleges notify the larger college community of the exposure via broad-based communication (see Sample Exposure Letter).
b. Students in the affected area will be notified to be tested.
c. All students, staff and faculty in the affected area are required to quarantine for 10-14 days.
d. Deep cleaning of the affected areas to occur per CDC guidelines.
ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES
COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION
1. Send broad-based notification to the campus to alert students, staff, and faculty of the exposure and encourage them to seek medical testing (see sample form letter in Appendix A).
2. Designate a person or team to accurately document COVID-19 case numbers within the colleges to share and confirm with the District Health Director.
DISTRICT /DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES
1. Document and track student COVID-19 cases across the four colleges.
2. When possible, follow-up with students to determine health needs and provide support and resources.
3. Liaise with Peralta medical experts to coordinate student health services and care.
ROOTS CLINIC
Provide COVID-19 testing, vaccination, follow-up, guidance and health resources.
ALAMEDA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT/CONTACT TRACING
ACPHD receives positive results from affiliate clinics, initiates and performs contact tracing. If a student tests positive for COVID-19 in Alameda County, their results are automatically sent to the ACPHD from the testing site of origin for data purposes and tracking. For contact tracing, the Health Department will notify the student to determine all of their contacts. This is an extensive notification process that occurs within a specialized department at the ACPHD
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Presidents can notify the Public Information Officer (PIO) to inform the colleges about the exposure. The PIO will communicate with students and staff with the following considerations:
Maintain confidentiality of the student as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, as applicable.
Align with the communication plan in the Emergency Operations Plan.
Include messages to counter potential stigma and discrimination.
a. PIO will notify the Vice Chancellor, Department of General Services, so that GS can arrange for cleaning and disinfecting as described above.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS
Peralta health services will also provide mental health support to promote resilience among those groups affected by stigma regarding COVID-19. In addition, The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has information that Institutions of Higher Learning (IHE) can share to reduce COVID-19 associated fear and stigma. Some individuals experiencing stigma and discrimination related to COVID-19 includes people of Asian descent.
*Appendix A--SAMPLE STUDENT EXPOSURE LETTER
Dear_______College Community,
We are informed that a student on campus has tested positive for COVID-19. Our priority is to protect everyone’s health and safety in compliance with the law. This message serves as notification of this occurrence. Due to HIPAA privacy laws, we cannot identify the individual who tested positive for the virus. However, the student was last on campus on ___________and reported a positive test to staff on ______ . The staff member immediately reported the information to the administration on ____________. The student will remain off campus for ten to fourteen days from the date of confirmation of the positive test, and per policy can return after that time period has lapsed if asymptomatic. Students should contact the Roots Clinic at (510) 533-1248 for testing, resources or additional questions. Student ID is required. Faculty should follow the Employee Protocol for COVID-19 Exposure. All exposed persons should monitor for flulike symptoms, including a dry cough and fever. If any of these symptoms are experienced, please contact your medical provider immediately. As an additional resource, please visit https://safe.peralta.edu/ for the most up-to-date information and resources regarding COVID-19 for students and staff. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, this information will be updated as the situation changes.