Health policy update for COVID-19

By Rachel Sell//

Hood College reported 32 cases of COVID-19 since students returned to campus on Aug. 17.

The numbers include graduate, residential, and commuter students. According to Director of Wellness Amanda Dymek, this is a decrease in on-campus cases compared to the last couple of years.

“We’re at a point where we’re less in the pandemic state, and it’s becoming more of an endemic disease,” Dymek said.

Currently, the availability and affordability of COVID-19 vaccines ensures that communities have more access to protection against the virus, she said.

According to Dymek, COVID-19 can be handled like other illnesses such as the flu, with annual vaccinations and testing only once symptoms are present. “We’re moving with COVID, and that’s a good thing,” Dymek said.

Hood and many other institutions have adjusted their isolation policies this year. With Memorial Hall being closed, there is less space on campus that the college can provide for those who test positive to quarantine.

According to Dymek, most of the students who’ve tested positive have gone home, and only one case has isolated in place. She said that students should come to campus with a plan but that sometimes there are situations that don’t permit a student traveling home, such as distance or the severity of their illness.

Last year, surveillance testing was conducted only for unvaccinated students. According to Dymek, the testing of that population identified very few cases. Now, students can rely on at-home tests.

“We want students to have the power to test themselves when they feel it’s appropriate, by their own standards,” Dymek said.

COVID-19 tests are available for students at the Hood College Office of Wellness.

The CDC and FDA recently released and approved an updated COVID-19 booster, the booster includes protection for the newest variant.

Dymek stated that students who received their last booster five to six months ago are now eligible for the latest booster. While it is not required, she noted, it is a good practice for extra protection given the variants that are currently circulating.

“I’m hoping to schedule an updated COVID clinic in October so that folks have a convenient option for the booster,” Dymek said.

In addition, a second flu vaccine clinic will be held in Whitaker Campus Center on Oct. 25, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Dymek mentioned that throughout October, the Office of Wellness will also host events focused on mindfulness, as well as mental health screenings.

“As we think about wanting to get a physical checkup… we always want to get checkups for mental health as well,” she said. The mental health screenings will begin next week and can be scheduled through the client portal via the Hood College Counseling Services webpage.

As fall and winter approach, illnesses become more common, especially in shared areas such classrooms and campus spaces. Dymek said that, though it sounds simple, one of the best ways to mitigate illness is to wash your hands.

“Touching and going, and then sitting down to eat… can cause illness for ourselves,” she said.

Dymek also said that drinking water and getting plenty of sleep are crucial for our immune systems. “That’s a really hard thing to do for college students, to prioritize sleep,” she said. “But get as much as you can… so your body can function, and if you are exposed, your body can fight it off.”