Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Hope College Guidelines

For the 2022-23 academic year, Hope College is committed to providing a full in-person experience within the latest COVID-19 public health guidelines. The parameters and guidance below aim to reduce medically significant illness and minimize strain on the healthcare system. They were developed based on the prevention steps associated with the CDC’s current local COVID-19 Community Level and may be modified if the local Community Level changes or if other public health recommendations are provided.

The CDC provides additional guidance for individuals who are immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system), as they are more likely to get sick with COVID-19 or be sick for a longer period. Hope College strongly recommends that immunocompromised persons consult and follow the CDC guidance, including the creation of a personal COVID-19 plan in consultation with their healthcare provider.

Student Testing

Students with symptoms are encouraged to test themselves for COVID-19 in the days immediately prior to arriving on campus for the fall semester. In the event of a positive test, the student is responsible to isolate at home and follow the guidance in the Isolation section below.

While living on campus, any student who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can call the Health Center (616.395.7585) to schedule testing. Although free tests are available from the federal government, please note that federal program restrictions often prevent delivery of these kits to college-owned housing.

The Health Center will provide a test for any student who has been exposed to COVID-19. Per CDC guidance, testing for those without symptoms will be at least 5 days after exposure, not sooner. Interested students can call the Health Center (616.395.7585) for more details.

It is recommended that each student and employee maintain a supply of COVID-19 self tests (aka “home tests”). These can be used for rapid diagnosis of symptoms or for their own asymptomatic (“peace of mind”) testing.

Surveillance testing (sampling of asymptomatic individuals) will not take place unless the local COVID-19 Community Level elevates sufficiently and local conditions warrant. Wastewater testing will continue to provide aggregate data regarding the local presence of COVID-19 infections.

Per guidance from the NCAA, there are no additional testing requirements for student-athletes.

Isolation(Positive Test)

Isolation is used to separate people with COVID-19 from those without COVID-19. 

If a student or employee tests positive for COVID-19, they are responsible to isolate for 5 days regardless of vaccination status in accordance with CDC guidelines. During this time, the individual should not attend class or work and should remain separate from others to the extent possible.

Students and employees are responsible for notifying their professors and any work supervisors or coaches of the need to isolate. They are also responsible to inform any close contacts* of their exposure to COVID-19 and advise them to consult this document and the CDC guidelines for further instruction. Additional notification to the college is not required, and professors will not be notified by college personnel of student absences.

For isolation, Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or a positive viral test, and Day 1 is the first full day after symptoms developed (for those with symptoms) or the test specimen was collected (for those without symptoms). Isolation ends after the conclusion of Day 5 if the individual is fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and their symptoms are improving.

A person who isolates is responsible to wear a well-fitting mask through the conclusion of Day 10 any time they are around others inside their home or in public, and should not go to places where they are unable to wear a mask. They should not travel through the conclusion of Day 10.

If a person gets very sick from COVID-19 or has a weakened immune system, they should isolate for at least 10 days and consult their doctor before ending isolation.

* A close contact is someone who was less than 6 feet away from a confirmed COVID-19 infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting 2 days before the infected person developed symptoms or tested positive. Those who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and are asymptomatic do not need to quarantine. Those with confirmed COVID-19 (verified with a viral test) in the previous 90 days do not need to quarantine as long as they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Quarantine(Exposure)

Quarantine is used to prevent transmission of COVID-19 by keeping people who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 apart from others. 

If a student or employee is a close contact* of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and is not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, they are responsible to quarantine for 5 days in accordance with CDC guidelines. During this time, the individual should not attend class or work and should remain away from others to the extent possible. Students and employees who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines do not need to quarantine if they do not experience symptoms. 

Students and employees are responsible for notifying their professors and any work supervisors or coaches of the need to quarantine. Additional notification to the college is not required, and professors will not be notified by college personnel of student absences.

For quarantine, Day 0 is the date of exposure, and Day 1 is the first full day after their last contact with a person who has had COVID-19.

After the conclusion of Day 5, they are responsible to wear a well-fitted mask through the conclusion of Day 10 anytime they are around others.

Students who are close contacts* who start experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should isolate (per the guidance above) and call the Health Center (616.395.7585) to schedule a test.

A negative COVID-19 test cannot eliminate the need to quarantine or shorten the duration.

* A close contact is someone who was less than 6 feet away from a confirmed COVID-19 infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting 2 days before the infected person developed symptoms or tested positive. Those who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and are asymptomatic do not need to quarantine. Those with confirmed COVID-19 (verified with a viral test) in the previous 90 days do not need to quarantine as long as they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Student Isolation/Quarantine Location

Students needing to isolate or quarantine are strongly encouraged to return to their permanent (i.e., non-Hope) residence by a private vehicle and safely isolate themselves at home. If they are unable to return to their permanent residence, students who reside on and off campus should isolate-in-place at their college residence and should only leave their room for restroom, food, medical appointments and to go outside. For situations involving a roommate, the isolating student and all roommates should wear masks in the room while awake.

• The quarantining/isolating individual should not have sustained interactions with others and should wear a mask at all times when not in the room or when the roommate is present and awake.
• No one other than the official residents should enter a living unit while someone is quarantining or isolating there.
• Roommates or friends can bring meals to the student. For those on a meal plan, the student’s ID can be used to obtain self-service carryout meals from the dining halls.

Students will not be reimbursed for tuition, room, board or other fees due to isolation or quarantine.

Under specific circumstances, high-risk quarantine housing is an option for students at risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. If that student lives in college housing and is sharing a bedroom with a COVID-19 positive student, they can call the Health Center (616.395.7585) to discuss this option. Students in high-risk quarantine housing may utilize self-service take-out meals from the dining halls or external dining options for food and beverages. A student in high-risk quarantine housing who has not tested positive and does not have symptoms can continue to attend class if they are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines. If a student in high-risk quarantine housing tests positive, they will vacate high-risk quarantine housing and return to their normal on-campus housing upon notification of the test result.

Student Academic Work While in Isolation/Quarantine

Students are responsible for notifying their professors of their need to isolate or quarantine. Additional notification to the college is not required, and professors will not be notified by college personnel of student absences.

Upon knowing they need to quarantine or isolate, a student is responsible for contacting each of their professors about materials and assignments that will be missed. Professors should coordinate with students to ensure that any materials or assignments missed during an isolation or quarantine absence are provided in the most timely and effective manner possible. When appropriate and effective, professors are encouraged to facilitate real-time participation via Google Meet or equivalent methods.

Students who visit the Health Center will be provided with proof of their appointment. Should the student wish to do so, they can provide that proof to the professor. However, for about 80% of student COVID-19 absences (including home tests and quarantines due to exposure) such proof does not exist. Professors should develop plans for missed classes due to quarantine or isolation in light of the medical needs of the student.

Vaccines

All students, employees and visitors to campus are strongly encouraged to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. 

Students who desire a vaccine dose (including a booster) can call the Health Center (616.395.7585) to schedule an appointment. Multiple options are available, including both subunit protein (Novavax) and mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) vaccines.

While COVID-19 vaccination is not required for activities on the Hope College campus, some off-campus programs and experiences facilitated by other organizations (e.g,. internships, study abroad programs) may include a vaccination requirement.

Masks

Wearing a mask is optional throughout the campus of Hope College with the exception of the Health Center, where masks are required by all who enter per CDC guidance for healthcare settings.

In a small number of academic instructional spaces (classes, labs, performances, etc.) a professor may request that all those present wear a mask where the circumstances of the activity or an individual participant necessitate masking. Students are expected to comply with this request for the safety of all members of the class.

Consistent with the mission and core values of Hope College it is expected that all students, employees and visitors will honor any requests from others to wear a mask. In support of this expectation, it is recommended that each student and employee maintains their own supply of well-fitting face masks while on campus, and that everyone carries a mask with them at all times.

When a mask is needed, one that fully covers the nose and mouth is required. In all situations, cloth masks are not recommended, and N95 or KN95 masks are preferred.

If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19 at Hope College, please email campushealth@hope.edu.