Dear Wofford families,

The following messages were just sent to all Wofford students regarding COVID-19 testing and the return to in-person instruction. These messages will be posted at Wofford.edu/coronavirus as well.

Thanks for your support. Be well.

Thom Henson
Director of Parent Programs

[MESSAGE 1]

To: Wofford campus community
From: Working Group for the Return to Campus and President’s Cabinet
Re: Important COVID-19 and testing information

Please note the following important announcements regarding surveillance testing and the return to in-person instruction on Monday, Feb. 1.

RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION DECISION

In order to collect as much data as possible, the president’s cabinet, in consultation with the Working Group for the Return to Campus, plans to make the decision Friday, Jan. 29, on whether to restart in-person classes on Monday, Feb. 1. In addition to campus case counts/trends, regional case counts/positivity rates and hospital occupancy data, we will have results from student testing to inform the decision. Look for an email Friday afternoon!

ANNOUNCEMENT OF EXPANDED SURVEILLANCE TESTING

Wofford is pleased to announce a second DHEC partner relationship that will allow us to complete weekly surveillance testing beginning Feb. 10-11. The partnership with Healthy Me, Healthy SC will allow for the testing of about 600 randomly selected members of our community each week throughout the rest of the semester. This testing, along with our new community wellness levels, guidelines and core protocols, provides the foundation of our plan to protect our community and safely complete this academic year.

STUDENT TESTING

Look for a specific message about testing coming later today. There will be two attachments for those who are testing on campus, so please complete those and follow the directions in the email. Students who have not been on campus should have a COVID-19 test before returning to campus. Those results should be uploaded to the Wellness Center portal.

FACULTY/STAFF TESTING

All faculty/staff who are not working remotely this semester are required to complete testing early next week. Please look for a separate email later today with details. Faculty and staff may return to work while awaiting test results as long as they do not present COVID-19 symptoms.

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS TRACKER

Surveillance testing does not preclude our community from completing the COVID-19 Symptoms Tracker each day. The link is at the top of the Daily Announcements for your convenience. We must continue to wear masks, wash hands and maintain social distance as well.

ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE SPACES

Campus housing for isolation and quarantine may be limited because of increased testing. Students who live within a reasonable driving distance from campus should plan to return home if they test positive for COVID-19 or are quarantining because they are a close contact to someone who has. The Wellness Center staff will determine isolation and quarantine placement on a case-by-case basis.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about case counts on campus and in our area, visit Wofford.edu/coronavirus. Also, visit Wofford.edu/WoffordTogether for wellness guidelines and our community’s commitments.

[Message 2]

To: Wofford students
From: Working Group for the Return to Campus and President’s Cabinet
Re: Student testing requirements

Here’s what you need to know about testing this week before the anticipated return to in-person instruction on Monday, Feb. 1.

FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ON CAMPUS

For students who have been on campus during the two-week remote period, testing will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 27 and Thursday, Jan. 28 in the Benjamin Johnson Arena. The testing site opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. You must print out and complete the attached forms prior to testing. These tests will be automatically uploaded so the staff in the Wellness Center can monitor results.

Here’s what you need to do before the test:
  • Print out and complete the requisition and consent forms (attached).
  • Bring identification when you come that matches the information on the forms. Use your legal name, current address and complete full email address.
  • Contact the Wellness Center if you do not feel well. You should not come to this site for a test if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

This is a saliva test. Please DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO TESTING.

If you have eaten, nasal swabs will be used for testing.

Results of these tests will help determine if we are able to resume in-person instruction on Monday, Feb. 1. College leaders will make that decision and inform the community on Friday, Jan. 29.

FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN OFF CAMPUS

If you have been off campus or quarantining at home or with friends, you must get a test before returning to Wofford. Visit a COVID-19 testing site near you then upload your results to the Wellness Portal on myWofford. Do not return to campus without a negative test. If you have tested positive in the past 90 days (since Nov. 2, 2020), you do not need to retest, but make sure the Wellness Center has your positive test result on file by emailing covid@wofford.edu with POSITIVE TEST and the date in the subject line.