COVID-19 precautions in place for fall semester

Welcome back to campus! We’re looking forward to coming together as a campus community while still ensuring your health and safety.

COVID-19 and the delta variant continue to spread. The delta variant tends to be more infectious, cause more severe illness than previous COVID-19 strains, and is affecting younger people at higher rates. The CDC website and UND COVID-19 website have more details.

Below is a summary of precautions put in place for the fall semester.

Vaccines

• UND strongly encourages vaccinations. It’s the best way to ensure the full campus experience.
• Student Health Services offers COVID-19 vaccines by appointment (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to all UND students, faculty and staff.
• Student Health Services will offer COVID-19 testing and vaccines to students during Welcome Weekend, Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 21-22, noon to 3 p.m., in Wilkerson Commons, Rooms 173/175.
• If you received your first dose at another location, you may get your second dose at Student Health Services.
• Other vaccination sites are available.
• Do not ask employees and students to disclose their vaccination status. Employees and students may voluntarily share this information.

Testing

• Free COVID-19 testing is available Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Pollard Athletic Center for all students, faculty, staff and the Grand Forks community.
• Student Health Services offers COVID-19 testing by appointment for symptomatic UND students.
• Vaccinated: Recommended to test only if you develop symptoms and/or are identified as a close contact.
• Not vaccinated: Recommended to test often, even if you do not have symptoms.

Masks

Masks are required in the public spaces of the following buildings: academic buildings, administrative buildings, the Chester Fritz Library, Student Health Services, and the University Children’s Learning Center. This includes Wilkerson Commons and the Memorial Union, except when one is eating in those facilities. University business conducted in non-university facilities, such as admissions activities at the Gorecki Center, are also covered by this requirement.

Masks are strongly encouraged in all other public spaces. These include facilities such as residence hall common areas, campus apartment common areas, the Wellness Center, and athletic facilities. When meetings are scheduled in residence hall common areas, masks will be required.

Widespread use of masks drastically reduces the number of people required to quarantine following a positive case of COVID-19, by state Department of Health policy. This simple step of wearing masks when we are in groups will blunt the impact of quarantines and allow us to most effectively continue our on-campus education.

Positive Cases

• All students and employees should immediately self-report if they test positive for COVID-19.
• Both vaccinated and unvaccinated UND individuals who test positive are:
  • Encouraged to isolate immediately.
  • NOT allowed on campus during the recommended isolation period.
  • Eligible to stay in a designated off-campus hotel and receive meals from UND Dining Services at no cost.

Close Contacts: If You’re Vaccinated

• Monitor symptoms, wear a mask, and get tested 3-5 days after exposure.
• Allowed on campus property during the recommended quarantine period.

Close Contacts: If You’re NOT Vaccinated

• Encouraged to quarantine, wear a mask, and get tested 3-5 days after exposure.
• NOT allowed on campus property during the quarantine period.
• Eligible to stay in a designated off-campus hotel and receive meals from UND Dining Services at no cost.

Other Safety Precautions

• If you’re sick, stay home! Speak to your healthcare provider and get tested as recommended.
• Faculty and staff must use regular sick leave or annual leave as needed.
• Plexiglas barriers, improved ventilation systems, extra cleaning protocols and hand sanitization stations are in place across campus.
• UND has a contact tracing team to help prevent virus spread.
• Signage about CDC and mask guidelines are available for download and posting.
• For more information, visit the UND COVID-19 website.