COVID-19 2021-2022 | Westmont College

**COVID-19 Dashboard: Spring 2022**

*Updated weekly during the semester*
Faculty, Staff & Students with active Covid infections	Students isolating on campus	SINCE 1/2/22 TESTS PERFORMEd on campus	SINCE 1/2/22 cases recorded from on-campus testing	on-campus TEST Positivity Rate
1	0	3699	140	3.78%

3/1 Update

March 1 Update

Beginning March 1st, Westmont adopts the following masking protocols:

Classrooms:
- While we highly recommend that all community members wear masks in class, professors may allow individuals to remove masks while in class, regardless of vaccination status. Professors will determine the masking protocols in their classrooms, so if a professor requires her/his class to continue wearing a mask, please continue to do so. Additionally, any students in those classrooms who wish to continue wearing a mask may do so. Masks have been effective tools in our fight to stop the spread (along with vaccines), so please keep that in mind as we move forward through the remainder of the semester.
Most other parts of campus, including the DC, Chapel, Dorms, Library, Indoor Athletic Contests, common areas, etc.:
- While we highly recommend continued use of masks when gathering with others, masks will no longer be required regardless of vaccination status.
Employees:
- While we still highly recommend masking when meeting with others, employees may remove masks when indoors and meeting with others. Large indoor gatherings such as employee forums, events with outside guests, etc., may still require masks, and we’ll communicate protocols for those events ahead of time.

Please note that random testing will continue for the foreseeable future, so please get tested when you receive the email to do so. Additionally, please continue to be tested as soon as you develop symptoms or you’re identified as a contact. We will still ask community members to quarantine and isolate, so it will be even more important to inform Institutional Resilience when symptoms arise.

For any comments/questions/concerns, please email risk@westmont.edu.

Protocols

Masks

See the March 1 update for the latest masking protocols.

Testing

Westmont will pay for both random and symptomatic testing.
All students, faculty, and staff will be required to test throughout the semester. This will be conducted through our saliva-based PCR testing program.
Community members who have had COVID in the last 90 days will not be required to test until the 90 day period has concluded.
Anyone experiencing symptoms will be tested via rapid antigen test and saliva-based PCR testing.

Testing Locations

Testing on campus is located at Kerrwood 216 by appointment only. Please email risk@westmont.edu to schedule a time to be tested. Testing occurring before 1pm will have results posted between 9pm and midnight that same day. Testing occurring later in the day will have results posted by 2-4pm the next day.
Individuals registered with Aptitude Labs can also test at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, located at 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. No appointment is required. Testing are as follows:
- 9-5pm, Monday through Friday
- 10-2pm, Saturday
- 10-1pm, Sunday
Please be sure you have completed your registration through Aptitude Labs. If you have not, you will not be in the system and may be charged $145 per test. If you have any questions regarding your registration status, please email risk@westmont.edu.

Quarantine

All students, faculty, and staff who have contacts with Westmont individuals should report that to the Office of Institutional Resilience via risk@westmont.edu for further assessment.
If a student is vaccinated and boosted, the CDC does not require isolation unless symptoms are present. However, depending on the length of contact and other factors, Institutional Resilience may still determine that quarantining and retesting may be necessary for the safety of the college.
Students who are quarantined and asymptomatic will be eligible to leave quarantine five days after the last contact with the COVID-positive individual and a negative COVID test is received.

Isolation

If a community member tests positive, the following criteria applies:
- If symptomatic, the individual must isolate. That person is eligible to be retested five days after the start of symptoms if said symptoms are resolving and there has been no fever for 24 hours. If a negative test result is achieved, that individual can leave isolation. If a positive test occurs, Institutional Resilience can test that person every day until either a negative test occurs or five days passes. If that person isolates for a total of ten days, no further testing is necessary and that person is able to leave isolation.
- If asymptomatic, that person must isolate. Said individual is eligible to be retested five days post positive test date. If negative test result is achieved, that individual can leave isolation, If a positive test occurs, Institutional Resilience can test that person every day until either a negative test occurs or five days passes. If that person isolates for a total of ten days, no further testing is necessary and that person is able to leave isolation.
- Following a positive case, that individual is not required to test for 90 days.

Guests

No overnight guests will be allowed in residence hall rooms.

Older Updates

1/4 Update

As you plan your start for the new semester, please remember that all vaccinated and unvaccinated students, staff and faculty will be required to provide a recent negative COVID-19 test to come to campus. Also, please monitor your symptoms and stay home if you’re feeling sick or have recently been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in a large group.

As an extra safety precaution and allowing for possible weather-related travel challenges, we’ve decided to begin the first week of classes with remote instruction (with the exception of labs) and live-streamed chapel. We anticipate that instruction in person will resume Tuesday, January 18, following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. We’ll use the week of remote instruction, January 10-14, to test symptomatic members of our community, isolating and quarantining as necessary, and reestablishing campus safety measures. We’re confident we can once again thrive while living and learning together in person.

At this point in time, after the first week, there are no options to take in-person courses remotely for the remainder of the semester. Further, after the first week, the plan is that all on campus courses will be taught in person without a dual modality option. If you are in isolation or have other medical reasons that prevent you from being in class, please contact your professor or instructor. In such instances, please contact your professor for details on how your specific situation will be handled.

Residence halls will open as scheduled, and students may begin moving in Saturday, January 8. Students should use good judgment from their own personal situation to determine when it’s best for them to return. Look for specific information from the Residence Life staff about moving in. New student orientation activities will take place mostly outdoors. The dining commons will be open for meals with reduced capacity for dining indoors during the first week. Meals will be provided on a to-go basis.

While on campus, everyone is required to wear face coverings indoors and away from your own personal space, such as your residence hall room or office. All non-essential group activities will either be modified or limited through the month of January.

We’ll continue to monitor our campus climate closely, observing our positivity rate, status of isolation, quarantine housing and other relevant indicators to determine if we need to make additional adjustments to ensure everyone’s safety. We’re confident that with God’s help, wise planning and observance of all protocols, we’ll once again resume normal activity as we’ve done throughout the pandemic.

For more information, please visit #ProtecttheMont or email Institutional Resilience via risk@westmont.edu.

We’re looking forward to everyone’s safe return and the start of a new year!

1/5 Athletics Update

Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 infections in Santa Barbara County and throughout the state, Westmont has announced changes to its fan attendance policy for indoor events. The goal of the new policy is to limit the transmission of the virus on campus in order to protect student-athletes, students, faculty and staff as well as fans.

Beginning immediately, home men's and women's basketball games will be limited to 100 Westmont fans and 20 visiting fans. All fans will be required to wear masks and to maintain at least six feet of distance from anyone who is not in their household. In addition, all fans, will be required to show proof of vaccination for entry into the game.

This policy will be in force at least through the month of January.

The fan policies for away games is determined by the home institution. Fans who wish to attend Warrior road games should check the attendance policies on the home team's website.

Video broadcast of all home games will be available online at athletics.westmont.edu/video. The home broadcasts can also be accessed on Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

Fans who have not been vaccinated may gain entry by presenting proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test administered within the last 24 hours.