South Galveston News

Texas A&M University issued the following announcement on March 12.

The situation pertaining to the Coronavirus is fluid and rapidly evolving. Available details are below and additional updates will be provided in the coming days. Please monitor official information channels for updates and impacts to the Galveston Campus. At this time there have been no cases of coronavirus reported at the Galveston Campus of Texas A&M University and no students, faculty or staff are presenting any symptoms.

 SUMMARY OF UPDATES:

• Class cancellation March 16-20
• Online classes March 23 – April 28
• Campus will remain open to students, faculty and staff during this time period and normal business operations will continue
• New meetings and events guidance with a maximum of 50 participants
• Guidance for self-monitoring (all) or self-isolation (Level 3 country travelers)
• New travel restrictions internationally and domestically
• Campus services and other information

CONTINUED PRECAUTIONS:

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds;
• Use hand sanitizer;
• Avoid shaking hands;
• Disinfect frequently touched objects using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe;
• Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with those who are sick; and
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

CLASSES

Classes are canceled for the full week of March 16-20 to allow further implementation of health and safety measures and allow time for coordinated planning of alternate learning, teaching and working accommodations where necessary.

Classes will resume exclusively online March 23 – April 28, which is the last day of classes.

The university will remain open to faculty, staff and students who choose to be on campus.

A determination will be made in the coming weeks about the ability to hold final exams and meet program/licensure face-to-face evaluation requirements in person, as well as commencement.

Galveston Campus and Texas A&M Maritime Academy leadership will advise on all protocols in the days to come and will provide direction to individual classes before resuming on March 23.

No undergraduate students will be required to be physically on campus but students are permitted to be on campus for services and facility usage in line with meetings cap numbers as outlined below. Graduate and professional students should contact their respective programs for guidance.

Students conducting clinical activities should consult your respective program leadership for guidance.

GUIDANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC TRAVEL

As the United States is a COVID-Level 2 country, students, faculty and staff should follow self-monitoring protocols listed below and available on the CDC Care Guide. The same protocols are now applied to all Level 2 countries, be it traveling to, from, or through them.

Any students, faculty or staff traveling from CDC Level 3 countries (including most of Europe) must self-isolate for 14 days before returning to campus and report travel on the travel reporting portal. Domestic travel is not required to be entered into the portal at this time. Self-isolation protocols can be found below and are also listed on the CDC Care Guide.

No university travel is permitted domestically or internationally unless mission- critical or health-critical as approved by leadership. The university strongly discourages out-of-state and international personal travel.

Only international travel should be recorded on the travel reporting portal.

SELF MONITORING

According to the CDC, self-monitoring means people should monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperatures twice a day and remain alert for cough or difficulty breathing. If you feel feverish or develop measured fever, cough, or difficulty breathing during the self-monitoring period, you should self-isolate, limit contact with others, and seek advice by telephone from a healthcare provider. Report any symptoms of COVID-19 immediately to your medical provider – preferably by calling to get advice and instructions. Galveston Campus Student Health Services is available (409) 740-4736.

To download the CDC Check and Report Every Day (CARE) Booklet which helps you understand how to self-monitor your health and how to check your symptoms daily visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID-19_CAREKit_ENG.pdf

SELF-ISOLATION

Self-isolation requires that you do not come to campus including work, residence halls, on-campus apartments, classes, athletic events or other social gatherings until 14 days without symptoms after leaving the Level 2 or 3 country in question. The 14-day clock starts on the day a person leaves one of those countries. Likewise, please avoid public places and gatherings in the community. For more information and guidance about how to self-isolate visit the coronavirus FAQ page.

The University is working to accommodate the classes and work schedules for students and personnel who self-isolate or are ill. More information about these accommodations will be posted over the next week.

Report any symptoms of COVID-19 immediately to your medical provider – preferably by calling to get advice and instructions. Galveston Campus Student Health Services is available (409) 740-4736.

HOUSING

Residence halls will remain open to support students, with additional CDC-precautions in place for cleaning.

DINING

Dining will remain open to support students.  

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation will remain on the break schedule.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

Campus community meetings and events are now restricted to less than 50 participants.

No participants from off campus other than campus community members should join in-person meetings on campus, nor should any participants who travel from other states or countries effective March 13 – April 3.

Meeting rooms must have considerations for appropriate social distancing described In the Texas A&M FAQs.

CAMPUS RECRUITING & TOURS

No undergraduate or graduate on-campus recruiting and no campus tours will take place through April 3. Alternate options to virtually participate in campus tours will be available in the coming weeks.

ATHLETICS

All intercollegiate competition is cancelled through March 30, 2020.

Per SEC, all NCAA in-person official or unofficial recruitment activity is suspended through March 30 on or off campus.

Student athletes should consult coaching leadership regarding training and practice.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Hotline: The Department of State Health Services has opened a hotline at 1-877-570-9779. Questions can be emailed to coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov.

Public Health Information Links on COVID-19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Situation Summary

WHO: Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Texas Department of State Health Services website

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4 P.M. UPDATE

The White House has announced travel restrictions from 26 European states in the Schengen area of Europe to the United States that will go into effect this Friday, March 13. Given this news, Texas A&M University at Galveston is strongly advising students, faculty and staff in this region to return to the United States given COVID-19 concerns. This does not apply to American citizens studying abroad, permanent U.S. residents and others. All returning from this region must self-isolate for 14 days.

This area includes Austria, Belium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. 

GUIDANCE & ACTIONS:

• Students, faculty and staff returning from Spring Break should keep their current itineraries in the days to come.
• University-sponsored education-abroad trip participants in this area are being informed to return to the United States.
• All Galveston Campus faculty, staff or students are required to register travel from or through any locations designated as Level 1, 2 or 3 by the CDC for COVID-19 in the university’s travel portal whether travelling on university-sponsored, third-party and/or personal travel.
• We urge students, faculty and staff to avoid nonessential international and domestic travel and seek alternative ways to participate in conferences and professional meetings.
• Continue to monitor your university email and official social media channels for updates.

At this time there have been no cases of coronavirus reported at the Galveston Campus of Texas A&M University and no students, faculty or staff are presenting any symptoms.

This situation is fluid and changing daily. The Texas A&M coronavirus website will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

At this time, classes for Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17 remain cancelled to ensure the provision of campus services in the most efficient, effective and safest way. Dining, health, counseling and other services will be available on a normal schedule Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18 with the exception of Campus Recreation Facilities. Hours for these facilities will be 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Tuesday.

Additional information previously provided as guidance by Texas A&M University and the Galveston Campus is provided below and is applicable to all Texas A&M-Galveston students, faculty and staff. 

SELF-REPORTING

Students, faculty and staff are reminded of the mandatory reporting portal for travel from or through any locations that’s been designated as Level 1, 2 or 3 by the CDC for COVID-19 as was previously communicated on Friday, March 3. The registration is required for both personal and university business travel before leaving or immediately upon return.

In addition to logging online to register travel, individuals who traveled from or through a Level 2 or 3 country are required to self-isolate off-campus upon returning from those countries for 14 days before returning to campus. This is especially important as some on our campus are traveling over Spring Break.

UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED TRAVEL

Texas A&M and the Galveston Campus cancelled university-sponsored travel outside of the United States between March 16, 2020 – May 1, 2020. Students, faculty and staff currently traveling abroad may continue to follow the same guidelines issued on March 6 which is noted below. Given the fluid nature of the situation, the university will make decisions about travel beyond May 1 in the weeks to come. 

Any mission-critical or health-critical exceptions must be approved in advance by senior administrators. Additionally, the university strongly encourages faculty, staff and students to refrain from all international travel during this time. 

SELF ISOLATION

All faculty, staff and students currently on international travel are subject to guidelines issued on March 6 which advise anyone returning from COVID-19 Level 1, 2 or 3 areas to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to campus. The reporting portal remains intact for students, faculty and staff currently on travel to, through or from any location that has been designated as Level 1, 2, or 3 by the CDC for COVID-19.

Self-isolation requires that you do not come to campus including work, residence halls, on-campus apartments, classes, athletic events or other social gatherings until 14 days without symptoms after leaving the Level 2 or 3 country in question. The 14-day clock starts on the day a person leaves one of those countries. Likewise, please avoid public places and gatherings in the community. For more information and guidance about how to self-isolate visit the coronavirus FAQ page.

The University is working to accommodate the classes and work schedules for students and personnel who self-isolate or are ill. More information about these accommodations will be posted over the next week.

Report any symptoms of COVID-19 immediately to your medical provider – preferably by calling to get advice and instructions. Galveston Campus Student Health Services is available (409) 740-4736.

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We continue to follow guidelines consistent with direction from The Texas A&M University System. Regular updates can be found on the Texas A&M coronavirus page; there's also a button on the university home page.

As of March 6, 2020, the CDC has identified these areas having a Level 2 and 3 for COVID-19 risk assessment. (Definitions for what each level means can be found on the CDC website), along with updated travel health notices.

Texas A&M urges students, faculty and staff to avoid nonessential international and domestic travel and seek alternative ways to participate in conferences and professional meetings.

For more information about international travel please go to the Travel Guidance section of the coronavirus FAQ page.

Texas A&M leaders across campus continue to work with health officials regarding safely and effectively responding to potential COVID-19 cases.

This situation is fluid and changing daily. The Texas A&M coronavirus website will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

Hotline: The Department of State Health Services has opened a hotline at 1-877-570-9779. Questions can be emailed to coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov.

Original source can be found here.