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COVID-19 Protocols


 

 

 

Important Things to Know

 

 

Quick Links

 

Quarantine and Isolation Information

Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines: Please refer to CDC’s Isolation and Quarantine page HERE.

Employees or their supervisors, should contact - Jessica Stone @ [email protected], and students should contact - [email protected], if they are subject to isolation or quarantine due to a positive COVID test, exposure to the virus, or are experiencing symptoms.

If individuals have tested positive for COVID-19

  • Do not come to the main campus or the Monroe Center 
  • Consult with a doctor or state public health agency regarding next steps to take
  • Stay home days 1-5. Wear a mask Day 6-10.
  • Students should continue to attend classes remotely, if able, and inform faculty of any missed classes (Consult Student Affairs - [email protected])
  • Employees can use available leave or leave without pay while in quarantine (Consult HR for assistance - [email protected])
  • Receive clearance before returning to main campus or Monroe Center

 

Covid_Guidance_Infographic

 

 

 

 


 

 

Masks

Masks should still be worn by people with symptoms of COVID-19, a positive COVID-19 test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19. Additionally, people may still choose to wear a mask at any time based on personal preference, informed by personal level of risk. 

Effective May 21, 2022: The current masking requirement for instructional spaces will be lifted, therefore, masks will be optional. If there are significant changes related to COVID-19 cases locally, the Coronavirus Advisory Group will meet to discuss whether the masking requirement should be reinstated.

 

 


 

 

Vaccination Clinic

COVID-19 vaccination clinics  are currently offered by Frederick County Health Department, as well as select pharmacies.  Please check vaccines.gov  to search by zip codes.

Please see the  CDC website for the current eligibility criteria for available COVID-19 vaccinations. 

 

 

 


 

 

COVID-19 Information and Data

 

Frederick County Daily Dashboard: Local COVID-19 Data (Updated M-F by noon)

 

 

COVID-19 Community Level in Frederick County: Low

Learn more about Community Levels

 

COVID-19 Community Transmission Level in Frederick County: Moderate

Learn more about Community Transmission Levels

Data Provided by CDC with updates every Thursday by 8 pm ET

 

COVID-19 Community Level is a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. This metric does not apply to healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes.

 

For more information on the actions taken by FCC to protect the health, safety, and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and the College community, please refer to The Frederick Community College Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery (3R) Plan.

 

 


 

 

Advisory Group

The College continues to closely monitor and carefully assess the impact COVID-19 has on our operations and instruction.

FCC formed a Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) that continues to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 since resuming full operations for the fall semester. The CAG consists of employees from different departments and teams throughout the College, and is co-chaired by Dr. Tony Hawkins, Provost/Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development and Dr. Nora Clark, Vice President for Student Affairs. The CAG is tasked with gathering, discussing, and sharing information with the College community, but is not a decision-making body.

The Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) will:

  • Facilitate prompt and transparent communications to the College community
  • Monitor the COVID-19 impact on our students and employees
  • Make health and safety recommendations for students and employees

CAG communications and additional information are available here.

 

 

 

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Recent Announcements

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August 12, 2022

Message from Dr. Tony Hawkins

Provost/Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Workforce Development, and Continuing Education

 

For more than two years Frederick Community College has employed strategies to keep us all safe from the COVID-19 virus. I am truly excited by the progress made and enjoying the increased opportunities to see more people in person these past few months. I trust that you have as well. It’s great to have our faculty and staff back together again, resuming the camaraderie and collaboration that are hallmarks of FCC at its best.

While the pandemic is still affecting daily life both here in Frederick County and around the world, campus conditions are stable, and I am incredibly optimistic about our ability to have a safe and successful academic year with as few interruptions as possible. I am grateful for the high numbers of vaccinated employees and your partnership in adhering to the health-and-safety policies, which are designed to protect the campus community.

As we prepare for the start of the fall semester, I wanted to share health and wellness information with you specifically about infectious diseases. In addition to the ongoing measures we have taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, we are also now monitoring the recent rise of monkeypox cases in the United States.
To help mitigate the spread of these communicable diseases, we continue deep cleaning of highly used public spaces and have placed cleaning stations in classrooms. Hand sanitizer is available at the entrance of building entrances, and masks are available at the Welcome and Information Center in the Student Center. The following are recommendations for how you, too, can help with mitigation:
 
COVID-19:
• Frequent handwashing
• Wear face coverings
• Get vaccinated
• Test frequently
• Access treatments early
 
Monkeypox:
• Frequent handwashing
• Avoid close skin-to-skin contact
• Avoid contacts with objects and materials that a person who had Monkeypox used
 
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or monkeypox, please notify Alicia Hilsher in Human Resources at [email protected].  Students who test positive should contact the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Benita Rashaw, at [email protected]. They can help employees and students understand next steps to take and answer any questions.
 
We continue to follow the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and the Frederick County Department of Health (FCDH). We monitor local and national health metrics related to COVID-19 and receive weekly updates from FCHD on national, state, and county trends for COVID-19 and monkeypox.
 
While information about COVID-19 is well known by now, we know many people are hearing about monkeypox for the first time. Below are additional links to specific information about monkeypox, including signs & symptoms, modes of transmission, and prevention strategies:
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/faq.html
 
Maryland Department of Health
https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/OIDEOR/Pages/monkeypox.aspx
 
Frederick County Health Department
https://health.frederickcountymd.gov/693/Monkeypox

We are committed to doing our part to care for the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. We will continue working with our partners to monitor and respond to public health concerns that may impact our school communities. We will provide updates as necessary and as new information becomes available. Thank you for doing your part to help keep us all safe.

 

 


 

 

Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG)

FCC formed a Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) that continues to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 since resuming full operations for the fall semester. The CAG consists of employees from different departments and teams throughout the College, and is co-chaired by Dr. Tony Hawkins, Provost/Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development and Dr. Nora Clark, Vice President for Student Affairs. The CAG is tasked with gathering, discussing, and sharing information with the College community, but is not a decision-making body.

The Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) will:

  • Facilitate prompt and transparent communications to the College community
  • Monitor the COVID-19 impact on our students and employees
  • Make health and safety recommendations for students and employees

CAG communications and additional information are available here.

 

 


 

 

Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) Meeting Summary for May 17, 2022

 

The Coronavirus Advisory Group (CAG) met on May 17, 2022 to continue its ongoing discussion on FCC information related to COVID-19. The group is chaired by Dr. Tony Hawkins, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development, and Jennifer Dame, FCC Pandemic Coordinator.

During the meeting, the group discussed the ending of the mask mandate for instructional spaces, heard updates on current cases and trends, were provided information on testing and clinic response, and thanked Jennifer Dame for her outstanding service as the pandemic coordinator. A summary of the meeting is below.

Ending Mask Mandate for Instructional Spaces
Dr. Hawkins started the meeting by sharing that the current masking requirement for instructional spaces will be lifted starting on Saturday, May 21, meaning that masks will no longer be required in any spaces on campus. If there are significant changes related to COVID-19 cases locally, the Coronavirus Advisory Group will meet to discuss whether the masking requirement should be reinstated.

Thanking Jennifer Dame
Dr. Hawkins announced that May 27 will be the last day for Jennifer Dame, FCC Pandemic Coordinator and Co-Chair of the CAG. Dr. Hawkins thanked Jennifer for her strong leadership during her time at FCC and for the many ways in which she has helped the College and its community through the pandemic. Dr. Hawkins and Jennifer shared the transition plan for how COVID-19-related duties will be handled after Jennifer’s last day. Employee contract tracing will be managed by Human Resources and student contact tracing will be managed by Dr. Benita Rashaw, AVP for Student Affairs, and her team. Dr. Nora Clark, Vice President for Student Affairs, will fill Jennifer’s role as co-chair of the CAG with Dr. Hawkins.

Current COVID-19 Data and Metrics
Jennifer shared the latest data on COVID-19 related to FCC, Frederick County, and the State of Maryland.  

For the week of May 8 through May 14, FCC had four self-reported positive COVID-19 cases among students and seven among employees. There was also one employee quarantined.

Jennifer also showed the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Frederick County and in the State of Maryland over the last 24 hours compared to the numbers on April 19, when the CAG last met. On April 19, there were 667 statewide cases in the previous 24 hours, compared to 2,292 cases currently reported in the last 24 hours. For Frederick County, there were 24 cases on April 19, compared to 72 cases today.

The Frederick County rolling average of positive cases shows that cases are steadily increasing, though the numbers of patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 remains relatively low.

Jennifer shared information on the community levels, reminding the group that Frederick County is still currently in the low category. There are currently 168 cases for every 100,000 residents in Frederick County. If that number increases to 200 cases per 100,000, the county would automatically move up to the medium level, which could require a stronger mitigation response. There are currently seven counties in Maryland in the medium level.

Information from the Frederick County Health Department on the Latest COVID-19 Variant
Jennifer shared information on the BA.2.12.1 variant of COVID-19, which is the newest variant being seen. According to the Frederick County Health Department, this variant is more contagious than the BA 2 variant, though there is no indication it is more severe. Even so, the hospital expects to see more hospitalizations with this variant – not because it causes more severe illness, but because it is more contagious and will led to more cases, which in turn leads to more hospitalizations.

COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Clinics
Jennifer shared that 11 tests were administered last week at the weekly COVID-19 testing clinic, and that 7 are registered so far for this week. June 8 will be the last testing clinic. She has heard the majority of people who have symptoms or may have been exposed have been testing themselves at home. She shared that all households in the US are now eligible for a third round of tests, this time containing 8 tests, from www.COVIDtests.gov. She reminded the group that individuals who use in-home tests should test once and if they receive a negative result, test again in 24-36 hours to ensure they still test negative. She also reminded the group of the CDC Quarantine and Isolation Calculator which has been added to the main FCC COVID-19 webpage. Based on information you provide specific to your case, the tool will tell you how long you need to isolate or quarantine.

Jennifer provided information on the last vaccine and booster clinic on campus, when 22 shots were administered. The next vaccine and booster clinic is being planned for June 14. To be eligible for your second booster, you must be 4 months removed from your first booster shot and 50 or older, or if immunocompromised, 12 and older for a Pfizer booster and 18 and older for the Moderna booster.

 

 


Previous & Archived Communications
 

FCC Response to Coronavirus

The Frederick Community College Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery (3R) Plan details actions taken by FCC to protect the health, safety, and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and the College community.


TIMELINE OF  CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE
All recent actions and guidelines remain in effect unless otherwise indicated.

 

February 28, 2022

As of March 1, 2022, masks will no longer be required in indoor spaces on the FCC main campus and Monroe Center, with the exception of classrooms, including shared laboratory and other instructional spaces. Masks should still be worn by individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, who have tested positive for COVID-19, or who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Masks will continue to also be required at our on-site COVID-19 testing clinics.

Of course, anyone who prefers to continue wearing a mask is welcome to do so.

 

January 7, 2022

Stage 3 of the The Frederick Community College Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery (3R) Plan to resume January 10, 2022.

 

Frederick Community College will remain open and essential services to our students will continue during the emergency period.
• Main campus buildings and the Monroe Center will remain open during regular business hours. Pandemic cleaning protocol and security services will be maintained during this time.
• Offices, including the Welcome Desk in the Student Center and the FCC Foundation Scholarship Office, will be covered during regular business hours to ensure that phones are answered, and students have access to information and services.
• Remote work will be permitted for employees, as appropriate. Supervisors will determine the remote work schedule to ensure that essential services are provided, in consultation with their Senior Leader.
• The IT help desk will remain available to students, faculty and staff. Appointments are required. (on campus Extension 3333; off campus- 301-846-2509)
• We will NOT use the away message on emails to inform individuals we are working remote during this emergency period. Remote work is work and emails must be answered. Information regarding FCC’s current work status may be added to the signature of employee emails.
• We will begin the Spring semester with classes offered virtually with the intention of returning to the original format as quickly as possible. Provost Hawkins may approve a few exceptions based upon academic needs of students and classes that can be taught safely with appropriate mitigation strategies. Detailed information will be contained in Blackboard.
• Masks will be worn in all indoor public spaces and during meetings.
• Meetings and activities should be held virtually unless otherwise authorized by the Senior Leader, in consultation with Pandemic Coordinator Jennifer Dame.
• The Learning Commons will be closed. All Learning Commons functions will be provided remotely.
• The JBK Theater will be closed.
• The Bookstore will operate daily with limited staff for in-store pickup. Locker pickup remains available and free shipping will be offered through February 6 to provide contactless delivery.
• Dining services will operate Monday-Thursday from 8:30 to 2:00 and Fridays from 8:30 to 1:00 with limited staffing and grab and go items. Made to order items will be suspended temporarily.
• Miller Children’s Center will open on Tuesday January 18. On-site testing will be available for staff. Weekly, we will decide on the status of the Center during the emergency period.
• The game room will be closed.
• The fitness center in the Athletics Center will be closed.
• Athletic contests will continue for scheduled competitions. Limited practices/workouts may be approved by the Director of Athletics. NO spectators will be permitted at competitions.
• Only essential travel may be done during this period.
• Any employee or student who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed will report this to our Pandemic Coordinator, Ms. Jennifer Dame ([email protected] or 301-624-2739).
• All employees will receive regular compensation during this emergency period.

Reassessment - Our College leadership team will regularly assess the COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations in Frederick County. Should we need to modify or rescind these emergency procedures we will notify the campus community directly.
Vaccines and boosters - All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to receive their vaccines and boosters if they can do so safely. If the new federal regulations on vaccines become operational, we will notify all employees with the procedures for compliance.
Testing for COVID-19 - We have arranged with Frederick Health to provide weekly COVID-19 testing on campus. The dates and times will be forthcoming.

 

December 29, 2021

Due to rising COVID-19 cases, FCC moved classes and operations to a remote environment from January 3 to January 9, 2022. Click here for more information.

 

August 4, 2021

Stage 4 was amended to include the following:

  • Masks are required in all indoor spaces.
  • In all classrooms, masks are required.
  • In individual offices, wearing masks is optional. 
  • In group meetings, masks are required. 
  • In outdoor settings, masks are not required.
  • Student-athletes and coaches are required to wear masks while practicing indoors. Athletics will continue to follow all league COVID-19 requirements.
  • The Cougar Grille will operate with limited services.
  • The Bookstore operates for six hours a day, with masks required and a limit on the number of patrons allowed in the Bookstore at a single time. 
  • The Student Game Room remains closed.
  • The Bess and Frank Gladhill Learning Commons operates with limited hours. 
  • The Carl and Norma Miller Children's Center operates from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, following the state of Maryland guidelines for childcare centers (including appropriate masking to protect children and our professional team).
  • FCC continues to offer in-person, hybrid, and online classes.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated, but not required. We will hold vaccination clinics for students on our main campus and at the Monroe Center.

 

August 2, 2021

FCC entered Stage 4 of the 3R Plan.

 

July 2, 2021

FCC announced the following changes when the College moves into Stage 4 of the 3R Plan on August 2, 2021:

  • Face coverings will be optional for all FCC faculty, staff, and students while on the main campus or at the Monroe Center.
  • Physical distancing requirements will be lifted along with other restrictions in place in Governor Hogan's Executive Order 21-06-15-01.

 

June 7, 2021

FCC moved to Stage 3 of the Frederick Community College Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery plan, with plans to enter Stage 4 on August 2, 2021.

 

January 5, 2021

Stage 2 was amended back to ten (10) individuals based on the Maryland Department of Health Advisory dated December 17, 2020.

 

October 6, 2020

Stage 2 was amended to thirteen (13) individuals in specifically identified rooms on the main campus and at the Monroe Center. All other capacity limits remain at ten (10) individuals.

 

September 21, 2020

The College community adhered to the requirements of Stage 1 of the plan and successfully moved to Stage 2. Additional information is available here.

 

July 6, 2020

FCC entered Stage 1 of the Frederick Community College Roadmap to Resilience and Recovery plan.

 

March 11, 2020

Coronavirus is declared a global pandemic.

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