College of Medicine Pandemic Response Friday Round-Up – Week of May 10-14

College of Medicine leaders updated faculty, staff and students on May 14 about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

All College of Medicine Updates

New CDC guidance that relaxes mask-wearing, social distancing for vaccinated individuals does not pertain to College of Medicine or Penn State Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided new guidance for fully vaccinated individuals, which indicates they no longer need to wear masks or practice social distancing - whether indoors or outdoors in most circumstances. However, the guidelines - released May 13 - do not apply to Penn State College of Medicine or Penn State Health and are not intended for health care facilities.

May 17, 2021Penn State College of Medicine News

Within the walls and on the grounds of all Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health facilities, policies and guidelines related to masking, social distancing and patient care protocols remain in place. Leadership will continue to assess health care-specific guidance as it becomes available and revise policies and procedures accordingly.

To date, Penn State Health has administered more than 154,000 vaccines to employees, students, patients and the public at large. Vaccination is the best way possible to permit the return to many activities that stopped during the pandemic.

Employees and students can visit the Employee Health COVID site to be put on a wait list for the next available staff vaccination clinic. Those who prefer not to wait can instead schedule their vaccinations now at any community event hosted by Penn State Health or in their local community. See information from Daily Brief today.

Review the Penn State Health and College of Medicine Meeting, Training and Gathering Guidelines.

Not vaccinated? Here's how to get your COVID-19 vaccine.

Employees and students can visit the Employee Health COVID site to schedule their vaccination. Note: Please use your Penn State Health email address to access the Infonet.

Research staff: Review safety guidelines to ensure compliance

When working on campus in your lab or with patients in patient-care settings, practice the following safety guidelines:

• Social distancing policy (at least 150 square feet per person; at least six feet between individuals) is strictly adhered to.
• Employees are required to wear a mask at all times while on campus, except when eating or drinking. Review the mask guidance here.
• Eye shields or face shield must be worn when working with human subjects in clinical research studies.
• Eye shields or face shield must also be worn when working within six feet of another person in the laboratory or office setting. Review the face shield guidance here.

All of these guidelines are still required regardless of the vaccine status of research staff or volunteers.

External professional visitor guidance.

Our policy regarding when and how vendors, contractors, consultants and other visiting professions are permitted on campus has not changed. Find a full guide, including the online pre-screening questionnaire, at med.psu.edu/coronavirus/vendors.

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