Our commitment to the health and well-being of our campus community
As we begin our fourth academic year affected by the Sars-cov-2 virus (COVID-19) The College of Wooster is continuing to take a layered approach (i.e. vaccination, masking, testing, and isolation) to decrease community spread and reduce the strain on the campus community. This approach relies on students, staff, and faculty to be active and crucial participants in keeping the community healthy. As such, we offer the following guidance for all students, employees, and visitors of The College of Wooster.
Our plans for campus continue to be informed by expert guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, experts at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, and input from state health officials and the local Wayne County Health Department. As we have done since the start of the pandemic, we will continue to monitor overall rates of infection on campus, infection and hospitalization rates in Wayne County, the state, and nationally, and we will continue to update our COVID-19 dashboard Monday afternoons, and adjust guidelines as needed.
The College maintains a mask optional policy for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors, with a few notable exceptions:
- Masks absolutely must be worn by anyone who is COVID-19 positive or has symptoms of COVID-19, until the required isolation protocol has been completed. Masks should be worn until symptoms have passed.
- Faculty and staff may continue to require masks in their classrooms and personal offices but cannot be reliant upon the College to provide a regular supply of masks.
Masks must be worn over the nose. Click here to make sure you are wearing your mask properly.
Vaccination
Because Wooster is a fully residential campus, where all students live together in communal residence halls and houses, all College of Wooster students are required to receive the initial COVID-19 vaccination series. While there are several COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use, both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have received full approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demonstrating that the benefits of the vaccines to prevent death, serious illness, and hospitalization from SARS-CoV-2 infection are greater than their risks, and that the vaccines can be manufactured reliably, safely and with consistent quality. Vaccines are available at local pharmacies. Our current student vaccination rate is 98 percent. Click here for CDC COVID Vaccination Information.
Students should have their CDC or WHO vaccination card with them on campus and are required to report their vaccination status using the Student Wellness Vaccination Portal.
Learn more about our vaccination protocols.
Testing
The Longbrake Student Wellness Center has a supply of masks as well as home tests available for students who need them. Nursing staff also are trained to administer tests when needed. Follow these steps if you believe you were exposed to COVID-19. Learn more about our Testing protocols.
Isolation
The College of Wooster has moved to a practice of isolating in place for all COVID-19 positive students. Click here for more information on isolation protocols.