COVID-19 Updates, Information Line, Saturday Testing for Students

Dear Middlebury Community,

We have every expectation that winter term will be in-person, utilizing arrival testing protocols and other measures we have in place. We will share details about that soon. In this email we will address:

• COVID-19 on Campus 

• Operational Status: Additional Precautions in Place

• Student Testing Available Saturday

• Employee Testing Opportunities

• Instructions for Those Exposed, Symptomatic, or Who Have Tested Positive 

• Early Departure from Campus Information Line

COVID-19 on Campus 

As of this afternoon, we received confirmation of two new cases of COVID-19 among students on campus and one new employee case, for a total of 51 active student cases and two active employee cases. Contact tracing is underway, and anyone who is determined to be a close contact will be informed. Given the number of recent cases and the fact that members of our community are traveling, communication with close contacts may take longer than usual. Testing continues on campus today and Saturday, and we expect to receive more results over the weekend. We will update the COVID-19 reporting dashboard with this new information.

The new cases we have identified still appear to be connected, occurring in clusters among people who socialize together, but as noted previously, increases in the prevalence of COVID-19 in Addison County and Vermont increase the likelihood of broader community transmission. With more than 99 percent of students fully vaccinated and many already receiving booster doses, the risk of adverse health outcomes from the Delta variant continues to be low. The rise in cases, however, has prompted us to proceed with our plans for remote instruction and postpone or cancel in-person indoor events and meetings.

Operational Status: Additional Precautions in Place

As of this morning, we have changed our operational status to alert level orange to reflect that additional precautions are in place. The Campus Status page has the latest details on operations and COVID-19 protocols. Please note that campus buildings, including dining halls and libraries, remain open to students. The dining halls are exclusively offering grab-and-go meals. Library hours have not changed. Our current face covering policy remains in effect, and strict adherence is absolutely essential. 

Student Testing Available Saturday

COVID-19 testing is available for students today and tomorrow, Saturday, December 11, from noon to 3 p.m. at Virtue Field House. We continue to add new appointments, so students should check back about availability if they were not initially able to make an appointment. 

Asymptomatic Students

Students who are not experiencing symptoms may make appointments via the Bookings link for testing at Virtue Field House. These students do not need to wait for test results prior to leaving campus but should continue to use standard mitigation precautions. Negative results will be emailed to them as usual. Students who receive a positive test result will be contacted by Health Services.

Symptomatic Students

Students who are experiencing symptoms should self-isolate, wear a well-fitting face covering at all times, and immediately contact Health Services at 802-443-3290, healthservices@middlebury.edu, or self-schedule on the student health portal to arrange for testing. Symptomatic testing will also be available Saturday, December 11, from noon to 3 p.m. at Virtue Field House.

Symptomatic students awaiting test results should delay campus departure until they have a negative test result, unless they can drive directly to a safe location and isolate until they get a negative test result. Students who test positive and can safely isolate themselves at home or another location are allowed to drive directly to that location in most cases, with approval from Health Services.

Employee Testing Opportunities

The Vermont Department of Health will be expanding local testing options with approximately 1,000 additional PCR and rapid antigen test slots Saturday through Wednesday. The additional testing slots will be added to their test reservation system. In addition to state-run sites, testing appointments are available through healthcare providers and pharmacies.

Instructions for Those Exposed, Symptomatic, or Who Have Tested Positive 

We have created a webpage with detailed instructions for those exposed, symptomatic, or who have tested positive for COVID-19. The instructions are categorized by vaccination status for both students and employees and for those who receive a positive test result. We encourage you to review this information so you are familiar with our protocols and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. In addition to these instructions, students have the option for early departure from campus as described below. 

Early Departure from Campus Information Line

We have set up an information line for students and families with questions about early departure. Students and families may call 802-443-4000 and leave a message, and a College representative will return their call. 

As a reminder, students who are able to leave campus and travel to their break destination early should do so. Students are asked to complete this form as they leave campus. Students who must remain on campus for travel reasons (such as if a flight is already booked) may stay and will need to follow the mitigation measures described in our message yesterday. Students approved to remain on campus through the break will receive additional information about break expectations.

Thank You

We know this is a lot to process on the last day of fall classes and as students prepare for final examinations. We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we manage these changes and look forward to working with you to make this transition as smooth as possible. We hope you have a restful and restorative break, and we look forward to being together again on campus in January. 

Sincerely,

Mark Peluso

Chief Health Officer and College Physician

Smita Ruzicka

Vice President for Student Affairs