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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Posted on Mar 12, 2020 at 17:47 PM

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - March 28, 2022 - Updated Mask Procedures

We encourage students, faculty, and staff to review the information listed below for the latest updates concerning COVID-19 protocol.

The guidance below has been updated by the Georgia Department of Public Health and adopted by Ogeechee Tech. The guidance is in regards to who should wear a mask and when. Complete guidance can be found here:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html.

Layered prevention strategies — like staying up to date on vaccines and wearing masks — can help prevent severe illness and reduce the potential for strain on the healthcare system. Wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you.

Know the COVID-19 Community Level where you live: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html 

  • Low
    • Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk
  • Medium
    • If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness, Talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public.
    • If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them.
  • High
    • Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status or individual risk (including in K-12 schools and other community settings)
    • If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness, Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection

People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask. Masks are required on public transportation and may be required in other places by local or state authorities.

 

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - January 6, 2022 - Updated Exposure Procedures

We encourage students, faculty, and staff to review the information listed below for the latest updates concerning COVID-19 protocol. Many clinical sites require vaccination; please contact the program director for additional information.

The guidance below has been updated by the Georgia Department of Public Health and adopted by Ogeechee Tech. The guidance revolves around what to do if you have been exposed to a confirmed covid case. Complete guidance can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html.

ISOLATION

If you test positive for COVID-19, everyone (regardless of vaccination status) must:

  • Isolate at home for 5 days from the date symptoms first appeared or, if asymptomatic, the date of the positive test. 
  • After 5 days, if you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving and you have not had fever for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may end isolation. If symptoms are not improving or fever has not resolved, you should continue isolating until these criteria are met.
  • After ending isolation, you should continue to wear a mask around others for 5 days.

QUARANTINE

If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you are:

  • Boosted, or have become fully vaccinated within the last 6 months (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or within the last 2 months (J&J vaccine):
    • You do not need to quarantine at home.
    • You should wear a mask around others for 10 days.
    • If possible, get tested on day 5.
    • If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
  • Unvaccinated, or became fully vaccinated more than 6 months ago (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or more than 2 months ago (J&J vaccine) and have not received a booster:
    • You must quarantine at home for 5 days.  After that, continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
    • If possible, get tested on day 5.
    • If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 please do not come to campus. Students, please send an email to Felicia Barefoot (email below). Faculty and Staff, please send an e-mail to your direct supervisor and copy Felicia Barefoot and Stephen Miller (emails below).

Felicia Barefoot - fbarefoot@ogeecheetech.edu
Steve Miller - smiller@ogeecheetech.edu

Let’s continue to do our part in preventive measures including:

  • Wear a mask when unable to social distance
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw tissue in the trash
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
  • Consider Vaccination

Please know the Covid-19 team here at OTC is following the latest guidance from DPH to keep our campus as safe and healthy as possible for everyone. 

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - May 17, 2021

Any decisions regarding protocol for COVID-19 at OTC are made considering the current status of COVID-19 in our area as well as the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. The College remains in contact with the Technical College System of Georgia and Georgia public health officials to ensure that we are following the latest information, trends, and guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We are also in close contact with the Georgia Department of Public Health Southeast District.

The CDC issued new guidance relating to fully vaccinated people. Specifically stating that those who are fully vaccinated can:

  • Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
  • Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
  • Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
  • Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
  • Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
  • Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible.

After considering the updated CDC guidance and consulting with the Georgia Department of Public Health Southeast District, Ogeechee Tech's guidance has been updated to reflect that unless you are fully vaccinated, face coverings are required when social distancing cannot be achieved.

 

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - January 20, 2021

The health and safety of Ogeechee Technical College students, faculty, and staff is always our first priority. As Ogeechee Tech has returned to in-person learning for the Spring 2021 semester, we want to provide you with information regarding how we are meeting the needs of our students in the safest way possible. The College remains in contact with the Technical College System of Georgia and Georgia public health officials to ensure that we are following the latest information, trends, and guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We are also in close contact with the Georgia Department of Public Health Southeast District.

We are offering a blended course schedule that includes a wide variety of course delivery methods. Students have the opportunity to choose from online classes, face-to-face classes, or hybrid classroom options where class time is split between online and face-to-face. These options give students the choice to attend in person or online.

Ogeechee Technical College is offering all of these learning options, and students may choose their preference when registering for classes. Not all courses are available in each format. Courses requiring laboratory skills are offered in person with a limited number of students at a time. The laboratory environments require students and faculty to observe social distancing protocols as well as wearing mask coverings.  

Ogeechee Tech has plexiglass shields installed in areas where students, faculty, and staff frequently interact face to face, as well as social distancing guidelines marked throughout campus.

Additional prevention methods are incorporated on campus and include increasing the number of times that classrooms and labs are cleaned and disinfected, and providing students access to sanitizer in each classroom and in common areas. 

Students are expected to wear mask coverings in classrooms and in common areas throughout each campus, and reminders to wear masks, wash hands properly, and social distance six feet apart are marked throughout campus as well.

From the onset of the pandemic in Georgia, Ogeechee Technical College has followed COVID-19 guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will continue to do so.

The safety and well-being of the College community is always our highest priority. We will update this page and it's affiliated pages as needed to keep our campus community informed.

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If you have questions, please call 912.681.5500 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday or email info@ogeecheetech.edu.

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