Southern Technical Institute Safety Guidelines & Protocols for the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose

This plan provides general guidelines to enable Southern Technical Institute (STI) to safely reopen its campuses following guidance from the governor, public health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, it presents a summary of procedures for responding to incidents of direct and indirect contact with COVID-19.

 

Objectives

  • Protect the health and safety of STI’s faculty, staff, students, and visitors
  • Advise employees of protocols for social distancing
  • Monitor conditions and immediately take steps to limit and mitigate safety risks

Social Distancing

  • STI is taking intentional actions to decrease density and alter traffic patterns within the workplace with the goal of maintaining at least six feet of space between persons present.
  • Signage supporting social distancing requirements will be posted on all campuses.
  • Access to common areas may be restricted during peak times of heavy foot traffic within the building.
  • Plexiglas shields have been installed in public-facing areas such as the Student Services entrance areas.
  • Building capacities will be controlled with reduced student capacity per classroom or lab, and seated class meetings will be staggered.
  • Meetings, including faculty office hours, will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams.
  • STI Management will conduct safety risk evaluations of physical workspace layout to determine areas where additional modifications may be needed.

Building Cleaning

  • STI will clean at available intervals during the day and complete a deep cleaning of buildings every evening.
  • STI will continue to wipe down high touch areas during the day, such as doorknobs, light switches, restrooms, water fountains, and push bars.
  • Should any positive COVID-19 cases be reported, the impacted facilities will be assessed, closed where needed, and cleaned in accordance with CDC guidelines before re-entry will be allowed.

Personal Hygiene

Keeping our community safe must be a collective effort.

  • Always practice the principle precautions:
    – Wear a cloth face covering.
    – Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact.
    – Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
    – Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    – Avoid physical contact between employees, i.e. handshakes and hugs.
    – Clean, sanitize, and disinfect frequently touched services at least daily and shared objects between each use.
  • A reminder of these guidelines will be posted in key areas and distributed widely.
  • All faculty, staff, students, and visitors will be required to wear a cloth or disposable mask, not only in classrooms but also in hallways and in places where people may congregate to conduct school business within the campus.
  • All individuals should provide their own masks, but the Institute has a limited supply of disposable masks available as a backup.
  • Masks will be required when employees step outside of their offices, cubicles, and office suites.
  • Failure to wear a mask and maintain social distancing will result in removal from class or campus.
  • Individuals with health conditions that prohibit the wearing of a mask and where no other form of personal protective face covering or equipment is suitable based on their health condition should contact STI Director of Education at ssouth@southerntechnicalinstitute.com or (727) 209-2154.

Possible Exposure

 

1.
If you have:

Been less than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more from an individual who has COVID-19 symptoms

OR

Been less than 6 feet from an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 (laboratory confirmed) but has not had any symptoms

You should:

Immediately report this possible exposure to your instructor (if you are a student) or to your supervisor (if you are an employee).

Isolate yourself from all other people, including those in your household.

Contact your healthcare provider or county health department for evaluation and testing.

Stay away from campus for 14 days from the date of exposure. After 14 days you may return to campus as long as you do not have any symptoms or a positive test result.

 

Positive Test but No Symptoms

 

 

2.
If you have:

Been tested for
COVID-19 and received a positive diagnosis but are currently not experiencing symptoms

You should:

Immediately report this diagnosis to your instructor.

Isolate yourself from all other people, including those in your household.

Follow your healthcare provider’s directions for follow-up testing + CDC guidelines for monitoring your symptoms. Monitoring includes watching for symptoms and checking your temperature every 12 hours.

Stay away from campus for 10 days following your diagnosis and healthcare provider’s directions for follow-up testing. After 10 days, you may return to campus as long as you do not have any symptoms.

 

Positive Test with Symptoms

 

3.
If you have:

Been tested for
COVID-19 and received a positive diagnosis and are currently experiencing symptoms

You should:

Immediately report this diagnosis to your instructor.

Isolate yourself from all other people, including those in your household.

Follow your healthcare provider’s directions for treatment of your symptoms.

Stay away from campus until:
– you have gone 3 days with no fever without using fever-reducing medication during that time,
– your respiratory symptoms have improved, AND
– it has been at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared.

 

Negative Test With Symptoms

4.
If you have:

Been tested for
COVID-19 and received a negative diagnosis and are currently experiencing symptoms

You should:

Immediately notify your instructor (if you are a student) or your supervisor (if you are an employee) that you are experiencing these symptoms.

Stay away from campus until your symptoms have improved.