COVID-19 Policies

The University of Missouri–St. Louis has implemented a variety of safety measures in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 on our campus. These efforts include but are not limited to instituting a face coverings policy, promoting social distancing throughout campus, regularly disinfecting high touch areas, promoting personal hygiene practices, and requiring members of the UMSL community to remain home when sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. However, despite all of these safety precautions, we acknowledge that some members of our community may either test positive for COVID-19 or suspect they may have the virus but have not yet been tested. The procedures set forth below outline what steps will be taken upon campus officials learning of a positive or suspected case of COVID-19.

Reporting Confirmed or Suspected Cases (Students)

Please note – Any UMSL student experiencing a medical emergency should call 911. Students are required to complete the Reporting COVID-19 Diagnosis/Symptoms Form if they are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have had contact with a person identified as testing positive. The submission of the form is received by the Campus Health Officer, who is responsible for tracking confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases on campus.  

When a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 has been reported, the Campus Health Officer will:

• Discuss symptoms or diagnosis with the student, and may instruct the student to immediately self-isolate and not to return to campus until a Request to Return to Campus Form is submitted and written approval is received.
• If applicable, the Campus Health Officer will notify faculty members that the student is prohibited from returning to campus until they are cleared by Health Services. Student Affairs will provide assistance as needed with helping faculty coordinate academic accommodations.
• Gather additional information in accordance with our limited campus contact tracing efforts.
• Coordinate with Facilities to advise which campus locations require cleaning.
• Submit required information to the Department of Health and Senior Services within 24 hours and any information required by the local health authority serving the facility .

Residential Students

• Should a residential student have a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, it is strongly recommended that they return home or seek off-campus housing until they are cleared to return to campus. Should the student need to remain in campus housing, Residential Life and Housing will immediately initiate quarantine/isolation procedures – this includes placing the student in a room which is isolated from other residents with meals and grocery items being brought to the student’s room on a regular but limited basis to reduce exposure to others. The student would also be directed by the Campus Health Officer to remain in self-isolation until the Request to Return to Campus Form is submitted and written approval is received.

Reporting Confirmed or Suspected Cases (Employees)

Please note - Any UMSL employee experiencing a medical emergency should call 911. Employees are required to complete the Reporting COVID-19 Diagnosis/Symptoms Form if they are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or have had contact with a person identified as testing positive. The submission of the form is received by the Campus Health Officer, who is responsible for tracking confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases on campus as well as Human Resources who will work with the appropriate supervisor to address departmental needs related to the affected employee’s absence. Employees are also responsible for notifying their supervisor if their health status results in an absence from work. Additionally, Human Resources will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate documentation is completed (e.g., FMLA, work from home arrangements, etc.).

When a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 has been reported, the Campus Health Officer will:

• Discuss symptoms or diagnosis with the employee, and may instruct the employee to immediately self-isolate and not return to campus until a Request to Return to Campus Form is submitted and written approval is received.
• Gather additional information in accordance with our limited campus contact tracing efforts.
• Coordinate with Facilities to advise which campus locations require cleaning.
• Submit required information to the Department of Health and Senior Services within 24 hours and any information required by the local health authority serving the facility .

HR-700.I.C provides access to paid leave benefits for employees who are directed to remain off-site because of COVID-19 symptoms as well as asymptomatic employees directed to remain off-campus for quarantine or isolation (for example, if the employee was in “close contact” with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19).

Limited Campus Contact Tracing

Individuals with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 will be asked to provide the campus locations they have visited as well as their close contacts with others since the onset of symptoms. (Close contact is defined as having had contact within six feet for 15 minutes or more, no matter if those in contact were wearing a face covering.) This process, commonly known as "contact tracing," is used to identify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus so that they can self-isolate as appropriate and to identify areas that may need additional cleaning and disinfection. This information also will assist public health officials (for example, St. Louis County, St. Louis City and St. Charles County public health offices) who have the statutory authority by state law to engage in official contract tracing.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Exposed Locations

When appropriate, UMSL Facilities will work the Campus Health Officer to evaluate physical spaces that may require additional cleaning and disinfection following notice of a positive on-campus case. Facilities will communicate with impacted departments and identify alternative space as needed. Cleaning and disinfection protocols are established in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Communicating Reported Cases

The health, safety and well-being of our university is paramount to our community and our shared goal continues to be to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, the university is committed to protecting the personal privacy of all individuals within our community. The identity of an individual confirmed positive for COVID-19 will be kept confidential and not disclosed to the general public or university community. However, the university may share notifications of positive COVID-19 cases under the following circumstances:

• Public health officials or an individual student, faculty or staff member, through the Reporting COVID-19 Diagnosis/Symptoms form, must first notify the university of a confirmed positive case.

If that condition is met and the reported case involves a community member known to have physically occupied a university owned or managed property and who is known to have been in close contact (physically maintaining less than six feet of distancing for more than 15 minutes) with others within our community:

• A direct notification will be sent to specific individuals if public health officials or university officials have been provided with contact information for those believed to have had risk of exposure through our limited campus contact tracing efforts or through Saint Louis County Public Health’s official contact tracing efforts.
• On a case-by-case basis, the Campus Health Officer may issue a unit-level or campus-wide notification should public health officials or university officials believe a broader group of individuals in one or more locations may have had significant exposure or close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The university will keep the individual’s identity confidential and will not identify personally identifiable information in notifications. However, specific employees in Health Services, Human Resources and Academic Affairs will have access to this information in order to assist with contact tracing, and providing educational or workplace accommodations.

Human Resources and Health, Counseling and Disability Access Services are responsible for communicating information on confirmed cases. Individual employees, faculty members, supervisors, students, staff and college, school or divisions should not communicate any confirmed cases to respect the personal privacy of individuals in our community. Doing so would infringe on FERPA and HIPPA requirements.

Under state law, local health departments have jurisdiction in all public health matters. UMSL relies on public health officials to determine protocols for how to respond to and communicate confirmed cases to faculty, staff, students and the broader community. These protocols guide campus health authorities’ assessment of positive cases as well as initiation of contact tracing to determine with whom an individual may have come into close contact with. Given these protocols and privacy safeguards, the university may have limited information about those who have tested positive from local health officials and individual health providers.

UMSL will continue to take action to monitor and protect the health and safety of our campus community. We remind everyone to remain vigilant and follow university safety expectations.

VIEW COVID-19 REPORTING DATA

UMSL Face Covering Policy 

While maintaining physical distancing, practicing good hygiene measures (e.g., frequent hand washing, avoiding touching the face, covering coughs and sneezes), and staying home when ill are the best known protections against COVID-19, the CDC also advises the use of acceptable face coverings as a complimentary measure to slow the spread of the virus by helping people who may have the virus but are asymptomatic from transmitting it to others. Additionally, St. Louis County public health orders currently require the use of face coverings as does university policy.

The University of Missouri–St. Louis requires the wearing of face coverings by all students, faculty, staff and visitors – including contractors and vendors – when entering or occupying a physical building or facility owned, operated or managed by the university. Additionally, face coverings will be required when utilizing campus shuttles or other university-owned vehicles and when a minimum physical distance of six feet cannot be maintained in any outdoor area of the university – or if otherwise required by public health order.

Exemptions include:

• Employees working alone in private offices, conference rooms, labs or other enclosed, single-occupied spaces.
• Employees working within shared spaces as follows:
  • Employees seated at desks separated by cubicles with a minimum partition height of six feet while maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from others.
  • Face coverings must be worn when not seated at an individual work station such as when leaving a work station to utilize areas such as office printers or breakrooms.
• Those who live in university-owned or approved residential housing while in their private rooms or apartments. Face coverings are required to be worn in all common areas.
• Children under the age of two.
• Face coverings may be removed when consuming food or beverage while maintaining six-foot physical distancing.

Acceptable face coverings:

• Face coverings made of cloth, fabric or permeable material are acceptable forms of face coverings (this does not include the use of bandanas or neck gaiters).
  • Face coverings must fully cover both the nose and mouth and have no holes or valves that would allow droplets out of the mask.
• Personal protective equipment such as N-95 professional respirators or surgical masks are required for those working in clinical, healthcare or research settings as determined by each unit.
• CDC guidance on cloth face coverings, wearing and washing reusable cloth face coverings, as well as making your own cloth face covering is available online.

Face shields:

In fall 2020, the CDC revised its guidance on the use of face shields indicating: “There is currently not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of face shields for source control. Therefore, CDC does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for masks.”

• Following CDC guidance, the university does not consider the wearing of a face shield alone to be an acceptable face covering for general use by anyone occupying a physical building or facility owned, operated or managed by the university or utilizing campus transportation.
• However, individuals may wear a face shield in combination with an approved face covering for additional protection.          
  • Available data suggests that hooded face shields and those that wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend below the chin provided better source control.
  • Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use and disposed of according to manufacturer instructions.
  • Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use according to manufacturer instructions or by following CDC face shield cleaning instructions.

If there are concerns related to this policy, including those who believe they require a health or disability-related accommodation, contact:

• Students: Health, Counseling and Disability Access Services – 314-516-5671 or das@umsl.edu.
• Employees: Human Resources – 314-516-5805 or tara@umsl.edu.

Obtaining a face covering:

• Employees – including faculty, staff and student workers – were provided with two cloth face coverings.
• The university will distribute a number of cloth face coverings to students during the first week of classes, as well as provide disposable masks as needed, but will rely on students to provide their own face coverings.
• For clinical and non-clinical settings, departments may request disposable face coverings by completing a COVID-19 Request Form.
• We expect visitors to supply their own face covering, however, those unable to do so may contact the department which they are visiting to request a disposable mask be available and arrange for pick up prior to entering a building.

Signage will be posted to inform individuals of face covering requirements. Signage will be consistent in format across the campus.

Syllabus statements will include notifications of the requirement to wear a face mask/covering in classrooms and other instructional or public areas. Employee return-to-work training documents will also include notifications of the requirements. 

All students, faculty, staff and visitors are expected to adhere to this policy. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in denial of access to designated areas or participation in programs or activities, and/or discipline in accordance with applicable university policies. 

In classrooms, faculty have the right to deny a student entry into the room if the student is not wearing a face mask/covering without exemption. Violations of this policy by faculty, staff and visitors, including contractors and vendors, should be addressed by the appropriate supervisor, department chair or student affairs professional who should involve Human Resources (staff), Academic Affairs (faculty), or Student Affairs (students).

The university will prioritize the support for internal, university-sponsored events and restrict use of campus facilities for external groups. All external client requests will be denied unless an official exemption request is received and approved.

Executive Summary

INTERNAL CLIENT EVENTS

• Internal clients are encouraged to consider alternative options for university-sponsored events whenever possible
• Staff in UMSL Event Services, the Touhill Performing Arts Center, and Mark Twain Athletic Facility will work directly with campus clients to address needs and determine if an event should be held in person.
• In-person events will be limited to no more than 30 people unless an exception is granted by the steering committee of the Campus Events Task Force.
• If internal clients wish to exceed the 30 person limit, they must submit a COVID-19 Event Request Form located on the Event Services website at https://www.umsl.edu/events. 
• Regardless of whether an approved university-sponsored event is occurring at an on-campus or off-campus venue, internal clients engaged in events that include a face-to-face format must follow Foundation Guidelines for Events.

EXTERNAL CLIENT EVENTS

• External events should not take place on campus until further notice.
• In unique situations external clients will only be considered for on-campus venue usage if they have completed a COVID-19 External Event Request Form on the Event Services website https://www.umsl.edu/events
• In the event an external client is approved for an on-campus event, all Foundation Guidelines for Events will apply to venue usage. External clients are also required to meet additional criteria including:
  • External events may include an additional charge for proper venue cleaning and disinfecting according to CDC guidelines.

APPROVAL PROCESS FOR CAMPUS EVENTS

All internal events which require an exception to the Foundation Guidelines for Events or external event requests will be reviewed by the steering committee of the Campus Events Task Force. The committee includes:

• Laura Blevins – Executive Events
• Jason Stahr – Touhill Performing Arts Center
• Perry Drake – College of Business Administration
• Dorian Hall – Millennium Student Center/Event Services
• Nicholas Kedzuch – UMSL Athletics
• Jessica Mode – Office of Student Involvement
• Timothy Wombles – Marketing and Communications

COVID-19 Event Request Form (Internal)

COVID-19 Event Request Form (External)