Bermuda College Guidelines: Masks, Testing

Bermuda College said they will be welcoming students and employees back to campus in a few weeks with “enhanced protocols and guidelines in place, designed to keep the campus open and everyone – students, employees and visitors – safe.”

In an email to all students this week, the College noted students “will be required to present a Covid-negative result from a test conducted within 72 hours when they arrive on campus for the start of the Fall semester on August 30.”

Saliva Covid-19 Screening Tests Weekly 

“If students will be taking classes on campus more than once per week, they will have to undergo mandatory Saliva Covid-19 screening tests weekly testing. Testing will be optional for students who are taking only one class and who are only on campus once per week. However, they will be required to complete a health check form for each visit,” a spokesperson said.

“The College has partnered with Government’s Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) to set up a testing site on campus. However, students will be given the option to test at another facility and present the negative test result to security officers on hand. The College has stressed that only saliva testing will be conducted on campus. There will be no nasal pharyngeal testing at the College.

“Temperature checkpoints established at two locations on campus, outside of Tech Hall and the College Bookstore since last year, will continue for everyone upon arrival: students are urged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of class to complete the required health checks.

Masks Are Mandatory In All Indoor Spaces

“Masks are also mandatory in all indoor spaces, including classrooms, hallways, corridors, stairs, the Student Centre, Bookstore and the Library, but will not be required when outdoors in uncrowded spaces. Face-to-face office meetings with faculty, tutors or counsellors may be scheduled by special request; however, masks and face shields or masks and portable Plexiglas dividers must be used for such meetings.

“A dedicated Covid section will go live on the College website (www.college.bm ) on August 9 where additional information regarding Covid-19 screening can be found.”

A College spokesperson noted however, that while the landscape of the Delta variant remains fluid, things may change over the next few weeks as the College approaches the start of the academic year.

“We will be assessing the situation regularly, in consultation with the Department of Health and the MDL, and will notify our constituents, accordingly,” she said.

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