This is just a short message to follow up on the June 9, 2021 “Return to campus guidance and protocol updates,” announcement from Paul Patton, Senior Advisor to the President, Interim Senior Vice President, Talent, Culture and Human Resources.

In Wednesday’s message, the university included new guidance for masking across campuses – in accordance with public health guidelines. While we are still awaiting guidance for autumn semester 2021, the following applies immediately.

In keeping with our commitment to safety, our protocol—screening via temperature and Covid-19 questions and medical mask requirement—will continue for students, staff, and faculty in all our clinical care facilities and settings, on- and off-campus. This will include all patient-oriented research areas and the preclinic. Visitor access will remain limited.

Elsewhere, we will adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and new Ohio State guidelines, namely that people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear masks on Ohio State’s campuses, and individuals who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to physically distance. Individuals who are not vaccinated are required to continue wearing masks and physically distance themselves from others. Of course, people who are fully vaccinated can choose to wear a mask and practice physical distancing as they choose. Mask wear will carry no stigma in the College of Optometry.

The best estimate of vaccination rate in our college is upwards of 85%. Vaccination for Covid-19 is strongly encouraged. (For access to vaccination, see https://safeandhealthy.osu.edu/vaccine.)  Likewise, I expect that those of you who are not vaccinated will be honest and will comply with the requirements above—mask wear and physical distancing when you are indoors in our facilities. It is also recommended that people with unvaccinated children and vulnerable family members at home continue to wear masks and practice physical distancing for the safety of their loved ones.

The university asks that employees voluntarily share their vaccine information by completing this form https://go.osu.edu/VoluntaryVaccineInfo

This information will be used for contact tracing, isolating/quarantining or other individual case decisions in the event of a COVID-19 exposure, as aggregate data to determine the percentage of vaccinated Ohio State students, faculty and staff, and to drive decisions on public health measures needed for the Ohio State community.

The college’s Executive Committee will continue to lead planning and preparations for our return to campus and teaching in the autumn semester. As outlined in the announcement, we will communicate these plans to the college no later than July 15. Watch your email for updates.

The Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website continues to be a valuable resource of information, including details about the Autumn Campus Reactivation.

Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and tenacity during the past 15+ months and now your continued patience as we plan for a safe return to campus. I appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to navigate this ever-changing situation. As always, let me know if you have any questions.

Karla Zadnik, OD PhD
Dean and Glenn A. Fry Professor in Optometry and Physiological Optics
The Ohio State University College of Optometry
635 Fry Hall
338 West Tenth Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210

(she/her/hers)

At The Ohio State University College of Optometry, we promise to deliver exceptional care, which includes providing a safe and healthy environment for our patients, visitors, and staff. In response to COVID-19, all entrants to our facility will be screened to help prevent our faculty, staff, students, and patients from being exposed to this virus. We will check everyone’s temperature, ask health screening questions, and adhere to social distancing standards to support a safe and healthy environment.

The 352 W 10^th Ave (Fry Tower) entrance is designated for optometry faculty, staff, students, and research participants. The door will remain locked, but allow faculty, staff, and students to enter via card swipe during specified business hours. Entrants should line up respecting 6ft of social distancing outside the 352 entrance. The screening process will occur within the vestibule.

• Faculty, staff, and students will use their BuckID to open the door themselves. They must present their BuckID to initiate the screening process.
• A list of appointed research participants will be kept at the screening desk. Research participants that present to Fry 352 will need to be let into the vestibule by the screener to begin the screening process.
• If any clinic patients present to the Fry 352 entrance, they should be directed to the 338 W 10^th Ave (Fry Bridge) entrance.
• No visitors are allowed into the building except for the following situations:
  1. (1) adult/guardian to accompany a minor research participant
  2. (1) adult/caregiver to accompany a faculty, staff, student, or research participant if physical or cognitive handicap assistance is needed to move patient through facility

SCREENER RESPONSIBILITIES (PRESCREENING):

1. On the day of your screening, ensure that you answer “NO” to all the screening questions and check your temperature at home prior to traveling to campus. If your temperature measures 100.0° F or higher, please call Carol Wilcox at (614) 284-8651 to inform her of your inability to complete your screening shift.
2. Otherwise, arrive a few minutes before your screening start time. Enter the building at the Fry 352 entrance via card swipe entry.
3. Date and wear your screening sticker where it is easily visible by all.
4. Properly don a college-provided N95 mask (or level 1 surgical mask if an N95 is not available). Homemade masks or facial coverings are prohibited while screening.
5. Ensure you have the proper supplies at the screening table including a non-contact thermometer, spare batteries, screening stickers, a Sharpie, level 1 surgical masks, paper bags, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfection wipes, screening guidelines, and your cell phone.
6. Screeners are allowed to have a book, laptop, tablet, etc. to conduct work in between screening duties.

SCREENING TESTS/QUESTIONS: Answers of “NO” to all questions will result in allowed entry to the facility

• “We need to check your temperature.”
  100. If the temperature is 100.0° F or higher, they will not be allowed entry and should be instructed to contact their primary care provider or call 614-293-4000 to determine if testing is needed.

• ““Have you had new onset of fever, chills, loss of taste/smell, or any flulike symptoms in the past 5 days?”
  1. If YES, they will not be allowed entry and should be instructed to contact their primary care provider or call 614-293-4000 to determine if testing is needed.

SCREENER RESPONSIBILITIES (POSTSCREENING):

1. Provide all entrants successfully screened a screening sticker with today’s date written with a Sharpie. Instruct them to wear the sticker where it is easily visible throughout their stay in the facility.
2. Provide all first time entrants successfully screened a level 1 surgical mask. Faculty, staff, and students should also be provided a paper bag to store their mask.
   1. Faculty, staff, and students will be encouraged to preserve their level 1 masks for multiple days of wear. On future entries to the building, they should be provided an additional mask when one is requested.
3. All entrants to the building must have a properly worn facial covering prior to entering the building from the vestibule.
   1. Faculty, staff, and students may enter the facility with a homemade mask/facial covering, an N95, or a level 1 surgical mask.
   2. Unless they already present wearing an N95 mask, research participants and approved visitors should don their level 1 masks while in the vestibule prior to entering the building. They may wear their level 1 mask on top of or in place of their own facial covering.
4. Re-entrants to the building that have been successfully screened that day will be allowed to enter without having to be rescreened provided they are wearing the appropriate face mask described above.