COVID-19 Exposure Protocol

SUNY Orange continues to follow the protocol below for dealing with potential on-campus or off-campus exposure to confirmed COVID-19 cases. Please note that guidance and circumstances may change, requiring adjustments to this protocol.

as of Jan. 17, 2023

Student Protocols in Event of a Reported Illness or Exposure

The Wellness Center team will adhere to protocols for the referral, tracing and isolation of students and staff who are exhibiting COVID-19-related symptoms or with confirmed diagnoses. Any plan should, at minimum, include:

• Direct and immediate communication with the OCDOH and community regarding cases and how the College responded
• The Wellness Center staff will collaborate with local health departments to resolve any issues related to students who test positive for COVID-19 and currently attend classes
• The College will follow Orange County Department of Health (OCDOH) protocols for communicating with students and staff who have come into close/sustained contact with confirmed case
• Creating and utilizing campus public health teams to evaluate and recommend action on potential problem areas on campus, and to assess and improve the college’s capacity for testing and tracing
• Faculty and support staff will work with students who become ill and/or quarantined to support the student’s resumption or continued participation in instructional activities; students may request a medical withdrawal from one or more courses if they are unable to continue participating in instructional activities
• College services and offices will be accessible to ill and/r quarantined students by phone, email, and via live Zoom calls.  All student services, academic support, library services, tutoring, technology support, accessibility services, wellness support, business office functions, and financial aid services will be accessible to students remotely. 

In the event that a student must be quarantined, student supports will be accessible and delivered remotely.  College services and offices will be accessible to quarantined students by phone, email, and via live Zoom calls.  All student services, academic support, library services, tutoring, technology support, accessibility services, wellness support, business office functions, and financial aid services will be accessible remotely to students under quarantine.

Protocols in the Event an Employee Reports Illness or Exposure

• Employees presenting COVID-19 symptoms will be instructed not to report to the workplace. Employees will be directed to report illness to their supervisor and the Human Resources department.  Employees will be advised to immediately seek medical guidance and/or get tested. Returning to the worksite will only be possible if a negative test result is produced or if the test result is positive, once the employee has completed the CDC, state and/or local DOH quarantine recommendation, their symptoms have improved and the employee has been fever-free for 24 consecutive hours without any anti-fever medications.
• SUNY Orange will implement a non-punitive leave policy for those impacted by COVD-19.
• Employees who test positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate in accordance with Orange County Department of Health (OCDOH) guidelines or until their physician clears them to return to the workplace). 
• Employees that are subject to quarantine will not be permitted to report to work in person, but will be permitted to work remotely if their work allows it and at the discretion of the employee's supervisor. If quarantine is extended beyond the initial guidelines set forth by the Orange County Department of Health, the employee should contact Human Resources.
• Additional information will be available via a link on the College’s COVID-19 webpages.  
• Human Resources will partner with public health officials to ensure that students and employees adhere to recommended quarantine timelines
• Human Resources will ensure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, record-keeping and reporting obligations.

SUNY Orange has designated personnel to be the appropriate points of contact upon the identification of positive cases. These contacts are responsible for subsequent communications, and have been deemed responsible for answering questions from students and employees regarding the COVID-19 public health emergency and plans implemented by the institution.

Designees are:

Samantha Fallon, Assistant Director of Human Resources, 845-341-4661 

Susan Corbett RN, Wellness Center, (845) 341-4870

Designees will work closely with the local DOH to assist as needed and with other health care providers to monitor public health and develop monitoring strategies.