Compliance Badges and Safety Reminders

*Published October 28, 2020*

Dear Northeastern University Community,

As of today, Northeastern has completed more than 310,000 COVID-19 tests with a seven-day average positive test rate of 0.06%. From wearing masks to practicing healthy distancing to following the testing requirements, our Northeastern community has shown a daily commitment to health and safety.

We have much to be proud of. It is also important that we keep doing everything we can to “Protect the Pack.” Although Northeastern’s cases remain low, our campuses are part of surrounding communities where cases are starting to rise. Each one of us will need to continue following the health and safety protocols that have protected our community through the fall term.

Over the last several weeks, Northeastern has enhanced its compliance monitoring systems and added new tools to better protect our community’s health and safety.

Compliance Badges  

To assist with quick compliance checks on our Boston campus, a new feature will be added to the Daily Wellness Check this week to verify testing compliance.

• If you are in compliance with your testing cadence, your Daily Wellness Check status screen will show a green C in addition to the checkmark that signals whether you are cleared to come to campus.
• If you are out of compliance, your Daily Wellness Check status screen will show a red NC. You should use the COVID-19 Test Scheduler to schedule a test immediately.
• If you are marked as “Primarily Remote” in the COVID-19 Test Scheduler, your Daily Wellness Check will show a PR and the date of your last test.

 

This update provides a simple way for people to check their own compliance or ask to confirm someone else’s.

Testing Compliance  

Please review the Testing FAQs to see the testing requirements for Boston-based students, faculty, and staff and to ensure you accurately mark yourself “Primarily In-Person” or “Primarily Remote” in the COVID-19 Test Scheduler. As a reminder, undergraduates living in the zip codes of 02115, 02118, 02119, 02120, 02130, 02215, and 02121 are required to be tested every three days, regardless of how often they come to campus. They should mark themselves as “Primarily In-Person” and follow the testing reminders.

Health and Safety Reminders 

After more than seven months of mask-wearing and distancing, it can be tempting to let our guard down. Northeastern has had a successful fall term thanks to your commitment to following the health and safety protocols, so keep it up! Remember these dos and don’ts:

• Keep six feet from others while you’re eating or drinking—even if you’re chatting with friends or coworkers over takeout outside. Put your mask on as soon as you finish eating. Remember the policy on locations for safe eating and drinking on campus.
• Follow the CDC guidance on protecting yourself when using transportation. Wash your hands before you leave and as soon as you arrive. Keep sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer on hand when you’re out and about.
• Stay six feet away from others. If there are situations where getting within six feet is unavoidable, keep it brief. If you’re wearing gloves as an extra precaution, be sure to discard the gloves after touching potentially contaminated surfaces.
• Wear a mask—in public spaces, outdoors, in hallways, in common areas, while you’re carrying a tray to a dining table, or between sips of coffee. Staff and faculty can remove a mask alone in their office with the door closed. Students must wear a mask and maintain healthy distancing even in their residence hall room when they are with others.
• Complete your Daily Wellness Check carefully. If you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you’ve had exposure to someone with COVID-19, answer accurately and our team will provide guidance for next steps.
• Don’t attend social gatherings where you can’t maintain six feet distance or where people aren’t wearing masks. Even a small gathering or a family event can cause a cluster of cases. Gatherings are increasingly risky when people share food, drink, or other objects, when gatherings are indoors, and when they include any one new to the group.

Attestation Form  

We continue to see our community closely follow the requirements in the Expectations for Return to Campus Attestation. Our students, faculty, and staff have become accustomed to wearing a face mask, washing hands frequently, practicing healthy distancing, and doing a Daily Wellness Check. Please review and submit the Expectations for Return to Campus Attestation if you haven’t already done so.

The university’s compliance teams will continue to identify and contact those who may fall out of compliance, and initiate disciplinary action if necessary. To everyone across our global university system—thank you for your care and attention to the protocols.

 

David Madigan
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Ken Henderson
Chancellor and Senior Vice President for Learning