College of Medicine leaders updated faculty, staff and students on June 11 about the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
All College of Medicine Updates
Staff must continue to wear masks
While restrictions are lifting across the state, this guidance does not apply to health care. Please be aware at this time all employees and students must continue to wear a mask per the most recent guidance outlined by the University, found here.
For technical service employees only:
On June 28, when Pennsylvania lifts its masking mandates, technical service employees will be required to:
- Unvaccinated technical service employees will be required to wear masks except when working outdoors, eating or drinking in a permitted area, isolated in a private office or vehicle, working alone with no anticipated contact with others, or when students are in their own residence hall room with the door closed.
- Unvaccinated employees will continue to wear masks when inside Penn State College of Medicine buildings.
- Vaccinated technical service employees will not be required to wear a mask, except for those working at Penn State College of Medicine or Penn State Health buildings.
- Supervisors can verbally ask a tech service employee if they are vaccinated. Proof of vaccination must be submitted to Human Resources.
- Any tech service employees who get the vaccination between today and Aug. 31, 2021, will be awarded eight hours of sick time for each dose. Proof of vaccination needs to be submitted to Human Resources.
Get vaccinated and enter to win prizes
Penn State is strongly encouraging faculty, staff and students to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to upload their vaccination status to the University after they receive their final dose.
The University is offering a number of incentives to faculty, staff and students who receive a vaccine and share their vaccination status. It’s important to note that all students and employees at all campuses who are already vaccinated for COVID-19 — not just those who get a vaccine in the future — and share their vaccine status with the University will be eligible. Each week, drawings will be held for the following prizes (subject to taxes for employees):
- $1,000 payment
- $100 gift card to Barnes & Noble (four winners per week)
- Football signed by Penn State Football coach James Franklin
COVID-19 Travel Testing now available through OnDemand app
Penn State Health is offering a new virtual service to assist employees and students who require proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to traveling. The OnDemand COVID-19 Travel Testing service can be accessed through the Penn State Health OnDemand app. Users answer a few questions, then have a virtual visit with a member of the OnDemand care team to get a referral for a COVID test at one of Penn State Health’s travel testing sites in Berks and Dauphin counties. To learn more, visit PennStateHealth.org/OnDemand. In addition to COVID-19 Travel Testing, users can also access OnDemand Urgent Care for appointments 24 hours, seven days per week – even while traveling.
Having COVID-19 symptoms?
Guidelines on reporting COVID-19 related illness have not changed. Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms is reminded not to come to work. Faculty, postdoctoral fellows and staff are required to contact Occupational Medicine (814-863-8492) while all students should contact Student Health (717-531-5998).
Eating in the hallways
Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine require wearing masks and physical distancing on campus, and we must continue to practice diligent safety precautions to mitigate risks of acquiring COVID-19. Given that not everyone on campus is immune to COVID-19, there is risk of spreading or acquiring infection due to being unmasked in indoor public spaces. Therefore, please continue to eat lunch in the safe and approved locations, which can be found here. Leadership will continue to monitor this situation and make changes to eating at the hallway tables as new federal, hospital and college guidelines permit.
