Masks

• Provided in common areas for students to utilize if needed

Multiple temperature check stations are located on both campuses for temperature self-check

Other Protective Measures

• Signs around campus remind students of health and safety guidelines
• Hand sanitizer has been placed around campus

Self-Report

Students must self-report using the COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form if they experience any of the following:

• A positive COVID-19 test result.
• Close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last week. Close contact constitutes within 6 feet or less for more than 15 minutes unless you have been fully vaccinated, including received a recommended booster shot when eligible.
• Close contact with someone who is suspected of having COVID-19 in the last week. Close contact constitutes within 6 feet or less for more than 15 minutes unless you have been fully vaccinated, including received a recommended booster shot when eligible.
• Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 which include the following:
  • Temperature greater than 100.4 degrees.
  • Fever or Chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Contact

Close Contact through proximity and duration of exposure: Someone who was less than 6 feet away from infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 starting from 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date), until they meet the criteria for ending isolation.

• You will be contacted by a contact tracer
• You may be required to quarantine

Quarantine

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, quarantine is separating and restricting the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

If a student is quarantined, they must remain at home away from others in order to avoid spreading COVID-19.

Isolation

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, isolation is simply separating sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

Students, check out the following decision tree picture to decide if you need to self-report.  If you have questions, contact Neal Harwell, Director of Students, at (870) 248-4158 or at neal.harwell@blackrivertech.edu.

COVID-19 Student Decision Tree Chart — Printable

If a student is diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19, the student must adhere to the following procedure:

1. Fill out COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form.
2. Required to socially distance from the BRTC community until a health and safety evaluation has been completed.
3. Visit with BRTC representative when contacted
4. Depending on the nature of the contact, be tested or self-quarantined until an appropriate time has passed.

BRTC will notify the student’s instructors if the student is diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19 and must quarantine.

Students who are quarantined or miss class for COVID-19 related reasons will still be responsible for communicating with their instructors regarding their missed assignments.

COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form Locations

The COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form will be available as follows:

• From QR codes posted at campus health stations
• On the BRTC Campus Health page
• On myBRTC

Students are expected to adhere to all of the following during the COVID-19 pandemic:

1. If diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19, the student must follow the Process for Self-Report listed above.
2. If suspected of having COVID-19 because of displaying common symptoms
   • Visit with a BRTC representative when contacted.
   • If the student is determined to be a potential health and safety risk to the BRTC community, he or she may be required to be tested or self-quarantined until an appropriate time has passed
3. If caught willfully violating the COVID-19 BRTC health and safety rules, the student must
   • Visit with a BRTC representative when contacted
   • May be subject to a student conduct hearing for violating the student code of conduct in the student handbook and the appropriate measures will be will be taken by BRTC to protect the health and safety of the BRTC campus community

Students who are quarantined or miss class for COVID-19 related reasons will still be responsible for communicating with their instructors regarding their missed assignments.

In the case of COVID-19 cases on campus, BRTC will perform the following:

• Ask that individual to quarantine at home,
• Notify all individuals who have been near the COVID-positive individual within a 6-foot range for 15 minutes or more of potential infection and request a COVID-19 test, and
• Perform deep cleaning and disinfection of the exposed area of campus.

In addition, BRTC has identified several areas of campus which have not been or do not need to be occupied for an extended period of time.  Those areas are sealed to remain virus-free. They also provide a safe opportunity for use in the case another area is needed.

Employees, check the following decision tree picture to decide if you need to self-report.

BRTC COVID-19 Screening Form — Printable