Hello Families

Welcome to Spring 2022.   While we all wish COVID was a thing of the past, our collective and individual actions can help make that become more likely if we all do our part.

While it will require some planning to have your student at home, it will be a much more comfortable way for your student to isolate with access to more customizable home cooked meals and snacks on demand (food delivery from outside vendors/restaurants is not possible either) , their comfy bed, a medicine cabinet full of the stuff they might need, fresh sheets and towels as needed, and someone to check in on them a few times a day. 

Here’s some information that you might want to keep on hand in case your student calls wondering what they should do about a positive test or a possible exposure.

•       First, PLEASE PLEASE tell your student if they have tested positive for COVID to stay in their residence hall rooms until they alert their hall staff to determine next steps. 

•       Tell your student to contact the Student Symptom Reporting Line (978-934-COV2 (2682) or email Student_SymptomReporting@uml.edu).  That line is staffed during regular business hours. 

•       Students who test positive need to isolate for at least FIVE days after the day of their positive test: a positive test today makes today day zero and tomorrow day one. 

•       If your student tests positive while at home before move in or on a visit to family they need to stay home and not return to campus until after they have completed their 5 day isolation. 

•       If your student has had significant contact with someone who is COVID positive, they should be directed to contact the Student Symptom Reporting Line (978-934-COV2 (2682) or email Student_SymptomReporting@uml.edu).  That line is staffed during regular business hours. 

•       Students who are fully vaccinated (including their booster if eligible) can go about business as usual as long as they are symptom free, and should be encouraged to test on day 5.

•       Students who are not fully vaccinated should off campus until they discuss the details of their quarantine with a Health Services staff member.

• While still in the midst of the Omicron wave, proper mask wearing by all of us is really important, so thanks in advance for reminding your student to wear theirs when in the company of others keeping their nose and mouth covered. 

As your student moves back to campus this is a great time to re-stock health supplies for your student.   We are seeing lots of flu activity in Massachusetts as well as other typical time limited illness so remind your student that if they are feeling sick they should think about contacting their faculty member BEFORE class time to let them know they may need to miss class.

Thanks for all you do to support the health of your student.