Kris Evans, the Interim Director of the Schacht Center, upholds confidentiality before anything else when testing and planning for a possible Covid-19 case within the Smith Community.
“We maintain student confidentiality above all things,” she said.
The Schacht Center’s plan for a possible Covid-19 case on campus depends on the week and “the availability of testing.” They originally sent students to be tested at the hospital and can now test on the campus.
If a student, or other member of the Smith community, has a symptom profile consistent with Covid-19, they will be tested in the back entrance of the Schacht Center.
Health Services currently has two different entrances: one for the well and one for the potentially sick. The individual will be swabbed by a Schacht Center employee at the back of the building. The tests currently have a 24 hour turnaround time.
“Our first priority is that students, staff, and faculty know what signs to look for,” said Evans.
Health Services have set up nurses to speak to patients about symptoms of Covid-19. In cases where they need to meet with students who have a probable positive, they can make appointments by Zoom.
Evans is “careful about language.” While waiting for the test results, the student is
asked to remain in an “isolation space,” which is a private room with a bathroom. Evans wants members of the Smith Community to be “physically, not socially distanced.”
The potentially sick student will have the food they need delivered outside of their door.
Students who are in quarantine have a “Covid-19 Buddy.” The buddy must wear a mask to bring food to leave outside of the quarantined student’s door. All students are instructed to wear masks outside of their room anyway. If a student does not have someone to be their buddy, someone will be arranged to wear a mask and leave a meal outside of the door.
Evans wants the campus to remain healthy and will contact individuals who have been in contact with the person placed in quarantine, but they always maintain confidentiality. The Schacht Center offers Zoom meetings to explain the quarantine process to the physically
isolated student.
If the community member is sick, then Health Services will follow the Department of Public health guidelines.
The Schacht Center has arranged spaces on campus to care for sick patients and has worked closely with Cooley Dickinson Hospital. If a student needs to go to the hospital, Cooley Dickinson has asked Smith College that they are delivered by ambulance.
Cooley Dickinson is currently split into two spaces:emergency room and respiratory clinic. Health Services would be in contact with Cooley Dickinson in the case that aftercare is necessary.
In the aspirational future, the Schacht Center will have more access to testing, and they will be able to provide more broadly-based testing.
Furthermore, if a student is isolated or sick, the Schacht Center can help recommend a short-term medical leave. Evans is in close contact with the dean’s office and can
say that the students need to take a break from school work.
“We need to continue to prioritize health and safety and recognize that we have to be flexible. It is not just a physical sickness but also a really challenging time,” Evans said.
The Schacht Center has created a handbook for students that remain on campus with the hopes of anticipating students’ questions. They welcome feedback. This is a developing story and updates will be posted as needed.
