Visit www.udel.edu/coronavirus to keep informed about the latest updates and guidelines. This comprehensive site highlights the latest information about UD’s response, as well as frequently asked questions and a data dashboard on current campus statistics. Have a specific question? Check the FAQs, which are updated regularly as questions come in to coronavirus@udel.edu.

Blue Hen Re-Coop Day this Friday: UD will hold its fifth Blue Hen Re-Coop Day this Friday, Oct. 15. Classes will be paused, and all members of the UD community are encouraged to take some time for themselves to enhance their wellbeing now and into the future. A variety of optional activities are being held on campus and virtually.

Vaccination clinic set Oct. 29: A free vaccination event for UD faculty, staff and students will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 29, in Room 106 Pencader Dining Hall on the Laird Campus. Although this is a first-dose event for unvaccinated individuals, it is also open for Pfizer booster shots, for those who have previously received the Pfizer vaccine and are six months past their second dose.

Visitor Events Health Pass now available: The University has developed a digital systemto allow external visitors to upload their COVID-19 vaccination or negative PCR COVID-19 test results before attending a UD-sponsored event, providing a quick and easy way to help protect the health and safety of the community. The new Visitor Events Health Pass replaces the need for visitors to show paper copies or photo images of vaccination or test records when entering an event space. Visitors who use the digital Health Pass and are approved for entry will receive a green ticket icon (different from the green check mark used with the Daily Health Check alone), which event organizers will verify before allowing admission.

Revised policy for external events: Small outdoor events may be exempt from the University’s requirement that external visitors provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event. UD’s Health Advisory Committee will consider exemptions to the policy if the event is entirely outdoors, the number of people is less than 30% of the venue’s capacity, and the space allows for consistent physical distancing of at least 3 feet. The revised policy also defines UD-sponsored events as gatherings of 25 or more people on or off campus where the University or those acting on its behalf are the primary organizer, operator, host or sponsor. Event planners seeking an exemption should work with the head of their unit (generally dean or vice president) to submit a request to the Health Advisory Committee.

Don’t forget to check in: All members of the UD community who are on campus must complete the daily health screening at covidcheck.udel.edu. Several University facilities are reviewing the Daily Health Check to affirm your status to be on campus safely, including at all dining halls, the Little Bob, the Morris Library and the museums. In addition, all faculty have been given the option of checking compliance in classrooms. Learn more about the Daily Health Check in this short videoprepared by Student Life.

Research town halls: The next virtual research town hall will be held this Monday, Oct. 18, from 1–2 p.m. James Kendra and Tricia Wachtendorf, directors of the Disaster Research Center, will join the town hall to present on the center’s recent work. Additional town halls will be held on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13. Please registerto attend. Contact UDResearch@udel.edu with your research-related questions.

Compliance reminder: All UD employees and students are expected to comply with UD’s COVID-19 guidelines. Failure to do so may result in corrective action. Employees with concerns about compliance guidelines should consult with Human Resources. Students with such concerns should check with the Office of Student Conduct or the Office of the Dean of Students.

Wear your mask: In keeping with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, masks are required in all University indoor facilities, with limited exceptions, whether individuals are vaccinated or not. In classrooms and indoor campus spaces, mask use and physical distancing continue to be highly effective at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. To maximize health and safety, everyone should put on their masks before entering a building.

Testing positive or coming into contact with someone who has: Guidelines on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19 or if you come into close contact with someone who has tested positive are detailed in the COVID-19 Testing section of the Frequently Asked Questions on UD’s Coronavirus website. Students are reminded to check the Student Health Services website for additional information.

Testing opportunities: Members of the University community have multiple testing opportunities available to them on the Newark campus each week: two every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, three every Tuesday and one each Friday. For specifics on campus surveillance testing and community testing, visit UD’s coronavirus site.

Report your COVID+ result to Protect the Flock: Students who do test positive for COVID-19, even on a home Test (Abbott BINAX, Ellume, Vault, etc.), are asked to submit an image of their result within the Secure Student Health Portal and begin isolating. Submitting their result will give them access to personal health care tailored to their symptoms and medical history; provide them with personalized documentation for a 90-day testing exemption, as well as their return to class/work; connect them with resources for meal delivery; and assist with anonymous contact tracing to help stop the spread of COVID-19 on campus and Protect the Flock.

For those needing assistance: Wellbeing services and support are available for all students, operating out of the new ‘neighborhood of wellbeing’ on the South Green between Laurel Hall, which continues to house Student Health Services, and the new Wellbeing Center at Warner Hall, which is the new home for the Center for Counseling and Student Development and Student Wellness and Health Promotion. Services are available by appointment only, and many telehealth options remain available. Resources specifically for substance use and recovery assistance are also available, and individuals experiencing any concerns are encouraged to contact the UD Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC). Students also have access to 24/7 mental health and victim support on the UD Helpline at 302-831-1001, and to 24/7 medical advice on CareNet at 800-681-3957.

The Employee Assistance Program is now provided through ComPsych GuidanceResources. This is a free program available for State of Delaware Group Health Plan non-Medicare members and their dependents. As part of ComPsych’s commitment, EAP services are available through the end of the national COVID-19 public health emergency to all state of Delaware employees, including temporary, casual, seasonal and benefit eligible employees who are not currently enrolled in a state of Delaware Highmark Delaware or Aetna health plan. In addition, Employee Health and Wellbeing has a variety of resources available to assist employees.

Questions? Send an email to coronavirus@udel.edu.