How does COVID-19 spread?

The Corona virus responsible for COVID-19 is an unusual virus because it can be spread by un-symptomatic people and last for hours in the environment, it can be spread through two routes:

Inhaling contagious virus and droplets containing the virus that spread when a contagious person is talking, coughing, or sneezing.
The virus can also be spread by your hands after you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your face, eyes and mouth.

What are the differences between cloth face coverings, surgical masks, and respirators?

*Cloth face coverings* are made from household cloth and are designed to be used by the general public to prevent the spread of contamination. They protect the people around the wearer from possibly contagious vapor droplets, but do not protect the wearer from inhaling such droplets. Cloth masks can be reused after proper washing.
*Surgical masks* are made of medical-grade material and also protect the wearer from spreading contagious particles. They are lighter weight than cloth masks and are more comfortable to wear because air moves through them more easily. They should be disposed after one use or if they are visibly contaminated. However, they can be reused after a three day decontamination period.
*N95 Respirators* are paper masks used to prevent the wearer from inhaling potentially dangerous particles and/or gases. These respirators must be approved by NIOSH. N95 masks do not protect other people if they have an exhalation valve on them, so be sure to find one without such a valve. Proper N95 respirator use includes proper fitting and training. This means that they are often more uncomfortable to wear, but can provide protection to the wearer that looser face coverings can not.

Should students wear a cloth face covering while at Keene State?

Yes, students are required to wear masks at Keene State when they are in public settings, including classrooms, hallways, labs and study areas.

If students wear cloth face coverings, do they still need to ensure physical distancing measures in the classroom/workplace?

Yes. Face coverings and physical distancing strategy address different ways that the virus is contaminated. So to ensure minimal transfer of COVID-19, students should both wear cloth face coverings and physically distance when possible. In class situations where physical distancing interferes with effective teaching, faculty and students will be provided with additional protective equipment to address those specific situations.

Will the college provide cloth face coverings to faculty, staff and students?

Yes, each community member will be provided with 3 cloth masks for the semester for general public use. More specific community protective equipment for use in labs and shops will be provided as well. Information about the different kinds of community protective equipment is available from the Keene State Environmental Safety Manager, Ralph Stuart.

How should I keep my face mask clean?

After each use, the cloth face covering should be washed in a washing machine; it can be washed in a normal load of laundry.

Why are surgical masks or cloth face coverings acceptable respiratory protection in the classroom, when N95 respirators are needed in hospitals?

Cloth face coverings are acceptable on campus because in the classroom physical distances can be maintained. This is why Keene State is reducing the number of people allowed in a classroom at once – to make physically distancing of people feasible. Please observe the new classroom occupancy limits when you are on campus.

What should I do if I have been in close contact (i.e. within 6 feet of the person for more than 10 minutes) with someone who is determined to have COVID-19?

The state of New Hampshire requires people who have close contact with someone known to have COVID-19, symptomatic or asymptomatic, their healthcare providers to be tested for COVID-19 and self-quarantine at home. This means that KSC students should contact the Wellness Center at (603)358-2200 Monday through Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm. Employees should contact their healthcare provider. You can also contact the NH Division of Public Health Services with questions and/or concerns at (603)271-4496 or after hours (603)271-5300. Note: Testing for COVID-19 in a person with a known exposure but who is without symptoms does not remove the need to self-quarantine.)

What should I do if I have a confirmed case of COVID-19?

You must let the Wellness Center know that you have COVID-19 so that they can help you get appropriate medical care and they can begin the contact tracing process. Contact tracing means that they will ask you who you have had close contact with for the last 3 days and the NH Health Department will contact them to ask them to get tested.

Is it okay to use hand sanitizer instead of washing my hands?

Yes, but only if no hand-washing facilities are available. However, hand-washing should still be done as soon as possible, even after hand-sanitizing.

Also remember that alcohol based hand sanitizers are flammable and avoid getting your hands near a spark until the sanitizer has evaporated (about 5 minutes)

Why do we have to do all this?

We must do all of this to ensure the health and safety of everyone: students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community. Even if you and the people you know are in a low risk group, people you work with on campus are likely to have high risk people in their families and friends. So even if you don’t feel at risk yourself, we expect you not to impose the risk of infection on others. By everyone doing our part, we can minimize the spread and move towards a healthier future.

How long will these changes last?

We can expect these changes in practice to last into the foreseeable future. The virus is widespread in the US population now and even if a vaccine is found in 2021, it will take months or years for the spread of the virus to abate.

For this reason, we should plan on these new habits to being permanent until the pandemic tracking results indicate that the pandemic is abating. At Keene State, these decisions will be made on a campus wide basis, considering the local factors that impact the entire KSC community and our host city.

How can faculty include the "new normal" of fear and anxiety regarding interpersonal interactions into our teaching?

Bring the issue up in the first class and reiterate 1) campus expectations and 2) how these changes will impact how your class operates.
Monitor classroom compliance with these expectations over the course of the semester and provide reminders to the class about the key behaviors (seating patterns, face mask wearing, decontamination of common equipment) when necessary.
Acknowledge the emotional impact of these changes discussing them as necessary and resetting class learning expectations as necessary.

How can we concretely revise our pre-Covid expectations of face to face learning to acknowledge that teaching and learning in-person will be just as challenging as the shift to online instruction?

Practice with new techniques in the Zoom classroom over the course of the semester and ask for feedback from the students about how innovations affect their learning experience .

Do we really believe social distancing will happen in building hallways and common spaces between classes? In dorms? In town?

If this is not achieved, it will be picked up by the ongoing testing program established for this purpose.

What are we going to do when folks don’t adhere to revised community expectations?

Standard disciplinary practices for students, faculty and staff will be used as necessary.

How do we encourage positive peer responsibility for creating a “culture of adherence”?

The Keene State Wellness Center and Environmental Safety programs are addressing this issue in partnership with the KSC Marketing and Communications office through the #OwlsUnited social media campaign.

Will we mandate students and faculty who had contact with that person to quarantine?

This decision will be mandated by the state Department of Health's protocols based on community testing results and contact tracing information.

Where can I find a link to the specific plans/documents so I can read all the details?

Complete information about KSC's plans to return in the fall of 2020 is available at https://www.keene.edu/featured/fall2020/