COVID-19 Ongoing Response

Vaccination is the leading prevention strategy to protect individuals from COVID-19 disease and end the COVID-19 pandemic. Current COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States are safe and effective, widely accessible in the U.S., and available at no cost to all people living in the U.S. Learn more about the Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.

All Lewis & Clark students are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, or obtain an approved exemption, in order to attend classes beginning Fall 2021. Our Student COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and Vaccination Policy FAQ provide further information. Students who are unable, prior to campus arrival, to access a vaccine listed by the World Health Organization must contact covid19info@lclark.edu for individualized guidance.

Lewis & Clark employees and volunteers are also required to be vaccinated. Our COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for Employees, Contractors and Volunteers provides further information. The deadline for achieving full vaccination, or obtaining an approved exemption, is September 15, or as soon thereafter as is reasonable based on a person’s particular circumstances. Employees may use work time in order to get vaccinated. COVID vaccines are readily available at pharmacies and other locations throughout the area. Information about vaccination sites is available from the Oregon Health Authority.

All employees are required to provide the College with information regarding their vaccination status in Workday. If you have already uploaded proof of full vaccination in Workday, there is nothing further you need to do.

This policy also applies to employees of long-term, on-campus partners assigned to work at Lewis & Clark, such as Bon Appetit, A&A Maintenance, Barnes & Noble, and Ricoh. Such employees are to work with their employer regarding compliance with this policy.

Based on our student vaccination policy and very high level of vaccination among employees, Lewis & Clark follows the CDC’s guidance for fully vaccinated college campuses.

All persons—vaccinated and unvaccinated—are required to wear a mask in public indoor areas on campus, as required by the Governor and by Multnomah County. This applies to all classrooms, as well our libraries, recreation facilities, and other public areas.

All persons—vaccinated and unvaccinated—are also required to wear a mask at outdoor gatherings on campus where people are likely to be within six feet of each other, as required by the Governor. This applies at gatherings such as at athletic events, outdoor receptions, and outdoor classes. The rule does not apply to “fleeting encounters,” such as when two individuals walk past each other on a sidewalk.

This also applies to buses and other forms of College-provided transportation, including the Pioneer Express.

These requirements do not apply while engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impracticable (such as swimming, eating, or drinking), when engaged in athletic or other physical activities during which use of a face covering is unsafe, in fully enclosed private offices, or in your own living area.

The College will return to full capacity in-person learning and student service in Fall 2021.

Our vaccination requirements also apply at Lewis & Clark events. Proof of vaccination, or proof of a negative COVID test conducted within the previous 72 hours, will be required for visitors attending College events, such as athletic events, lectures, performances, and receptions. This applies to persons 12 years of age and older.

Previous campus-wide restrictions on events and crowd sizes are no longer in effect. Individual departments or event organizers may establish limits as necessary.

Crowded settings present a greater risk of transmission among people who are not fully vaccinated. People who are not fully vaccinated should continue to avoid large gatherings. All events on campus are subject to the requirements above regarding face coverings.

Faculty, staff and students coming to campus after international or cruise ship (including river cruise) travel are expected to comply with CDC recommendations for self-quarantine and testing before returning to campus.

Students, faculty, and staff members who have not provided the College with evidence of full vaccination—whether for medical, religious or other reasons—are subject to surveillance testing for COVID-19 at any time at the discretion of the College. The College will required all unvaccinated students, faculty and staff on campus to be tested for COVID-19 once a week, at the College’s expense. Any unvaccinated student, faculty, or staff member who fails to comply with a request from the College to undergo COVID testing is subject to disciplinary action

For students with symptoms of COVID, the Lewis & Clark Health Service offers medical consultation for COVID, and providers can refer students for rapid testing (nasal swabs) conducted on-site using Abbott ID-NOW testing technology.

All members of the Lewis & Clark Community, including those who are vaccinated, are expected to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms each day before coming to campus. Individuals are to stay at their residence if they have COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms may be slightly different, depending on the variant involved, but will include one or more of the following:

• Cough, fever or chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, nasal congestion or runny nose.
• Emergency signs and symptoms that require immediate medical attention:
  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
• Those who have a chronic or baseline cough that has worsened or is not well-controlled with medication should stay at their place of residence.

More information about COVID-19 symptoms can be found on the CDC webpage.

Students with any of the symptoms identified above are expected to self-isolate in their residence, following the College’s guidelines for self-isolation; complete the COVID Self-Check and Reporting Form (SCARF), available through the Health Information Portal; consult with a healthcare provider; and follow the directions of that healthcare provider. Resources for medical consultation include the on-campus Health Service; the after-hours nurse consultation line (1-877-617-9531, free to all students whenever the Health Service is closed); and off-campus providers.

Employees (including student employees and staff from contracted vendors such as A&A, our custodial services provider, and Bon Appetit, our food services provider) are also expected to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID on a daily basis before coming to work. Regardless of vaccination status, employees with symptoms of COVID should self-isolate in their residence and obtain medical consultation through their health care provider. Employees who are self-isolating with COVID symptoms are expected to notify their supervisor and Human Resources. The College provides health insurance to benefits-eligible employees through Kaiser Permanente. Information regarding COVID testing is available on Kaiser’s website. In addition, information about COVID testing locations in the state is available from the Oregon Health Authority, in both an English language version and a Spanish-language version.

In the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 in our community, Wellness Services staff will work to identify “close contacts.” Generally, these are persons who have been within six feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or more. Wellness staff will work with County Health Department personnel to notify anyone who is deemed at risk because of exposure as a “close contact,” whether the site of that contact was in a residence hall, a classroom, office, or elsewhere. Such persons will be notified as soon as possible after the College becomes aware of the situation.

Community members with confirmed cases of COVID will be expected to enact an isolation period. For students, the duration of that period will be determined by Health Service staff. For employees, the duration of isolation will be determined by their healthcare provider. Unvaccinated persons who are identified as a close contact of a person with COVID-19 will be required to quarantine per applicable CDC guidelines. Persons who are fully vaccinated will not be required to quarantine.

Upon arrival to campus and regularly throughout the day, all members of the LC Community are expected to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Show respect for your colleagues: cover coughs and sneezes with an elbow, or a tissue, especially when not wearing a mask. Tissues should be disposed of and hands washed or sanitized immediately.

Please review this short video from the World Health Organization about how to protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19.

Students with underlying health conditions or who are immunocompromised and who believe they may require an accommodation are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Office of Student Accessibility. Employees with underlying health conditions or who are immunocompromised and who believe they may require an accommodation are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Human Resources.