From red screen to hotel room: Lee's quarantine process
Photo by Shay MacLean.
Although Lee employs health-screening apps and temperature checks, these extra measures inside the “Lee bubble” cannot exempt the campus from a pandemic.
On Wednesday, Dr. Mark Walker announced Lee’s COVID-19 cases numbers rose to 36. With 36 active cases and a number of students recovering, Lee has stayed consistent in its efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy.
“I didn’t realize [quarantine could] happen this quickly, but it happened so quickly,” said sophomore Biochemistry and Pre-Med major Garrett Wheeler, a previously quarantined student. “I showed symptoms, and then I was out for two weeks.”
The Health Screening Tool on the Lee University app was implemented this semester as part of the COVID-19 task force’s response to the pandemic. Before entering any building on campus throughout the week, students are expected to complete a self-screening with the tool.
After answering five questions and getting a temperature check, students are typically presented with a green screen, allowing them to enter the building. However, some students are faced with the red screen, which prevents them from further interactions on campus and directs them to call the Lee University Health Clinic.
“We’ll walk you through what you need to do and ask about your symptoms and do a phone triage,” said Director of Health Services Rachel Coffey. “If you were not feeling well, we’d get you in for an appointment. At that time, we assess symptoms and then decide if it’s allergies or something coronavirus related. If it’s COVID-related, then we recommend the quarantine process.”
While the Health Screening Tool might catch an initial case, most students are sent into quarantine after a friends’ diagnosis. The health clinic uses contact tracing to determine who might have been exposed to COVID-19 in close contact.
Close contact consists of being without a mask within six feet of someone for longer than 15 minutes. Whether or not symptoms are shown, people who might have been exposed to the virus through close contact are sent to start the quarantine process for 14 days or until symptoms start.
The 14-day quarantine period, even with no symptoms, remains a necessity because COVID-19 symptoms may not appear until 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Students are typically not tested for the virus until they start showing symptoms.
For on-campus students and students in special circumstances, Lee provides isolated housing at local hotels and motels. They can choose to be transported there by Campus Security or by their own vehicle. Residential Life and Housing advised students to have a “quarantine bag” prepared with essentials in an immediate need to isolate.
Off-campus students are urged to return to their house or apartment for their quarantine period. During their quarantine, students are still expected to attend classes through Zoom.
“The Hub reaches out to each professor [of the quarantined students] and gives a generic statement,” said Coffey. “We’re trying to make it easy for the students and easy for the faculty because it’s been difficult for everyone. This is not an easy thing, so we’re really trying to make the communication fluid. That’s been our goal.”
Students located at Lee-designated quarantine spaces receive food daily from Sodexo. At the beginning of the week, they fill out a form with the cafeteria meal options they prefer.
“It’s not bad for cafe food,” said junior history major Jeremy Stott, a previously quarantined student. “Given the system, it’s really not that bad … and now on Wednesdays, we [get] Subway or Chick-Fil-A as an option.”
Despite the odds, Vice President for Student Development Mike Hayes said the student body has proven itself to be resilient.
“I think the students have been courageous because everyone very easily could have given up,” said Hayes. “Honestly, I think everyone stepped into this with a great deal of courage. They stuck it out as well. I’m proud of the students.”
Through constant communication, snack gift baskets to quarantined students and measures to make online education feasible, Coffey said Lee is committed to upholding high standards of care for their students.
“Just know that we are really, really trying our best to take care of you all,” said Coffey. “We love you, and we want you here. We want to make sure that you’re well-cared for physically, mentally, spiritually and in every way. There’s a big team that is working very hard on your behalf.”
For more information about Lee University’s COVID-19 task force, visit Lee’s Coronavirus resource page.
