The goal is to get back to a more typical fall semester as much as possible while keeping in mind our community's safety.  Fall 2021 won't look like fall 2019, but we are optimistic it will be more typical than fall 2020.  We're hopeful that by fall 2021, we'll be able to have more in-person class options for all students.

Chancellor Susan Elrod has charged seven IU South Bend Restart Working Groups with developing a series of recommendations to guide the campus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These groups are comprised of faculty, staff and students. You can learn more about the IU South Bend Restart Working Groups here.

A variety of measures are being put in place to help ensure your health and safety when returning to campus.  Among these are providing and requiring cloth face coverings for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, enacting rigorous cleaning procedures, and reducing the number of people on campus at one time.  Signage will inform about public health guidance and any restrictions in place.  Additionally, all IU students, faculty and staff will have access to a virtual symptom checker, virtual screening, and COVID-19 testing if needed.

Yes, all staff, faculty and students whose work or class schedule requires them to be regularly present on campus will be required to get an annual flu vaccine during the fall 2020 semester.

If you have health insurance, your insurance will pay for the shot. If not, IU will make the flu shot available at no direct cost to you.  

Please call the IU South Bend Health & Wellness Center at 574-520-4343 to make an appointment to get your shot. Complete the two flu shot forms that you can find here by clicking on "Student Forms.” Bring the completed forms with you to your appointment.

If you get a flu shot through your health care provider or pharmacy, please fill out the Flu Vaccine Reporting Form letting IU know you were vaccinated.

Employees and students who are unable to get a vaccine due to a medical condition, or who have a religious or other ethical reason, can request an exemption. Employees and students who will not be present on campus between Dec. 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021, can also request an exemption. You can request an exemption by filling out the Flu Vaccine Exemption Form.

Learn more here.

All faculty, staff, students, contractors, suppliers, vendors, and visitors are required to wear cloth face masks in all hallways, elevators, public spaces, and common areas, and when entering all IU South Bend buildings. Cloth face masks must also be worn in office spaces and outdoor spaces where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.

Wearing your face mask is an essential component of our plans to keep everyone safe. It is important that your mask completely covers BOTH your mouth and your nose. You are required to have a mask on at all times with the exception of below:

• In enclosed spaces when you are alone AND the door is completely closed. Please note that doors cannot be partially open or ajar if you are taking off your mask.
• During eating or drinking as long you are able to maintain adequate physical distance from others. When you are done eating, please put your mask back on if you are in the Grill or other public space.
• During university-sanctioned artistic performances, such as when playing wind and brass instruments, acting, singing, etc.

Everyone is required to wear a mask inside our buildings, even if you are the only one around. If you have not yet received your IU face masks in the mail please visit the Gateway Information Center.

You do not have to wear the IU-provided mask.  Any mask that meets CDC guidelines is acceptable.  Masks should:

• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• completely cover the nose and mouth
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

If you have not yet received your IU face masks in the mail please visit the Gateway Information Center in the Administration Building.

Disposable face masks are stocked at many locations around campus. Please visit a location below to pick one up:
Admin/University Center - Admin Gateway
Fine Arts - Printmaking Faculty Office 107
Education & Arts - WERC & Office 2200
Schurz Library - Circulation Desk
Purdue Tech - Facilities Office
Northside Hall - Deans Office 101
SAC - Student Check Out Desk
Wiekamp Hall - Deans Office 3300
Dwyer Hall - Reception Desk & Office 157
River Crossing Housing - Community Building Office
Sculpture Building - Classroom
Civil Rights Heritage Center - Faculty Office
Elkhart Center - Security Office

Custodial staff will be cleaning common spaces daily. Cleaning supplies such as sanitizing wipes will be provided from a central supply to building occupants for frequent self-cleaning of individual work stations. Cleaning products will be available so students and faculty can wipe down desks, chairs, and other high-touch items upon entering or leaving a classroom. Hand sanitizer stations will be installed in high-traffic areas and safety signage will be placed across campus with reminders about handwashing, face masks, social distancing, and cleaning protocols.

Everyone will play a role in cleaning and disinfecting IU spaces this fall.  While facilities and cleaning teams will be out in force working to clean common areas and frequently touched surfaces throughout the day using disinfectants approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, all students, faculty and staff will also be expected to help clean and sanitize the areas they use.  IU's cleaning procedures and guidelines are in line with current recommendations and have been reviewed and approved by the university's Environmental Health and Safety experts.

Everyone

Everyone on campus is expected to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer on a regular basis. Hand sanitizer stations will be installed inside building entrances and in high-traffic areas.

Students

All students are expected to clean their desk space before and after each in-person class using the cleaning supplies provided in all classrooms.

Faculty & Staff

All faculty and staff should proactively disinfect and clean personal workstations and shared areas/items before and after use.  This includes wiping down commonly touched surfaces and objects with the provided cleaning supplies.

Departments

All departments/offices should remove high-touch, shared items such as magazines, common pens, etc.  Departments operating in a clinical or childcare setting should, in addition, follow the cleaning and disinfection procedures recommended by their regulatory, licensing, or professional agency.  Where conflicts in procedures exist, adhere to the one that is most protective and restrictive.

Classroom and office furniture will be reconfigured as needed and as possible to accommodate physical distancing. Smaller classrooms can expect reductions to about one-third of seating, while larger classrooms can expect reductions to about one-sixth of seating. Plexiglas barriers may be used for high-volume point-of-contact spaces. We are also testing a virtual portal for contactless reception and help services.

IU’s guidance for visitors can be found here.

Members of the IU South Bend community can report violations of the university’s COVID-19 health and safety directives using this form. It’s important for us to kindly remind each other of these requirements and to report violations so we can be sure that our compliance levels are high.

You’ll find red dots all around campus to help you know where to stand and sit.  It is important that you do not move chairs or tables to other locations.

To help keep our community safe, IU will begin conducting ongoing COVID-19 mitigation testing of students, faculty, and staff. Each week a sample of the IUSB community will be contacted via email to schedule an appointment for a saliva test. It should only take a minute for you to provide a saliva sample. Samples will be sent to a lab for analysis and results will come back in two to five days. Those testing positive will receive detailed instructions from IU Health on next steps, including isolation procedures. Students, faculty, and staff who are working or learning in a fully remote mode all this semester may be exempt from mitigation testing. This mitigation testing is essential to IU’s ability to continue to safely offer in-person education this year; without it, we have no way to identify individual asymptomatic cases before they spread to others. If contacted, it's critical and required that you participate. You can see what the testing email looks like here.

Mitigation testing will continue during the intersession just as it did during the fall semester. Most populations are sampled in proportion to their size. With the majority of students now at their permanent residences and not coming to campus, this means faculty and staff will likely be selected more often. Students living off-campus may also notice that they are selected more often for mitigation testing during the intersession than during the in-person portion of the semester. Just as many student populations were tested often, even weekly, the populations still on and around campus can expect this frequency of testing during the intersession.

Voluntary Asymptomatic Testing is free, optional saliva-based COVID-19 testing offered weekly during the intersession (Nov. 30 - Feb. 7). It is for students, faculty, and staff who:

• Do NOT have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Have NOT been selected for required mitigation testingthat week.
• Have NOT tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
• Are NOT currently in quarantine as a close contact of someone with COVID-19.

Schedule a test here, arrive at the testing location, and take the saliva-based test. Testing slots open up the Friday before the week of testing (after 2 p.m.). This opportunity is available to the first 50 who register each week.  Results will arrive via email within a couple of days.

All students, faculty and staff coming for mitigation testing are asked at the door if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone with symptoms is not allowed to enter the testing site and is directed to their health care provider. Inside the testing site, physical distancing is enforced with markers on the floor to ensure a minimum of six feet between each person.

Masks are required at all times when not providing a saliva sample. The saliva test requires no aerosolization, so it’s safe to quickly remove your mask while providing the sample.

The process for mitigation testing is extremely efficient and the goal is to have everyone in and out in less than 15 minutes; many people are often through in much less time. To date, we have experienced no COVID-19 infections related to our mitigation testing sites.

To be exempt from a round of mitigation testing, you must submit an exemption request form. If you do not submit a form, you will not be exempt from that round of testing and may be subject to disciplinary actions. You will receive a link to the exemption request form in the email sent to those selected for mitigation testing.

To qualify for an exemption from mitigation testing, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• You work remotely and/or you are currently enrolled in ONLY online, distance-learning courses.
• You have not been to an IU campus or an IU campus facility within the past 14 days.
• You do not plan to visit an IU campus or an IU campus facility in the next 14 days.
• You have not met or been in close physical contact with any IU faculty, staff, or student who does not live with you in the past 14 days, and you do not plan to for the next 14 days.

OR

• You tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, are currently in quarantine as a close contact, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If you are experiencing symptoms, make a virtual screening appointment via the IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic as soon as possible.

OR

• You certify that you are a health care educator (physician, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or allied health practitioner) teaching in a clinical setting. You further certify that you do not regularly teach in a classroom setting.

If you have specific circumstances that you believe should qualify for an exemption from mitigation testing, you will also be able to submit an explanation and your exemption request will be reviewed by the IU Medical Response Team.

Exemptions are only valid for one round of mitigation testing; if you are selected again, you will need to submit another exemption form.

No. You must schedule and complete a test through IU's mitigation testing program to be compliant with university policy.

The mitigation testing selection process is not completely random. We oversample groups that appear to be at higher risk for exposure to COVID-19 because of past results. But most populations are sampled in proportion to their size. During mitigation testing, we expect many students will be tested often, even weekly.

No. You do not need to isolate as long as you are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.

You can receive your mitigation test results in two different ways:

1. If you opted into results over email, you will receive an email with your test result.
2. If not, you will get an email notification when results are ready to view in your Vault account. There will be a link to your results in that email.

Students, faculty, and staff can log in to their Vault account via app.vaulthealth.com to check their mitigation test results.

If you receive an inconclusive mitigation test result from Vault, you will need to get re-tested. If you are selected for mitigation testing again the week following your inconclusive result, completing that test will serve as your re-test. If you are not selected the following week, email c19admin@iu.edu to get re-tested.

To minimize the chance of receiving an inconclusive test result, please be sure that you do not eat, drink, smoke, vape, or chew gum for 30 minutes prior to your test.

No. For certain individuals, we have alternative, no-saliva tests available. Please email c19admin@iu.edu with an explanation of your need for an accommodation, and someone will contact you to arrange a different test.

If you missed your mitigation test and it is still the same week you were scheduled to have the test, then you should either schedule another appointment or go to the testing site during operating hours to complete your test.

Submit an exemption request form. If you are selected, you will receive a link to the exemption request form in the email sent to those selected for mitigation testing.

No. Having a recent negative test does not qualify you for an exemption. During mitigation testing, we expect many students will be tested often, even weekly. Please schedule your test for the week you are selected for mitigation testing. If you received a negative COVID-19 test result in the past 48 hours, please try to schedule your test towards the end of the week to put more time between your tests.

You can set up a free test through one of the OptumServe testing sites -- located throughout Indiana -- or talk with your primary care provider. If you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, including new fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, or loss of taste or smell, please visit IU Health's virtual screening clinic and schedule a symptomatic COVID-19 test through IU Health as soon as possible. You must report any positive test result to IU to comply with IU’s mitigation testing requirements.

You should not go to mitigation testing.  Please exempt from mitigation testing and instead use IU's symptom checker to schedule a symptomatic test. It's very important that anyone with COVID-19 symptoms stay out of mitigation testing so we can avoid transmission of infections.

The samples you provide are for COVID-19 tests only and are destroyed after results are posted. The company processing COVID-19 mitigation testing for IU, Vault, does NOT share any personal DNA information.

IU will carefully monitor the global pandemic and is prepared to alter how courses are delivered should the need arise for the health and safety of students, faculty and staff.

While we cannot publicly reveal information about positive cases to protect people’s privacy, persons that have been identified as close contacts of an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 will be contacted and advised of actions to take.  If a location on campus is identified during the contact tracing that requires advanced cleaning, signage will be posted and relevant individuals notified.  As a reminder, it is critical that you monitor your health.  If you feel ill, it’s important that you stay home, contact your health care provider, and help stop the spread.  As a reminder IU COVID Health Services provides access to screening and IU testing resources.

For COVID-19, a close contact is defined as an individual who has been within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes, starting from 48 hours before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated (if the patient with COVID-19 had symptoms) or starting 48 hours before the patient tested positive for COVID-19 (if the patient with COVID-19 did not have symptoms). This definition holds whether either individual was wearing a mask or not.

The goal of contract tracing is to stop transmission of disease within the community by limiting contact between an individual who is infected and others. This is done by rapidly informing the infected person of their positive results and facilitating isolation; rapidly identifying and informing close contacts of that person and facilitating their quarantine; and monitoring both infected people and their close contacts for worsening symptoms and referring them for medical care if required.

The success of contact tracing relies on behavior change by community members to mitigate the spread of disease.

If you are identified as a close contact, an IU contact tracer will call you to inform you of your potential exposure to COVID-19 and provide further instructions based on CDC guidelines. IU contact tracers may also attempt to contact you via emails or text messages.

Close contacts are expected to quarantine for 10 days from the time they were exposed to ensure they do not spread the coronavirus to others.

Yes. IU community members who are in quarantine because they have been exposed to COVID-19 may not come out of a required quarantine if they receive a negative test result during their quarantine period.

This is because an individual who has been exposed can take 2–14 days to develop infection so a negative test during that time only means that the close contact hasn’t YET developed infection, but they are still at risk of developing infection until 14 days after their last exposure. A small percentage of people may still develop infection between days 10-14. During that time, it is important that you avoid crowds, stay 6 feet away from other people, wear your mask when you are around other people, and practice good hand hygiene.

Unless you are a close contact, you will not be informed that a person in your class, residence, building, department, or organization has tested positive.  Close contacts* of someone who tests positive will receive a call or text from a contact tracer. You must follow their instructions. Contact tracers are prohibited by law from disclosing the identity of the person testing positive.

Students: Unless you are a close contact, you will not be informed that a person in your class or residence has tested positive. The precautions you are required to take (masks, distancing, etc.), as well as extra cleaning of relevant spaces, result in a very low risk of transmission from such persons.

Instructors: If a student requires a COVID-related accommodation, he or she must inform you. If you are determined to be a close contact of a student, you will also be notified. The precautions you are required to take (masks, distancing, etc.), as well as extra cleaning of relevant spaces, result in a very low risk of transmission from such persons.

Faculty or staff member: Unless you are a close contact, you will not be informed that a person in your building or department has tested positive. The precautions you are required to take (masks, distancing, etc.), as well as extra cleaning of relevant spaces, result in a very low risk of transmission from such persons.

Supervisor: Employees are required to inform supervisor of absence, and the supervisor may ask whether it is COVID-related. Otherwise, unless you are a close contact, you will not be informed that an employee has tested positive.

* A close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet continuously for more than 15 minutes. Roommates will almost always be close contacts. If everyone follows the masking or distancing rules in classrooms, they are not close contacts.

The best way to minimize your risk of being a close contact is to limit the number of people with whom you interact in person. The more people you see in person, the more chances you have for exposure to COVID-19, should one of them become infected.

Wearing a face mask, maintaining social distance (more than 6 feet apart from others) and avoiding social gatherings are the best ways to minimize your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Students are in quarantine because they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 -- also known as being a "close contact" -- and are therefore at risk for becoming infected themselves.

To identify and isolate positive cases on campus more quickly (especially those who are asymptomatic), students living in on-campus quarantine housing will be required to participate in COVID-19 testing. These will be saliva tests through the company Vault, with results back in 2-3 days. Tests will be brought directly to students in on-campus quarantine housing.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be moved to isolation. 

Students who test negative CANNOT test out of quarantine; a negative test means you should continue to monitor your health and remain in quarantine until your 10 days are complete.

No, you cannot test out of quarantine. Even if you test negative for COVID-19, you must remain in quarantine for the full 10 days because this is how long people who have been exposed to the virus -- also known as "close contacts" -- are thought to be at most risk for becoming infected after their last exposure.

Calls from IU contact tracers will come from an IU phone number.

Contact tracers will NOT disclose to the public who may have exposed a person to COVID-19. This information is strictly confidential and HIPAA protected.

Public health departments will receive information about positive cases. All employees of public health departments are HIPAA compliant. 

Contact tracers will NOT ask for:

• Your social security number.
• Money or payment of any type.
• Photographs or videos of any type.
• Passwords or any other type of account information.

It is possible that contact tracers from the state or county health department may also contact cases and close contacts. IU asks that all individuals cooperate with them in addition to the IU contact tracers.

Yes. IU is tracking its response to COVID-19 as part of a dashboard that is updated every Monday morning. While no single number or metric is robust enough to adequately describe the trajectory of the pandemic, the dashboard shares results from the COVID-19 testing IU has implemented to help keep our students, faculty, and staff safe by monitoring the spread of the virus on all IU campuses.

While positive cases are inevitable, it is this testing data, combined with analysis from our team of medical experts and taking appropriate actions to mitigate the spread, that will allow us to evaluate health and safety as a whole and adjust our strategy accordingly to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Isolation is for people who test positive for COVID-19. It is used to separate infected people from people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should separate themselves from others until their infectious period has passed.

Quarantine is for close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19. It is used to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which can occur before a person knows they are infected with the virus -- whether they are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. People in quarantine should separate themselves from others (both infected and non-infected people) to prevent transmission should they be infected.

IU will provide separate isolation and quarantine facilities for those living in on-campus housing who are unable to return home. Those living off campus will be provided with instructions to facilitate isolation or quarantine in their own living situations.

If a close contact in quarantine tests positive, they will be moved to isolation.

Individuals in both isolation and quarantine will receive regular follow-up from IU Health through the Twistle app in order to report symptoms and other support needs. Other services such as meal delivery, pharmacy services, laundry services, and mental health support will be provided to individuals in campus isolation and quarantine rooms.

At the end of your quarantine/isolation period, you will be prompted through the Twistle app to contact the IU Health virtual hub. The nurse you speak with at this time will verify your information and, if appropriate, will send you a release notification.

This is the only way you will be medically cleared to end your isolation/quarantine period.

If you are in quarantine and you get a COVID-19 test before your 10-day quarantine period is complete and the result is negative, that does NOT mean you should end your quarantine early. The 10-day quarantine is important because people who have been exposed to COVID-19 can become infectious at any point up to 14 days after exposure. A small percentage of people may still develop infection between days 10-14. During that time, it is important that you avoid crowds, stay 6 feet away from other people, wear your mask when you are around other people, and practice good hand hygiene.

Twistle is a company contracted by IU Health to provide symptom monitoring of all COVID-19 infected individuals, as well as those who are identified as being a close contact of a person who has tested positive. Twistle will prompt you to check-in via the app on a daily basis. This is how IU will help you keep track of your symptoms in case things get worse. It is also the way that IU Health will be able to release you from isolation or quarantine. 

IU is REQUIRING that all IU affiliated individuals enroll in Twistle when prompted. If you do not participate (either by opting out or not responding to the daily symptom checks), you will be reported to the appropriate university leadership for noncompliance and will be subject to disciplinary action.

After you complete your contact tracing interview, you will receive an email with your isolation (for positive individuals) or quarantine (for close contacts) instructions. Included in this email will be information about Twistle. IU will then send your information to IU Health to enroll you in the Twistle monitoring program. You will receive a text communication from IU Health (phone number 833-361-5015) with instructions on how to enroll. Please follow these prompts. You will then be sent a daily reminder to answer a few questions regarding your symptoms. Do NOT reply "STOP" to this text message. If you do reply "STOP" accidentally, simply reply "START" to re-engage the text messages.  

If the symptoms you report worsen, an IU Health nurse will be notified and will attempt to reach you. If you are a close contact and you develop symptoms, an IU Health nurse will also contact you. They will walk you through the next steps. At the end of your quarantine/isolation period, you will be prompted to contact the IU Health virtual hub. The nurse you speak with at this time will verify your information and, if appropriate, will send you a release notification. This is the only way you will be medically cleared to end your isolation/quarantine period.

Start with IU's symptom checker. From here, you'll be guided to the testing location on your campus.

If you're feeling severely ill, please go to the closest Emergency Department. If you can't get yourself there safely, call 911.

No, you do not have to use the IU Health app to schedule a symptomatic test. Start with IU's symptom checker to get tested on your campus. 

While you can continue to use IU Health's virtual visits app to speak with a healthcare provider about any concerns, the visit will be billed to your insurance.

You'll receive an email at your IU email address that will give you a link to access your results. You can also visit your individualized results page at any time to view current and past test results. 

If your result is "detected" (positive), you'll also be contacted via phone by IU's contact tracers.

You should receive an email to your IU email address giving you a link to your results within 24 to 72 hours of your test. If it's been more than 72 hours, you can visit your individualized results page to view your test result.

You should isolate and wait to hear from IU's contact tracers for specific next steps. They will call you within 24 to 48 hours of your positive test result. If you still haven’t heard from anyone 48 hours after your positive test result, please call 812-855-0042.

You will need to complete the IU's symptom checker again and schedule a new test.

IU offers mitigation, symptomatic and asymptomatic testing on all campuses for students, faculty and staff. Some IU campuses have on-campus health clinics that provide medical services as well.

.

Yes, you do need to notify IU if you have tested positive using an outside lab (not through IU Health or through another IU-organized testing site).

You should also notify IU if you have been told that you are a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

To report this information, you should fill out the "COVID-19 Self Reporting Form" found at one.iu.edu.

By reporting this information, you are helping us react quickly to minimize further viral spread and to ensure we can maintain a safe campus environment. 

This policy underscores that COVID precautions simply cannot be optional.  Clear determinations of repeated failure to follow them will result in progressive disciplinary steps. Outright refusal to follow them is grounds for immediate dismissal.  The policy fully maintains the due process protections of IU faculty and staff that are outlined in existing discipline and corrective action policies.  Finally, the policy underscores that these obligations fall on everyone in the community—faculty, staff, and students.

It is primarily their responsibility to inform instructors, supervisors or others, so encourage the individual to do so. You should also feel free to assist someone in making such reports.