Protect The Nest

From Vice President and Chief of Staff Susan Evans

Good afternoon, everyone – here is today’s Coronavirus Update for FGCU:

I.  Return of Winter Break COVID-19 Saliva PCR Tests – DEADLINE EXTENDED:

The deadline for sending in your Winter Break saliva PCR tests for laboratory processing, or returning your unused tests to campus has been extended to 4 p.m. on Friday, January 22.  As a reminder, if the tests are not used or returned by the deadline, you'll be charged $97 for each of the two tests.

• USING the Tests:  Each test kit comes with a shipping pouch and a prepaid FedEx shipping label. You can mail your individual test kit at your nearest FedEx Express Facility location.  Use https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/store/express.html  to see your nearest location.  YOUR TEST KIT MUST BE TAKEN TO A FEDEX OFFICE OR FEDEX EXPRESS FACILITY.  DO NOT USE A DROPBOX OR SCHEDULE A PICKUP, AS IT MAY DELAY YOUR RESULTS.
• ​Returning UNUSED Tests:  Unused test kits may be returned at the Cohen Student Union on each weekday (Monday through Friday) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – through a week from today, January 22.

II.  Social Distancing and Mask Wearing are STILL Required:

• Please remember to adhere to the social distancing requirements which began on campus last semester and which remain in effect for this semester.  We’re hearing of furniture – including tables in our dining facilities – being rearranged and moved closer together, which is not allowed. 
• Also, please follow the posted directions for where people can and cannot sit in facilities.  This has been mapped out extensively throughout the campus to minimize close contacts that may lead to transmission of COVID-19.
• The social distancing rules apply to ALL facilities on campus, including classrooms, dining facilities, library, bookstore, etc.
• You must wear a mask at FGCU.  Please be considerate of those you will come in contact with all over campus, including outdoor walkways to buildings. 

III.  Lee Health Blood Drive on Campus a Success:

Thanks to all Eagles who participated in this week’s Lee Health blood drive on our campus.  It was very successful, and we appreciate your support of this important need in our greater community!

IV.  Protect The Nest Student Team went Live this Week:

• Our new Protect The Nest (PTN) student team promoting health and safety messaging and activity through peer initiatives and incentives went live this week on campus.  
• The PTN team will be on campus at select activities to provide students with COVID-related information and answer questions to keep students healthy this semester, as well as encourage them to complete the daily required Veoci App (Daily Health Screening App).  Watch for the PTN team in tabling locations and activities this semester – and participate to be eligible for some special incentive prizes! 

V.  Complete the Veoci App (Daily Health Screening App) BEFORE You Come to Campus – and Why it Matters:

Because healthy-minded Eagles completed the Veoci App before coming to campus each day, FGCU was able to:

• Provide COVID-19 free testing and medical care to students at our Student Health Services usually within 24 hours of reported symptoms or close contact to a positive person;
• Offer students and employees a same-day telephone consultation with a case investigator to answer questions about symptoms, close contact, quarantine, isolation, or related medical conditions;
• Help prevent outbreaks on campus by identifying patterns of potential spread within classes and residence halls; and 
• Keep FGCU Eagles engaged in classes to realize their fullest academic and life potential.

Here are some helpful tips for remembering to complete the Veoci App: 

• Put a recurring reminder on your calendar to complete the App for the days you know you will be coming to campus.  
• Set a recurring daily alarm on your phone at the time you generally leave to come to campus.
• Complete the App along with an established daily task such as eating breakfast, walking the dog, or brushing your teeth.

VI.  Possible COVID-19 Vaccines for 65 Years and Over – NOTHING NEW TO REPORT:

• There are no new updates regarding possible vaccines for FGCU faculty, staff and students 65 years of age and older, but we will continue to do everything we can to make this happen on campus. 
• As a reminder, the availability of vaccines and also the rules that define recipient eligibility are NOT determined by FGCU but rather by the Florida Department of Health based on CDC and State guidelines.

As we go into this three-day weekend, BE SAFE and BE SMART, Eagles – we owe it not only to ourselves but also to everyone else in our great FGCU community!
 

From President Mike Martin
RE:  Lessons Learned

Over the past ten months, everyone at FGCU, and everywhere else, has had to continually adapt and respond to the dynamics of a historic global pandemic.  To date, it is my view that across this campus and beyond, members of the “Eagle Community” have risen to the occasion.  In the process, lessons have been learned with more lessons to come.

Over the holiday break, I sat down to make my list of “lessons learned.”  I share it with you simply as an FYI.

COVID-19 Lessons Learned

In mid-March 2020, the exploding COVID-19 pandemic forced universities across the country to make radical changes in very short order.  Over a three-day (weekend) period, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) converted course delivery from a traditional, in-class mode to fully online.  Over the intervening nine months, we have sought to continually adapt to ever-changing conditions and challenges.

In that no one has experience in coping with a pandemic of the dynamics and dimensions of COVID-19, I assert that, on balance, FGCU has handled it well.  In the process we’ve learned, and continue to learn, many lessons.  Allow me to share some of what we (I’ve) learned.

• Develop guiding principles – Framing simple but clear principles helps insure decision-making consistency, transparency and a context for actions/reactions.  At FGCU we’ve tried at every turn to fall back on four principles:  1) protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and neighbors, 2) under the circumstances offer the highest quality education experience to every student, 3) maintain and, if possible, improve campus superstructure and infrastructure, and 4) protect jobs.
• Establish and empower a core response/management team – The team must represent key functional/operational units from across campus and must meet regularly.  The team may bring others in to address specific or episodic issues.
• Identify and empower a single coordinator – The coordinator cannot be expected to singularly carry out every task but is charged with affirming every task is carried out, and serves as principal liaison to other organizations and agencies.
• Continually engage and inform faculty, staff, students and community leaders – Solicit their input.
• Invest in technology – Especially invest in the human side of technology by providing assistance (including students to assist) to those who may be “technologically challenged.”
• Remember General Honoré – General Russel Honoré wrote a great little book entitled “Don’t Get Stuck on Stupid.”  If something isn’t working, stop doing it.
• Learn from others – Learn from recognizing unique local circumstances and conditions.
• Overcommunicate – Establish a regular, dependable, communication process and schedule.  But also add communications if unusual or unexpected events occur.
• Adjustable assignments – All units need to understand that personnel may be reassigned (generally temporarily) to meet high-priority needs or short-term needs.
• Be patient – Don’t announce decisions too far in advance in that conditions change quickly, leading to decision “whiplash.”  Only decide when a decision must be made.
• Allow appeals – Create and make clear a process for appealing decisions that may be perceived as unfair in certain cases.  In doing so be as flexible as possible.
• Trust experts – Everything these days can become politicized.  It’s important to avoid this tendency and rely on science and genuine expertise – CDC, FDOH, local medical and campus student health professionals, etc.
• Accept criticism – A few will vocally find fault with decisions made; it’s always so.  Remember, since no one has ever had to manage/lead through a pandemic of this magnitude, there is no “playbook.”  Stick to principles and keep moving.  Explain up to a point but avoid extended, unproductive debate.
• Celebrate victories, but quietly – It’s good to make note of “wins” but with care.  Under pandemic conditions, “wins” can turn into “losses.”

From Vice President and Chief of Staff Susan Evans

Good morning on this first day of the Spring semester at FGCU!  Here is some information with a Coronavirus Update:

I.  Return of Winter Break COVID-19 Saliva PCR Tests:

Students, faculty and staff who requested and received Winter Break saliva PCR tests should use the tests and send them out as directed, or return them unused by January 18.  If the tests are not used or returned unused, you'll be charged $97 for each of the two tests.

• USING the Tests:  Each test kit comes with a shipping pouch and a prepaid FedEx shipping label. You can mail your individual test kit at your nearest FedEx Express Facility location.  Use https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/store/express.html  to see your nearest location.  YOUR TEST KIT MUST BE TAKEN TO A FEDEX OFFICE OR FEDEX EXPRESS FACILITY.  DO NOT USE A DROPBOX OR SCHEDULE A PICKUP, AS IT MAY DELAY YOUR RESULTS.
• ​Returning UNUSED Tests:  Unused test kits may be returned at the Cohen Student Union this week from January 11 through January 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  As indicated above, any unused tests not returned by 4 p.m. on January 18 will be charged $97 per unused test.

II.  Protect The Nest Student Team:

We've established a new Protect The Nest (PTN) student team to champion health and safety messaging and activity through student peer initiatives and incentives.  The Team will be on campus at select activities to provide students with COVID-related information and answer questions to keep students healthy this semester, as well as encourage them to complete the daily required Veoci app (Daily Health Screening app).  Watch for the PTN Team in tabling locations and activities each week this semester! 

III.  Lee Health Blood Drive on Campus January 12:

• Lee Health is in urgent need for blood donations to serve our community.  A blood drive will be held here on campus tomorrow (January 12) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Health Services parking lot.  Appointments are not necessary, and walk-ups are encouraged.  All donors will receive a t-shirt.  
• For those who have had COVID-19 and recovered, your normal blood donation can be turned into convalescent plasma which is used to treat others with advanced COVID illness.  If you have been symptom free for 14 days, a pre-screening is required.  Please email COVID.plasma@LeeHealth.org prior to the blood drive to begin the screening process.
• Contact Kristin Phillipine in Student Health Services with any questions at 239-590-7714 or email kphillipine@fgcu.edu.

IV.  Possible COVID-19 Vaccines for 65 Years and Over:

Last week we provided information on the possibility that FGCU may be able to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to our employees and students who meet current CDC eligibility guidelines.  We are discussing with the Florida Department of Health the possibility of providing on-campus vaccinations to FGCU employees and students who are 65 years of age and older, but this is not confirmed at this time.  Please note:

• The availability of vaccines and also the rules that define recipient eligibility are not determined by FGCU but rather by the Florida Department of Health based on CDC guidelines.
• As we continue to explore options that may be available to FGCU, those individuals eligible under CDC guidelines for COVID-19 vaccines may wish to pursue them through local counties' programs.  (We're aware that demand has been outpacing supply with these programs.)  Here are links to information on COVID-19 vaccination appointment setting by Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties:
• https://www.leegov.com/covid-19/vaccine  (Lee County)
• http://collier.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2020/12/1230colliercountyCOVID19vaccinedistribution.html  (Collier County)
• http://charlotte.floridahealth.gov/events/2021/01/CharlotteCOVID-19VaccineInfo.html  (Charlotte County)

V.  FGCU Spring and Summer 2021 COVID-19 Plan:
In December, the FGCU Board of Trustees approved our recommended COVID-19 Plan for the 2021 Spring and Summer semesters.  As President Martin said in his campus message earlier this morning, we must stay very alert with the required health and safety measures required on campus.  To this end, all COVID-19 campus requirements from the Fall semester remain in effect, including wearing a mask on campus; avoiding groups and gatherings; practicing social/physical distancing; observing reduced occupancy capacities in classrooms and other facilities on campus; and completing the Veoci app (Daily Health Screening app) BEFORE you come to campus for any reason (class, lab, library, bookstore, gym, meetings, etc.). 

Please review the FGCU Spring and Summer 2021 COVID-19 Plan, which is available at:  https://www.fgcu.edu/coronaupdate/files/spring-summer-2021-covid-19-plan-bot-approved121020-ada.pdf.  

Stay smart and healthy, Eagles!

Health Services & Resources

If you are sick - stay home and make an appointment to see a doctor. 

Students who develop flu-like symptoms can contact the FGCU Student Health Services at 239-590-7966 or email immune@fgcu.edu to make an appointment to see our healthcare professionals.  If you are severely ill, you should call an urgent care, emergency department at a local hospital, or call 911 before going in person.  They will direct you on the steps to take to get help without infecting others.

Faculty and staff who have questions about leave for health issues should contact Human Resources at hr@fgcu.edu or by calling 239-590-1400. 

Resources:

FGCU Student Health Services at 239-590-7966  or immune@fgcu.edu.

Lee Health Telemedicine - $49 fee

Lee County Health Department at 239-332-9501.

Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center – Open Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  - 1-866-779-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov

• Florida Department of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• World Health Organization

Travel Advisories & Resources

Additional information and guidance on coronavirus including precautions, symptoms, and travel can be viewed at:

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus
• CDC Travel Advisory
• U.S. Department of State – Travel Advisory
• Florida Department of Health – Coronavirus
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Coronavirus

Info Sheets

• COVID-19 Should I Get Tested?
• Preventive Measures for 14-day Self Isolation

Travel Advisories & Resources

Additional information and guidance on coronavirus including precautions, symptoms, and travel can be viewed at:

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Coronavirus
• CDC Travel Advisory
• U.S. Department of State – Travel Advisory
• Florida Department of Health – Coronavirus
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Coronavirus