Colleges and universities should follow CDC Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education to promote the health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To protect everyone in your educational community, encourage vaccination. Encourage all community members to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by going to Vaccinate.Virginia.gov or calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA. To access your vaccine record with a QR code, click here.
- VDH Considerations for IHE Students and Staff Returning Home for Holidays (9/1/21)
- VDH IHE Considerations for Students and Staff Returning Home (Handout) (9/1/21)
- VDH Guidance for Students on College Campuses English (9/2/21 - translations pending)
- VDH Isolation and Quarantine: What's the Difference? English (8/19/21-translations pending)
- VDH When to End Isolation or Quarantine English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean (3/15/21 - translations posted 3/29/21)
- Screening for SARS-CoV-2: Sample Size and Sampling Technique Overview (12/3/20)
- Role of VDH and IHEs in COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Efforts (8/27/21)
- CDC Guidance for Testing, Screening, and Outbreak Response for IHE (3/17/21)
- (UPDATED) VDH Case Investigation and Contact Tracing for Institutions of Higher Education (9/7/21)
- VDH Portal for Reporting Point-of-Care COVID-19 Lab Results
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Instructions: This portal will assist testing sites in meeting the requirement of the CARES Act to report every diagnostic and screening test performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 or to diagnose a possible case of COVID-19 (e.g., molecular, antigen, antibody). This portal allows the rapid entry of person-level test results for positive and negative results, and provides the ability to enter aggregate negative results as necessary for high-volume testing sites. All COVID-19 test results should be reported to VDH within 24-hours.
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- American College Health Association Guidelines for Reopening
- American College Health Association COVID-19 Resources
- CDC Print Resources
- CDC Communication Resources
Guidance
- Template Letter - IHE to Students during an OB (8/26/21)
- VDH Considerations for IHE Students and Staff Returning Home for Holidays (9/1/21)
- VDH IHE Considerations for Students and Staff Returning Home (Handout) (9/1/21)
- VDH Case Investigation and Contact Tracing for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) (9/7/21)
- Guidance for Outdoor Time for Isolation/Quarantine (VDH) (10/21/20)
- Considerations for Monitoring and Evaluation of Mitigation Measures (CDC)
- Role of VDH and IHEs in COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Efforts (8/27/21)
- State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)
- CDC Guidance for Institutes of Higher Education
- CDC Considerations for Institutes of Higher Education
- CDC Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing
Reporting Requirements
The COVID-19 Final Permanent Standard adopted by the Virginia Department o Labor and Industry (DOLI) outlines the responsibilities for businesses in preventing and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
COVID-19 case reports must be filed through the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) online reporting portal. This portal ensures case reports will meet VDH and DOLI reporting compliance. Up to 10 COVID-19 positive cases may be entered in the portal at once.
After the initial report of outbreak (two or more cases), employers shall continue to report all cases to VDH until the local health department notifies the business that the outbreak has been closed.
After the outbreak is closed, subsequent identification of two or more cases of COVID-19 during a declared emergency shall be reported, as above.
Cleaning
- Reopening guidance for cleaning and disinfection of schools (CDC)
- Cleaning and disinfection decision tree (CDC)
- Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19) (EPA)
- Cleaning your facility when someone has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (CDC)
- Water Quality in Closed/Reduced-use Buildings (EPA)
Communication and Signage
- The VDH Signage Toolkits for Businesses includes signage to promote hand hygiene, physical distancing, and to encourage mask use.
- COVID-19 One-Stop Shop Communication Toolkits (CDC)
- COVID Related Videos/PSA's (CDC)
- Print-ready resources (CDC)
- Hygiene-related Posters (CDC)
- Handwashing Activities for Children
Water Quality
If a building has been closed or unused for a period of time, there is an increased risk of exposure to hazards including Legionella bacteria and lead. Follow the EPA’s guidance for Water Quality in Closed/Reduced-use Buildings to reopen school buildings.
HVAC/Indoor Air Quality
More research is needed to determine how much of a role aerosol transmission plays in spreading COVID-19. Increasing ventilation in indoor spaces is one way to reduce potential spread by this route. The EPA’s website on Indoor Air and Coronavirus (COVID-19) has more information about how to reduce potential airborne transmission of COVID-19. The EPA also provides an Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has Guidance for Building Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Technical Resources for the Reopening of Schools and Universities. The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) also has Reopening Guidance for General Office Settings, which may be helpful for school facilities.
Contact Information
- General questions can be addressed to covid19-questions@vdh.virginia.gov .
- Outbreaks should be reported to the Local Health Department.
