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While the health and safety of our campus community continues to remain our highest priority, Georgia Southwestern expects to remain fully operational, including student and athletics events, campus dining, and all campus services. Per the University System of Georgia (USG), GSW will not require employees or students to be vaccinated in order to work or attend the university. However, faculty, staff, students and visitors are strongly encouraged to receive the vaccine.
The USG continues to recognize COVID-19 vaccines and boosters offer safe, effective protection and urges all students, faculty, staff and visitors to get vaccinated and/or boosted either on campus or with a local provider. As USG works closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health to prioritize the health and safety of campus communities, the system encourages people to wear masks based on their preference and assessment of personal risk.
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please contact Student Health Center (229) 931-2235 to schedule an appointment or visit your local medical provider.
Last updated: August 10, 2022
If you test positive for COVID-19, you are expected to isolate for 5 days from the first full day of symptoms. The GSW Student Health Center, located in the Herschel A. Smith Health Center, (229) 931-2235, is open to provide medical care.
What to do if you test positive for COVID-19
Class absences
Instructors will determine the proper course of action to take to address missed course material due to COVID-19 absences.
Students who seek medical care from the Student Health Center will receive a written confirmation of treatment and absence. The GSW CARE team will send a general absence notice on behalf of the student after receiving confirmation from the Student Health Center.
If you live on campus, complete the following:
Employees who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive should not report to work, immediately notify their supervisor, and contact Human Resources.
Employees may return to work after the following:
Isolation is for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Discontinuing home isolation if you HAD symptoms:
Discontinuing home isolation if you did NOT HAVE symptoms:
*Faculty and staff should be prepared to accommodate students who are required to go into quarantine or isolation.
To determine when 5 days have passed, you can consider that day 0 of isolation defined as either the date your symptoms started, if symptomatic, or the date of your first positive test, if asymptomatic.
Contact tracing is the process of quickly identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to a disease to prevent additional transmission. Contact tracing is a key strategy for preventing further spread of COVID-19.
When the DPH is notified of a case (a person with confirmed COVID-19), the case is interviewed and people they had close contact with (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) beginning two (2) days before they became ill are identified. DPH will then reach out to these individuals either by phone or text message to inform them that they have come in contact with someone with COVID-19 and enroll them in symptom monitoring.
All information collected is provided voluntarily and will be kept confidential according to HIPAA standards.
COVID-19-specific leave for isolation and quarantine is no longer available.
Employees:
Approval of all COVID-19 related accommodations and flexible work arrangements (including telework) expired June 30, 2021. Requests for ADA accommodations or flexible work arrangements will be reviewed in accordance with the pre-pandemic ADA accommodations or Telework/Flextime policies.
Students:
Students who need accommodations for their classes should contact the Office of Accommodations and Access.
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is spread like any other respiratory illness, such as the common cold or influenza. Coughing or sneezing by those who already have symptoms spread coronavirus to others. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Anyone showing signs or symptoms of coronavirus should call their primary care provider or the GSW Student Health Clinic at 229-931-2235. Let them know you are experiencing symptoms over the phone before showing up to the office. While you are waiting to see your doctor, be sure to take the recommended precautions to stop the spread of germs. Do not go out in public or go to work until you've been cleared by your doctor.
People can help protect themselves from respiratory illness with everyday preventive actions.
We encourage GSW students to diligently check their GSW email accounts and this page for any updates. Important announcements will also be made on social media and, in emergency situations, our emergency notification system. Students should also be practicing good hygiene and the precautions listed above.
If news about COVID-19 is causing an increase in anxiety, hopelessness or isolation, we have structures in place to help you attend to your mental health. Students can connect with the Counseling Services, and employees can seek resources through Human Resources and the Employee Assistance Program.
Students may be required by off-campus partnering organizations to wear masks and/or be vaccinated as a condition of participation in experiential learning opportunities such as study abroad programs, externships and delivery of medical services.