Archive for August 2021

Isolation or Quarantine

Isolation or Quarantine Information

Any student who misses class due to isolation or quarantine, whether vaccinated or not, should inform their professors and coaches that they will not attend class or practice in person, and arrange to complete assignments, etc. on time.

Residential Students—please remain in your room except to use the bathroom or go outside for fresh air. Follow all safety protocols including vigilant physical distancing, consistent mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing.

Commuters and Employees—please remain in your home except to go outside for fresh air. Follow all safety protocols including vigilant physical distancing, consistent mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing.  

All—do not go to work or socialize with friends or family outside your immediate household or roommate(s). A member of our contact tracing team will provide guidance to your roommate(s) on whether they should quarantine.

Do not end your isolation or quarantine unless directed to do so by Shroyer Health Center staff or your LVC contact tracer. They will provide your end date and any changes that may occur when reviewing your situation. 

*Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have emergency health needs.

*Contact the Shroyer Health Center at 717-867-6232, ext. 6231, or healthservices@lvc.edu if you require non-urgent medical assistance during business hours.

*Use Penn State Health OnDemand if you require non-urgent medical assistance during evenings or on weekends. You also can visit a local urgent care center.

What counts as close contact

*You were within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over 24 hours
*You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
*You shared eating or drinking utensils or gathered to eat meals
*You rode in a car together
*You share a bedroom and/or bathroom space with the person
*Close contact can occur up to two days before a person becomes symptomatic
*These criteria are applicable even if both individuals were masked in some cases; contact tracing will determine if a contact meets the criteria.

Contact tracing is the process of identifying close contacts of laboratory-confirmed or probable COVID-19 patients. Contact tracers are trained and keep your information confidential. Please respond promptly and honestly if a contact tracer calls you. Vaccinated individuals may be interviewed or guided by contact tracing team members. Contact tracing is crucial in helping LVC identify new cases of COVID-19 and prevent further spread. 

Employees: Do not report to campus. Self-quarantine and consult a physician for further evaluation. Please report any additional information to your department and human resources.

Please email information@lvc.edu or call 717-867-6555 if you have any questions regarding LVC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Symptom Tracker Guidelines

Visit here to access the LVC symptom tracker.

When should I use the symptom tracker?

You should complete the symptom tracker—even if you have been vaccinated—when:

  1. You have illness symptoms,
  2. You’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19,
  3. You’ve tested positive for COVID-19, or
  4. You’ve had any type of COVID-19 test done off-campus in the past two weeks.

Your symptom tracker responses go directly to Shroyer Health Center staff for nurse triage. Staff or someone from LVC’s contact tracing team will call you within 24 hours if additional details are needed.

Guidelines for completing the symptom tracker:

If you are NOT VACCINATED and have symptoms or have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19—

*Immediately start to self-quarantine: do not attend in-person classes, athletic practices, or any activities. Wait for a call from a Shroyer Health Center staff member or an LVC contact tracing team member for additional instruction.

*Inform your professors, coaches, and LVC employer that you will not be able to attend class, practice, or work.

*Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have emergency health needs.

*Contact the Shroyer Health Center at 717-867-6232, ext. 6231, or healthservices@lvc.edu if you require non-urgent medical assistance during business hours.

*Use Penn State Health OnDemand if you require non-urgent medical assistance during evenings or on weekends. You also can visit a local urgent care center.

*Call the Office of Public Safety at 717-867-6111 or ext. 6111 with any other questions during evenings or on weekends.

If you are VACCINATED and have symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19—

*Immediately self-isolate and wait for a call from Shroyer Health Center staff member or an LVC contact tracing team member for additional instructions.

*Inform your professors, coaches, and LVC employer that you will not be able to attend class, practice, or work.

*Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have emergency health needs.

*Contact the Shroyer Health Center at 717-867-6232, ext. 6231, or healthservices@lvc.edu if you require non-urgent medical assistance during business hours.

*Use Penn State Health OnDemand if you require non-urgent medical assistance during evenings or on weekends. You also can visit a local urgent care center.

*Call the Office of Public Safety at 717-867-6111 or ext. 6111 with any other questions during evenings or on weekends.

If you are vaccinated and have been exposed, but have NOT tested positive and DO NOT have any symptoms—

*Continue in-person classes and activities. A Shroyer Health Center nurse may contact you for additional details so that proper documentation can occur. However, no self-quarantine is required at this time.

*Complete the symptom tracker again if you are vaccinated and begin to have symptoms.

Can LVC Ask for Vaccination Status?

Q: Is LVC allowed to ask about students’ vaccination status?

A: Yes. There is clear legal guidance that vaccine status can be requested, and such requests do not violate the law. LVC keeps vaccination records confidential and private in a secure database accessible only to employees that have a legitimate reason to have access to this data. Student vaccination cards are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Q: Is LVC allowed to ask about employees’ vaccination status?

A. Yes. There is clear legal guidance that vaccine status can be requested and such requests do not violate the law.  LVC keeps vaccination records confidential and private in a secure database accessible only to employees that have a legitimate reason to have access to this data.

Use this form to upload images of your vaccine card.

Will LVC Mandate COVID-19 Vaccinations?

Q: Now that the FDA has approved the Pfizer vaccine, will LVC mandate that students and employees receive it?

A: Out of an abundance of caution and with the guidance of our healthcare partners, the College did not mandate the vaccine while it was under emergency use authorization. On Monday, Aug. 23, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination for individuals ages 16 years and older. The Moderna vaccine is on track to be approved this fall.

LVC administrators are consulting with advisors on- and off-campus to develop a vaccination policy that will work best for our campus community. At this time, LVC continues to strongly encourage students and employees to get vaccinated—to protect public health and the health and safety of each other.

For more information, see:

Full Approval of Covid Vaccine Frees Up Some Colleges to Make Mandates Official

List of Colleges Requiring the COVID-19 Vaccination

FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccination

Antibody Testing Not Accepted As Entry Testing

Lebanon Valley College does not accept antibody testing as a form of entry testing. Antibody testing does not detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and cannot be used to diagnose a current COVID infection. Antibody tests may actually be negative in someone currently infected with COVID.    

Antibodies can take days or weeks to develop in the body after being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 being positive for the virus and it is unknown how long they stay in the blood.

Antibody tests may detect another coronavirus, such as the common cold—it is not specific to SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19. This could lead someone to falsely believe they have immunity against COVID-19.    

A positive antibody test does not necessarily mean you are immune to COVID-19.  Researchers are still trying to understand whether having antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 will protect you from getting infected again. A positive antibody test also does not indicate whether you can infect other people with SARS-CoV-2.

A negative result on a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test means antibodies to the virus were not detected in your sample. It could mean:

  • You were not previously infected with COVID-19.
  • You had COVID-19 in the past but did not develop or have not yet developed detectable antibodies. It is unknown if all infected individuals will develop a detectable antibody response. Antibody response is different for everyone and can be influenced by genetics, age, ethnicity, chronic disease or conditions, virus variants and other factors.  
  • The result may be wrong, known as a false negative. This occurs when the test does not detect antibodies even though you may have specific antibodies for SARS-CoV-2.

The test results from different laboratories may vary depending on several factors such as the accuracy of the test itself, how long it may take for your body to develop antibodies after you had the coronavirus infection, or if you were infected.