Ohio Northern University has issued the folloing update to its COVID-19 Safety Plan. On Thursday, August 4 the COVID-19 Community Level for Hardin County was upgraded to High.
For Fall 2022, Ohio Northern University announces that the following COVID-19 safety plan will go into effect on Aug. 5, 2022. ONU encourages all members of our community to take health precautions and get vaccinated and boosted to protect yourself, your colleagues and your fellow students.
We recognize that no university, nor any other organization, can guarantee an environment free of COVID-19, and we expect everyone associated with the University to understand that there is a risk of contracting the virus here or anywhere. Nonetheless, our highest priority is the health, safety and well-being of every member of the ONU community. To address the COVID-19 risk factors, ONU will rely once again on the unique benefits of our size and expertise, as well as the experience gained from safely and successfully completing the two previous academic years in person.
Every member of our community must share responsibility for taking all necessary steps to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection. This means following the measures included in this Safety Plan, which are informed by national, state and local health directives, by guidance from similar levels of government and by following other relevant University requirements and practices.
Because guidance from various health organizations and government offices may change as conditions and scientific recommendations change, the ONU Safety Plan is subject to change as well. If circumstances change, we will continue to update our Safety Plan with two primary goals in mind: 1) keep students, faculty and staff healthy and safe, and 2) return as much as possible to normal operations for learning, living and working on campus.
Click the link to see the current level of transmission for Hardin County.
Ohio Northern recognizes that not everyone in our community is able to be vaccinated. Please respect individual choices and be sensitive to students and colleagues on campus who are wearing a face covering or practicing other forms of health protection.
FALL 2022 SAFETY PLAN GUIDELINES:
VACCINATIONS
Ohio Northern University is strongly encouraging faculty, staff and students to be up-to-date with their vaccines, including receiving booster doses as recommended by the CDC. The CDC states that COVID-19 vaccines are effective against most variants. COVID-19 vaccines used in the United States continue to protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death from known circulating variants.
ONU requires faculty, staff and students to verify their COVID-19 vaccination status (none, initial dose, or booster) to the appropriate office (Student Health Center for students, and Office of Human Resources for faculty and staff). Students can email images of completed vaccine cards to [email protected]. Employees can send completed vaccine card images to [email protected].
ONU HealthWise Pharmacy will provide COVID-19 vaccinations from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This clinic is open to ALL members of the campus community and the general public regardless of residency. HealthWise is administering the Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines and boosters. Learn more about ONU's vaccine clinics here.
FACE COVERINGS
Masks are optional in public indoor spaces–classrooms, buildings, libraries, McIntosh Center, ONU Sports Center, common areas, etc.–unless required as state or federal law mandates. Masking may still be required in a classroom or another area when an individual accommodation is necessary and granted. To request an individual accommodation for consideration, faculty should contact their dean and the interim provost, staff should contact human resources and their vice president, and students should contact the Student Health Center.
While masks are optional indoors at this time, some members of the ONU community may continue wearing a mask. A supply of N95 masks is available for pick-up at ONU HealthWise Pharmacy and the Student Health Center at no cost.
In general, face coverings are not necessary when outdoors. However, ONU may ask people to wear face coverings in crowded outdoor settings or during outdoor activities that involve sustained close contact.
COVID-19 TESTING
Symptomatic and exposed COVID-19 testing is available for all students, faculty and staff on campus in the ONU HealthWise Pharmacy from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE
Faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate or quarantine for 5 days and mask for an additional 5 days. There is no longer a need to test on day 5.
ALL faculty, staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 are required to contact one of the following offices:
Employees should contact Human Resources at 419-772-2013 or [email protected]
Students should contact the Student Health Center at 419-772-2086 or [email protected]
Close contacts of those who test positive will not be required to quarantine. Instead, those exposed to others who tested positive for COVID-19 should wear a mask for 10 days, monitor their symptoms and be tested on the fifth day following exposure.
DISTANCING
Faculty, staff, students, guests, visitors, vendors and contractors who are unvaccinated may wish to continue to practice physical distancing where possible indoors, except when with roommates or suitemates in residence halls and apartments, or in classrooms and laboratories where seating may be less than six feet apart.
HYGIENE AND DISINFECTION
It is advised to adhere to the following safety practices for your personal protection:
Practice frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of an elbow.
Use hand sanitizer – that contains at least 60% alcohol – that can be found in high contact areas of all buildings, classrooms, dining areas and work stations
Utilize surface cleaning products in all bathrooms, classrooms and other shared facilities (e.g. copy machines, coffee stations, etc.) for wiping down surfaces touched before and after every use.
ATHLETICS
Athletic teams will follow Ohio Northern safety guidelines. Athletic teams may develop additional safety policies that are based on recommended NCAA guidelines.
RETURN TO PRIOR SAFETY MEASURES
The University will monitor and evaluate our safeguards and measures, continuously updating them to ensure that they are following current guidance from federal and state governments and the local health department. ONU will reestablish appropriate safety measures in the event of a new variant spreading or infections surging on campus in order to mitigate risk and to keep faculty, staff and students healthy and safe.
IMPLEMENTATION
For specific questions about the COVID-19 safeguards and measures being implemented, please connect with the following campus areas:
Academic Affairs – [email protected] | 419-772-2033
Arts & Sciences | [email protected] | 419-772-2130
Business | [email protected] | 419-772-2070
Engineering | [email protected] | 419-772-2371
Law | [email protected] | 419-772-3051
Pharmacy | [email protected] | 419-772-2275
Admissions – [email protected] | 419-772-2260
Athletics – [email protected] | 419-772-2444
Business Services – [email protected] | 419-772-2057
Health Center – [email protected] | 419-772-2086
Housing – [email protected] | 419-772-2430
Human Resources – [email protected] | 419-772-2013
ONU HealthWise Pharmacy – [email protected] | 419-772-DRUG
Student Affairs – [email protected] | 419-772-2433
Student Success Center – [email protected] | 419-772-2033
