Covid-19 Information for Faculty and Instructors

Everyone is expected to continue to follow basic guidelines from the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force, including:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use hand sanitizer in the absence of soap and water.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow.
• Social distancing (6 feet of separation from others) at work:
  • Be respectful of others’ personal space.
  • Assess and adjust workspaces to maximize social distancing, including spacing furniture with 6 feet of separation.
  • Hold meetings virtually whenever possible.
  • Provide services remotely whenever possible.
  • Do not share phones, desks, offices, computers, or other equipment. In cases where equipment is shared, it should be disinfected before and after each use.
  • Do not gather in groups of more than 10 people when social distancing cannot be maintained.
  • When interacting in open environments (e.g., outdoors, atriums, auditoriums) or in indoor common areas, keep a safe social distance.
  • Limit occupancy in elevators to maintain social distancing.
  • Use care when entering or exiting restrooms to maintain a safe distance.
  • Do not use a restroom when it is being cleaned.
  • Supervisors should allow employees to take meals outside or in separate locations.
  • Cancel or postpone any events or activities (networking happy hours, lunch-and-learns, etc.) or consider hosting them virtually.
  • Avoid all person-to-person contact, including handshaking.

Effective July 15, 2020, University System of Georgia (USG) institutions required all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to wear appropriate face coverings while inside campus facilities/buildings where 6 feet social distancing may not always be possible. Face covering use is in addition to,  not a substitute for, social distancing.

Signs are posted at building entrances prohibiting anyone with a fever or symptoms of Covid-19 from entering. Contact-less thermometers have been supplied to all buildings.

To mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, Georgia Tech implemented a wellness check protocol designed to help protect the health and safety of our community. This wellness check includes temperature screenings. All employees are strongly encouraged to administer the Covid-19 Daily Self-Checklist before coming to campus.

• Hand sanitizer stands are provided in every building at the entrances and in restrooms and classrooms.
• Disinfectant and wipes are available in classrooms and for workspaces.
• Supplies of disposable face coverings for students are available in many buildings across campus. See where you can pick up a face covering if you need one.
• Classrooms have been configured to maintain 6 feet social distancing. The tables have been numbered to allow for assigned seating.
• If classrooms have two entrances, they have specific designations for entering and exiting.
• All classrooms are cleaned by Building Services staff and fogged daily.
• Facilities Management has upgraded air filters to MERV-13 filters where possible, and ensured all systems are operating optimally.
• Air purifiers have been installed in classrooms in Skiles and D.M. Smith, where HVAC systems could not be upgraded to MERV-13.
• Air quality sensors have been installed in various classrooms across campus, and the data is being captured and monitored.

All classrooms are cleaned by Building Services staff and fogged daily. More information is available on the Facilities Management website.

Georgia Tech’s staff disinfect door handles, railings, countertops, and other frequently touched surfaces at least once daily. They have also increased restroom cleaning, targeting four cleanings per day.

Current Covid-19-related employment accommodations granted for staff, faculty members, graduate research assistants (GRA), and graduate teaching assistants (GTA) for Fall 2020  have been extended through May 2021.

Extensions must be documented via a signed addendum,  sent to each employee by Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR). Staff, faculty members, GTAs, and GRAs and their direct supervisors must sign the addendum and return a copy to GTHR and their respective HR Business Partner or HR Director.

Please note: The deadline to submit a Covid-19 related accommodation request based on age (65 or older, including those who will turn 65 during the spring semester) or underlying medical condition was Friday, Oct. 9. Decisions about accommodations were communicated no later than Wednesday, Oct. 14

Higher risk faculty, GTAs, or GRAs assigned to teach this spring, but who are unable to return to campus due to Covid-19, may wish to request an alternate work arrangement via GTHR.

The Return-to-Campus Manager’s Tool Kit outlines those higher risk categories, as well the process for requesting Covid-19 related alternate work arrangements. Note: For requests based on an underlying medical condition, supporting medical documentation must accompany the request form for the review process to begin.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding accommodation requests, email Ann F. Harris, GTHR-Employee Relations Compliance Advisor.

Effective July 15, 2020, University System of Georgia (USG) institutions required all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to wear an appropriate face covering while inside campus facilities/buildings where six feet social distancing may not always be possible. Face covering use is in addition to, and is not a substitute for, social distancing.

Face coverings are not required in one’s own dorm room or suite, when alone in an enclosed office or study room, or in campus outdoor settings where social distancing requirements are met. 

Anyone not using a face covering when required will be asked to wear one or must leave the area. Repeated refusal to comply with the requirement may result in discipline through the applicable conduct code for faculty, staff, or students.

Reasonable accommodations may be made for those who are unable to wear a face covering for documented health reasons.

Cloth face coverings may be used in lab spaces that do not contain chemical, biological, or radioactive agents. Single-use surgical masks are required to be worn, and will be provided, while in lab spaces containing chemical, biological, or radioactive agents. In labs where these agents are present, normal lab safety and PPE protocol will remain in place.

For more information about face masks and coverings, review the guidelines from Human Resources.

Environmental Health and Safety has established a PPE Depot at the EHS Building, 793 Marietta St. Building managers can put in PPE requests for staff and research operations through the EHS website at www.ehs.gatech.edu/covid-19/request.

If you start to feel sick on campus, you should notify your manager or supervisor, leave campus immediately, avoiding all rideshare, public transportation, and taxis if possible, and contact your primary care physician.

If you’re at home and start feeling sick, or if you answer “yes” to any of the questions on the Covid-19 Daily Self-Checklist before coming to campus, stay home. Please notify your manager or supervisor and contact your primary care physician.

Please also refer to the Covid-19 Exposure Decision Tree to help you plan your next steps.

For Covid-19-related, in-network provider visits and testing, out of pocket costs such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance will be waived if you are enrolled in one of the USG healthcare plans through Anthem BCBSGA or Kaiser Permanente (including employees enrolled in the Consumer Choice HSA).

All telehealth visits through LiveHealth Online, including those unrelated to Covid-19, will be covered at 100% with no out of pocket costs for all USG healthcare plans through June 30, 2021.

All USG employees are eligible for free Covid-19 virtual screenings through Augusta University Health System’s AU Health Express Care app.

Screenings are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at no cost and no appointment required. You log in to the app from home. Screenings are done by a provider who is a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant and trained to screen for Covid-19.

For those without access to technology, please call AU Health’s Covid-19 hotline at 706.721.1852.

Learn more about benefits and resources available to you through the USG Benefits programs.

First, download the NOVID app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Enter the community code “JACKETS” when prompted, or at the top of the Settings page. 

• NOVID anonymously detects nearby users to build a web of people connected to you. If any of them reports an exposure or positive test result, you will receive a notification through the NOVID app. 
• NOVID captures no personally identifiable information from users.  
• The app exchanges information with other phones also running the app. It records a frequently changing code to other devices so they can be alerted if necessary — but without sharing any personally identifiable information.  
• Pairs of code interactions are stored on the NOVID server for a limited period of time. 
• If a student receives a positive Covid-19 test at Stamps Health Services, they will be given a one-time code that they can enter into the app, which will send a notification to other phones the app has recorded as potential exposures. 
• If a student has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and is contacted by a contact tracer, they will be given a one-time code that they can enter into the app, which will send a notification to other phones within their network. 
• Community members who have received positive tests elsewhere on campus or off campus are required, as part of public health regulations, to report this to Stamps Health Services. They will also receive an app notification code after they have contacted Stamps. 
• Researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Software Assurance Branch evaluated NOVID for privacy protections to make sure it doesn’t record personal information that could identify users — and for cybersecurity issues to make sure it protects the device. 
• More details about the NOVID app are available on the Covid Central portal and at novid.org. 

Each member of our community must take responsibility for their actions and adhere to the guidelines of the Georgia Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as guidelines issued by the University System of Georgia and Georgia Tech, to protect themselves and others while helping to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Adherence to these new measures is vital, so the Institute has established new formal and informal processes and recommendations for incorporating accountability into safety guidelines.

Students and Student Groups
Led by the Division of Student Life and the Office of the Provost, the Georgia Tech Covid-19 Student Educational and Response Team (GT CO-SERT) is a temporary collaborative team charged with reviewing reported questions and concerns related to students or student groups and adherence to Covid-19 health and safety guidelines.

The CO-SERT will review reported concerns or questions regarding students or student groups and Covid-19 health and safety guidelines, communicate with individuals or groups, and determine further response or referrals, as necessary. Its actions may include follow-up with campus community members; clarification of current guidance and campus expectations; additional informational or educational efforts; and if necessary, referral to applicable campus resource or office to consider enforcement processes. CO-SERT does not to alter or supersede any existing campus enforcement processes; the team will be disbanded as circumstances related to Covid-19 dictate.

Note: Georgia Tech’s student code explicitly prohibits behavior that endangers any person(s), including self. Hosting on- or off-campus events of any size that do not allow for social distancing or don’t take precautionary measures, such as additional hand sanitation stations and disinfecting protocols, and required face coverings, will be considered violations of the Non-Academic Misconduct Policy. 

Questions and concerns from faculty, staff, and community members related to students and Covid-19 health and safety guidelines may be submitted to cosert@gatech.edu.  

Faculty and Staff
Equally important to helping to contain the spread of the coronavirus at Georgia Tech is ensuring that faculty and staff adhere to the guidance around preventive practices and cloth face coverings provided by the Institute.

Communicating with your co-workers – Keeping campus safe means recognizing that simple, individual actions affect everyone, and so responsibility also lies with individuals. The key to this guidance is recognizing that feelings and comfort levels vary.

A few recommendations for employee interactions:

• Be mindful that your colleagues may not feel the same way you do about returning to campus. Some people will be eager to return, while others may be nervous and hesitant.
• Be respectful of others’ feelings as you return and in your interactions with others.
• Reinforce and remind other Yellow Jackets and visitors of the requirements and guidelines, where they can access face coverings in buildings, and to follow best practices to the extent you are comfortable.
• Be mindful of language when addressing social distancing. Using words like “us” or “we” in the request to distance may help keep the situation from escalating. For example, “Let’s put a little more space between us at this table.”
• Please step away from others or leave any situation if you feel uncomfortable.
• Building signage should also be clearly displayed to assist other students, faculty, and staff in following expectations in different scenarios.  

If you are not comfortable speaking to any person directly, remove yourself from the situation and contact your supervisor and/or HR Business Partner/HR Director.

If the situation becomes a workplace dispute requiring conflict management, please work with your HR Business Partner/HR Director. You can also visit hr.gatech.edu/employee-relations/workplace-disputes for tips, recommended next steps, and resources.

Employees and their families have access to our Employee Assistance Program through Kepro. You can request confidential, no cost services at 844.243.4440. More details on the Health and Wellbeing website.

The State of Georgia has a new Covid-19 hotline that provides 24/7, free, and confidential assistance to callers needing emotional support or resource information.

• The support line is staffed by volunteers, including mental health professionals and crisis counselors.
• The support line is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Beacon Health Options, and Behavioral Health Link.
• Download the flyer for more information on the support line and other available services.