JMU Health Update - Oct. 23

Dear JMU Family,

JMU Releases Plans for Spring Semester
As we continue to receive guidance in handling issues related to the pandemic, we are working closely in adapting our procedures to maintain the health and well-being of our campus community. The safety of our community is our top priority, followed closely by maintaining the high academic quality and engaged learning that JMU is known for as students advance in their progress toward graduation.

Detailed here are the plans for our operations for the 2021 Winter Session and 2021 Spring Semester. Changes to the calendar will help us avoid extensive travel during peak flu season, and a modified spring break schedule was designed to provide needed respite during the semester. You’ll see that we will continue to offer a mix of in-person, hybrid and online classes to maximize flexibility for our students and faculty, supplemented with additional options to earn credit through increased Winter Session options.

We realize that these modifications will affect your planning for spring, and we appreciate your patience as we undergo changes that allow us to maintain our on-campus operations as safely as possible. The details noted in this message reflect current governmental and public health guidance.

Next semester will look different from those in the past, and it is disappointing that we cannot always gather in the ways we typically do. While we are not physically together as often, the sense of belonging and cooperation shown by the members of our community has been extraordinary to witness and to be a part of. Your contributions to each other’s health and safety have been inspiring, and we thank you for the care you are taking.

We know that these plans will likely generate lots of questions. So that we can index these questions and answer them in subsequent communications, please submit them here.

Update on Cases
The university observed 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 at the Health Center yesterday, as well as 0 self-reported cases, with 8 students becoming considered “recovered,” meaning they were diagnosed as positive more than 10 days ago and are no longer infectious. The number of active cases is at 26. The number of open quarantine and isolation beds is at 462 out of 477. More information can be found on the university’s Stop the Spread dashboard. While our situation continues to improve, individuals must continue to follow public health guidance by wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands frequently.

Stop the Spread HELPline
If students and their families have questions and can’t readily find the answers in our FAQs, call the Stop the Spread HELPline, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The toll-free number is 888-886-3131. And don’t forget, many of your questions can be answered here. Call center agents also will be answering questions sent to covid19@jmu.edu, and you can submit questions via a form on the Stop the Spread site. Please note, the HELPline is not for reporting noncompliance with health guidance and the Stop the Spread Agreement signed by all students. Please use the LiveSafe app, which goes directly to the JMU Public Safety dispatch.

Stay safe, and please remember that the only vaccine currently available for COVID-19 is solidarity. And download the COVIDWISE app!