COVID-19 Update

Dear Wake Forest students,

Positive cases of COVID-19 and related public health indicators continue to require heightened vigilance to reverse current trends. We remain in Orange Status: Modified Campus Operations. Our decision to add health and safety measures to Orange Status was made in consultation with public health officials, who continue to review all relevant factors.

On February 4, we implemented additional safety measures to address key public health priorities while sustaining our core academic mission. Today, we write to further clarify these essential precautions to curb the spread of the virus.

We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of each measure and the progress we are making toward containing this current surge in positive cases. Additional changes in operating procedures may follow, and we will continue to update the Our Way Forward website as the situation evolves.

Limit Contact with Others; Obey the 10 p.m. Curfew

Whether you live on or off campus, undergraduate students should only leave their residence:

• To attend class or sanctioned academic activities.
• To walk to on-campus dining options for grab-and-go service.
• For walks or exercise, as long as you are masked and maintain six feet between individuals.
• For on-campus Wake Forest COVID-19 testing.
• For medical supplies and appointments (please reschedule all routine, non-essential appointments).
• To go to the store for food and supplies.
• To get campus mail.
• To use monitored spaces, such as Fireside at Manchester and reservable study spaces.
• To report to work, on and off campus.

Student-athletes should follow the instructions of their coaches with respect to participation in athletics activities. Graduate students are encouraged to follow similar precautions, but we recognize that situations may vary. Undergraduate students who have received a message from Residence Life and Housing asking them to quarantine-in-place should follow the specific instructions and protocols outlined in that message.

All students should avoid bars, restaurants and social gatherings regardless of the time of day. Do not take road trips or other non-essential travel. Reducing movement slows community spread, thereby conserving critical medical resources. Do not leave campus for social reasons after 10 p.m. The curfew is in effect by order of the North Carolina Governor.

Testing Frequency Increased
All undergraduate students residing on campus or living in the Winston-Salem area will be tested for COVID-19 weekly for the next two weeks. You recently received information about scheduling your testing appointment. Details are available here.

Wear a Mask
Masking remains an effective precaution against the spread of COVID-19. Wear a mask when you are with another person or have the potential to come in contact with another person, including in residence halls. When dining, stay six feet apart from other people and wear a mask when not putting food or drink in your mouth.

Feeling Sick? Have Symptoms? Been Exposed?

• If you have any symptoms, assume that you have been infected and begin to isolate immediately. Email apptshs@wfu.edu or call 336-758-5218 to request an appointment with Student Health Service. Follow recommendations to isolate.
• Students who have been exposed to a positive case should anticipate hearing from the Contact Tracing Team, who will provide instructions on how to appropriately quarantine. If a student is uncertain whether the case is known to the University, the student should email traceshs@wfu.edu to report their exposure.

Please remember that the public health emergency addendum (updated for spring 2021) to the undergraduate student code of conduct and the codes of conduct for graduate and professional students require students to abide by the public health policies and guidelines outlined for the Wake Forest community.

We know that these circumstances are difficult and can be frustrating. If we work together, we can move past this surge and reduce restrictions soon. Thank you for your cooperation in curbing the spread of the virus. Please take good care.

Sincerely,

Nathan O. Hatch
President

Rogan Kersh
Provost

Penny Rue
Vice President for Campus Life