4C’s Current COVID Protocols
by Mallory West
As COVID-19 drags on, Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) has been very proactive on keeping its student, staff, and faculty safe. One of their most recent changes is the vaccination requirement starting in the spring of 2022. Students will need to send in proof of their vaccination to Shelley Thompson, 4C’s Immunization Clerk within Registration, by December 15, 2021. For students who are not going to be on campus at all during the next academic year, 4Cs is not requiring proof of vaccination.
Photo by Kevin Grieve on Unsplash
According to the new COVID-19 Protocols of 4Cs for Fall 2021, “masking will remain…for close gathering outside and for us indoors.” Many classrooms carry extra masks and hand sanitizer, in the event that any student would forget to bring one. Social distancing requirements have also been “reduced to three feet…with a further easing contemplated for the Spring 2022 semester.” However, students should be careful to be adaptable to ever-changing circumstances. Even with the vaccination requirements as well as the developing availability of vaccines and boosters, “if vaccination rates are not high enough and new variants arise, [4C’s] plan will likely be impacted,” forewarns COVID-19 Protocols. As a general reminder, people can get vaccinated through Barnstable County. To check for dates, 4Cs encourages visiting https://www.barnstablecountyhealth.org/ to get an appointment. For testing and vaccinations, students can visit https://www.capecodhealth.org/medicalservices/infectiousdisease/coronavirus/visitation-restrictions/.
4Cs has removed some protocols as well, in accordance with CDC recommendations. Temperature checks have been deemed no longer necessary, and masks are no longer required outside unless students, faculty, or staff are near others. There are no longer cleanings between each class, and student, faculty, and staff are not required to fill out forms for self-attestation. Exterior doors are no longer locked during business hours. Although some protocols have been taken away, there are also new ones that have been implemented. When someone within the 4Cs community tests positive for COVID-19, “contact tracing and quarantine of potentially exposed contacts will occur as soon as possible.” In addition, those who test positive will be required to “prepare a listing of persons who came into contact with [them] and if they did or did not maintain a mask or social distancing.” The college will also notify the Town of Barnstable Department of Public Health.
Safety of faculty, staff, and students remains a top priority at 4Cs, and it is up to every student to do their part. By following the safety protocols set by the college, 4Cs is one step closer to being fully back to in-person learning. For more information, type in and open up the “COVID-19 Protocols, Guiding Principles, and Navigating COVID-19 Fall 2021” in the search bar of the 4Cs homepage. It would be wise to refer to CDC guidelines and recommendations as well when making personal decisions, such as when it is wise to wear a mask and maintain the full 6 feet of social distancing. As a reminder, the 4Cs deadline for turning in proof of vaccination is December 15, 2021, and should be emailed directly to Thompson at [email protected]. Students can also make a copy of their proof of vaccination (like a vaccine card or other document) and drop it off, in-person, to the Nickerson Building.
Students can also fax a copy to (508) 375-4039 or mail it to the college at:
Cape Cod Community College
2240 Iyannough Road
West Barnstable, MA 02668
The current class size practicing social distancing
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