Loyola Community,

We can’t think of a better word than “grateful” to describe this moment. (Though “exhausted” might be a close second.) This has been a semester unlike any other. You’ve shown your commitment to our community with unspeakable endurance. For that we are the most grateful. We know you won’t let up now.

In many ways, all of our hard work over the semester has been for this moment; to reduce the spread of COVID within our campus community so we don’t bring it back to our families and those we care about the most. Please continue to limit your activities leading up to your planned travel date and, as always, social distance and wear your mask.

While we know you will miss the friends you’ve made, now is not the time for social gatherings and parties. You will have to postpone your trip if you test positive for COVID-19 so you can isolate for 10 days. And if you’ve had close contact with anyone else at Loyola who tests positive, then you will have to complete a 14-day quarantine before you can travel home.

You may still make an appointment this week to get a COVID-19 test through Student Health Services. Testing is available through Friday, November 20 for students with or without symptoms who would like to get tested before traveling home. Call 504.865.3326 to make your appointment.

Please keep in mind that a negative test result only shows a snapshot of that specific moment in time. You may have additional exposures during travel. Consider testing upon your arrival, and explore available options in your home location.

By car:

Pack snacks, meals, and drinks so you don’t have to make frequent stops.
Use disinfecting wipes before touching the gas pump.
Social distance and mask in all public areas when you stop.
Pack hand sanitizer and wash your hands frequently.

By plane:

If possible, use contactless check-in and ticketing options at the airport.
Social distance while waiting in lines and avoid crowded areas.
Pack hand sanitizer and wash your hands frequently.
Wear your mask at all times. It’s required at the New Orleans Airport and on most airlines.

Our Travel Tips page provides more tips and details to help you plan for your trip.

Once You’re Home

Just as you’ve been studying and expanding your skills in the classroom this semester, you’ve also built a toolbox of strategies to reduce your risk of spreading coronavirus. You can continue to apply your new skills—hand washing, social distancing, and masking—once you return home.

We recommend that you talk to your family ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday so you can all come to an agreement about how you would like to celebrate the occasion. It’s important to uphold family traditions, but you may want to explore new ways to give thanks and bring your family together this year.

According to the CDC, gatherings with more people pose more risk. Consider limiting the number of guests and take extra precautions for people who are at higher risk of serious illness. Virtual celebrations are still the safest option for connecting with family members in other locations.

Here are a few more tips:

If weather permits, consider moving dinner outside or opening multiple windows to increase the ventilation in your home.
Reduce shared items. Avoid sharing serving utensils and glassware. Replace dish towels and hand towels with disposable options.
Limit gatherings in spaces where food is being prepared. Have one person (masked) serve the food rather than doing a buffet.
Wear a mask when you’re not eating and continue to social distance. Avoid hugs and handshakes.
Shorten your celebration. The longer you spend with others, the more risk of exposure.
We recommend that you review the full list of guidelines from the CDC and talk openly with your family about these guidelines before Thanksgiving.

Our Public Health Team Expands!

We’re thrilled to welcome Olivia Dominguez as a public health coordinator joining Loyola’s Student Health Services team. In her new role, Olivia will track COVID cases, manage contact tracing protocols, and help maintain our health guidelines to keep our community safe and informed.

Coming to New Orleans from Southern Nevada, Olivia graduated with her master’s in public health from LSU Health New Orleans in 2017 and has worked as an epidemiologist with the Louisiana Department of Health for the last three years. With a passion for public health, she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in epidemiology to continue to grow her skillset in the field.

If you receive a positive test result, you don't need to keep getting tested until you receive a negative test result. You will complete a 10-day isolation starting from the date of the first positive test result, and a member of the SHS team will check in with you daily over the phone. You must be cleared by SHS before you can leave isolation.

Please notify the public health team if you’ve been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID, even if you live off campus or have not been to campus recently! This allows us to effectively complete contact tracing within our campus community. Please email covid@loyno.edu or call 504.865.3757 to notify our public health coordinators.

We know that finding out you’ve tested positive for or have been exposed to COVID-19 is very stressful. Please review our Quarantine Guide for mindfulness tips. University Counseling is always available to help—call 504.865.3835 to make an appointment.

Keep Moving Forward

Wolf Pack, this will be our last COVD Connections for the semester. We’ll return in the spring and continue to reach out through our usual forms of communication with any announcements. As you return home and prepare for your final exams after the holidays, we hope you’ll also find time to rest and reflect.

Our Jesuit value of cura personalis reminds us that being healthy means taking care of your body, mind, and spirit. Student Health Services and University Counseling will still be here for you after the Thanksgiving holiday with virtual and telemedicine services. Please continue to check our FAQ website with new updates and information as we prepare for the spring semester.

With sincere gratitude, we wish you and your family a bountiful and safe Thanksgiving!

COVID Connections is a round-up of important information to help keep everyone in our campus community informed and safe. It arrives in your inbox every Tuesday, with special editions on other days if needed. Explore our archive on the FAQ website to see previous editions.

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