Campus Health & Safety

Campus Health Services Cleaning and Disinfecting Maintaining Campus Wellbeing Visitors and Vendors

Masks

CUNY encourages that everyone, regardless of vaccination status:

• Wear a facemask inside all CUNY campuses and office buildings. This includes while taking classes, working in a non- enclosed space such as a library cubicle or other open seating, regardless of physical distance from others
• Wear a mask outdoors on campus when unable to maintain physical distance from others.
• Anyone with a medical or religious exemption or exception who is not vaccinated must wear a mask indoors and outdoors at all times while on campus, including enclosed spaces, except briefly when eating or drinking (in which case they must maintain strict social distancing from other individuals). They are also required to maintain social distancing between themselves and others in a classroom.

The Office of Health Services provides support via Email, telephone (718) 631-6375 and other modalities. Please note that any student, faculty, or staff member diagnosed with COVID-19 by their healthcare provider must notify the Office of Health Services at (718) 631 6375 or COVIDHealthServices@qcc.cuny.edu.

Enhanced cleaning and disinfection, started in March 2020, remains in effect in accordance with the latest guidance from health experts, public health agencies, New York State and CUNY. Queensborough is adhering to NYSDOH's “Interim Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19” and CDC guidelines on “Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility”.

Employees and students returning to campus can expect the following:

• The deep cleaning and disinfection of public and occupied areas, including classrooms, on a daily basis.
  1. Queensborough uses EPA registered anti-viral disinfectants for high-touch surfaces including door pulls/knobs, elevator panels/buttons, stair handrails, bathroom surfaces, counters and desks, light switches, and drinking fountains.

• Hand sanitizer stations throughout the campus in high-use areas, which are checked and refilled regularly.
• Disposable disinfecting wipes in marked locations, to clean frequently touched surfaces such as computers, keyboards, telephones, doorknobs, copier touch pads and counter tops before and after each use.
• Acrylic protection shields may be installed in some locations. Supervisors should contact the Coronavirus Coordinator, Vice President William Faulkner, to review shielding options and locations.

Airflow and Ventilation

The approach for improving ventilation varies by the type of mechanical system in each building. At Queensborough, we are following guidance from public health experts regarding enhanced air filtration systems and are prioritizing the use of classrooms and spaces with functioning windows to maximize airflow. In buildings with central air handlers, the controls are being adjusted to increase the percentage of outside air. All air-handling units have been disinfected and air filters have been replaced with recommended MERV-13 filters and/or other recommended purifiers as needed.

• Maintain at least 3-feet between you and the next person, indoors and outdoors, unless campus signage directs otherwise.
• Follow public health recommendations on hand washing with soap and water and the use of hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer stations, located around the campus, are restocked regularly.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw used tissues in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands. Immediately wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer. Learn more about cough and sneezing etiquette from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
• Limit the cross-contamination of desks, counters and other work areas by not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Avoid readjusting or touching your mask or face covering or placing a used mask on shared surfaces. If possible, don't share telephones, electronic devices, pens and other work tools and equipment and clean and disinfect them before and after use.
• In Common Areas & Shared Spaces: Use the stairwells when possible. If using the elevator, only one person should be in the elevator or in accordance with the signage posted at each elevator entrance. Individuals occupying lobbies and the seating in waiting areas must conform with safe physical distancing requirements.

Visitors and vendors should be by appointment only and everyone must pre-screen using the screening app prior to coming to the campus. Contractors working on campus are under the jurisdiction of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. They are pre-screening daily and are required to follow NYS requirements for returning to work on construction sites.