Details

Dear Pitt Public Health Community,  

As you have seen, if you have been in Oakland recently, the University is gearing up for the start of the fall semester and the arrival of undergraduate students living in campus housing. However, because Pitt is still in the Elevated posture, there will be very little change for Pitt Public Health in terms of who comes to campus. Classes will continue to be remote, and work that can be done remotely will still be done remotely. 
 
For individuals who do come to campus either for regular work or for intermittent visits, there are a number of new procedures that we are writing to share with you.  Please see below for those details, and contact us if you have questions.

Training 

All individuals who are working on campus are required to complete COVID-19 response training, even if you were part of a research restart and have already completed some training.  The training can be found on coronavirus.pitt.edu. Supervisors have an additional training which is available on the  OHR Partners SharePoint site. 

Pitt Community Compact 

Student leaders from the Pittsburgh campus have created the Pitt Community Compact and have asked students, faculty, and staff on all campuses to take this pledge to emphasize our culture of adhering to behaviors to protect the community. The compact focuses on your individual health and wellbeing, your impact on others, and your accountability.  At the end of the training, you will have the opportunity to review and take the pledge online. 

Daily Health Check App 

Prior to coming to campus on any given day, you are required to attest to your health by completing the Daily COVID-19 Health Check.  It is an essential part of how we work together to keep you and other members of our community safe. There will be additional guidance very soon on whether this allows us to completely phase out the current system in use for lab staff.

Using the app is easy. Use a web browser to visit my.pitt.edu and look for the thermometer icon. Simply log in using your Pitt credentials and answer two questions about how you are feeling and whether you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. If you encounter technical difficulties with the app, please submit a help ticket to the Technology Help Desk.  

Face Coverings  

You must wear a face covering at all times on campus unless you are in a private space or eating. 
 
If/when the University moves to the Guarded operating posture, in-person instruction will be permitted. During in-person lecturing in the front of the classroom, the instructor may use a face shield that fully covers the face in lieu of a cloth face covering if they have a medical or academic reason to do so. The instructor should also maintain a physical distance of six feet from the closest student. A face shield, while allowed under this circumstance, is not the best option for infection control as its open sides offer less protection to both the wearer and others. 

In general, a face shield should not be substituted for a cloth face covering. If the instructor needs/wants to walk around the classroom to observe students’ work, give feedback or engage in one-to-one discussion, both the instructor and the student should wear cloth face coverings and attempt to maintain as much physical distance as feasible. 

Campus Buildings Readiness and Access 

All campus buildings have been readied for use, including HVAC system review, deep cleaning and sanitizing, space de-densification, building and elevator capacity restrictions, and signage.  

Entering campus buildings still requires you to swipe or tap your Pitt ID for entrance.  Access requests should be routed to your department administrator.  

Pandemic Safety Ambassadors  

Each Pitt unit (e.g., a lab, work team, department, residence hall area) will have a designated Pandemic Safety Ambassador. Ambassadors are resources for you and will assist with questions and the execution of our operational plans. Our Pandemic Safety Ambassadors right now are Velpandi Ayyavoo and Elizabeth Lawrence. Additional ambassadors will be added soon.


Please remember to take care of yourself with good hand hygiene and take care of others by wearing your face covering and maintaining at least six feet of physical distance between yourself and others when possible.  

We recommend that you bookmark coronavirus.pitt.edu and check the website frequently for information related to our operational postures, the COVID-19 Medical Response Office, and health and safety guidelines.  

Together we will work to ensure our community is as safe and healthy as possible.

Eleanor Feingold, Executive Associate Dean
feingold@pitt.edu

Renae Brinza, Associate Dean for Administration and Finance
brinza@pitt.edu