Stay Safe at Wingate

March 1, 2022 Update

Starting March 1, face coverings will be optional in university buildings, except the Health Center. If you feel sick or need to visit the Health Center, you still need to wear a face covering.  

The move away from a face covering mandate falls in line with state and local health officials’ guidance as Covid-19 numbers continue to trend in the right direction. However, if campus numbers start going back up, we will revisit this decision.

For now, contact tracing and surveillance testing, along with quarantine/isolation policies will remain in place. 

The Health Center will be holding a vaccine clinic every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (with the exception of March 11 and April 15). Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available. If you have not received your initial vaccine series or are due for a booster (it has been more than 5 months since you were vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer or more than 2 months since you were vaccinated with J&J), come to the Health Center. No appointment is necessary. For questions, contact Cassie Rosbash at 704-233-8761 or email c.rosbash@wingate.edu.

For those of you traveling internationally for spring break, please familiarize yourself with this CDC guidance. If you are not vaccinated and up-to-date with your Covid-19 vaccine, you will have to quarantine for five days after returning from abroad.

If you’re concerned about a Covid-19 exposure after spring break, you can be tested at the Health Center upon your return. No appointment is needed.

Spring 2022 Update

The University has been closely monitoring the rise in cases of Covid-19, including the spread of the Omicron variant. Health officials believe the worst of this strain will be behind us in late January or early February. For the health and safety of our campus community, the University has decided to bring students back in smaller numbers and stagger their return over a longer period of time. Here’s what that means:

Undergraduate students

• Undergraduate classes will still begin Tuesday, January 18 but in an online format, with the expectation that in-person classes can begin Monday, January 31.
• Move-in times will be staggered, with the majority of undergraduate students being allowed to return Friday, January 21, Tuesday, January 25, Thursday, January 27 and Saturday, January 29 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. All residential students should fill out this form to designate their move in date.
• Nursing students, certain education students, and certain health science students may return to campus before January 18 for in-person clinical and practical curriculum. You will receive instructions from your program director shortly. 
• New students can expect additional information regarding orientation early next week. 

Graduate students

• Graduate courses will start as scheduled with Health Sciences meeting in-person in concert with accreditation and other appropriate guidelines.
• The Health Center will work with health science programs to find a time to test graduate students. Be on the lookout for an email from your specific department.

International students

• International students (in F1 visa status) may return to campus as planned. All students, regardless of vaccination status, are required to provide a negative test no more than one day prior to air travel, and will be required to retest 3-5 days after arrival. You must be fully vaccinated to enter the United States, unless you qualify for an exception. Those who qualify for an exception and are allowed entry without vaccination will be required to quarantine for 7 days upon arrival and must get vaccinated within 60 days of arrival. Please review the entire CDC guidance on non-citizen travel to the United States carefully and frequently. 

Student-athletes

• Winter/spring athletes may return to campus as planned. All winter/spring student-athletes will be tested on the day of their return. Fall and winter student-athletes should follow the protocols set forth by the NCAA/SAC and will continue to follow the procedures that Athletic Training used during the fall semester.

Hendersonville

• Courses will start as scheduled and have the flexibility to deliver in-person content.
• You will receive a separate email about testing details.

Additional information

• Everyone will be tested upon their return to campus.
  • Employees returning the week of January 3 can drop-in at the Health Center between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to be tested.
  • Details about a testing location for students returning between January 18-30 will be communicated at a later date.
  • Employees and students should upload vaccination status including a record of your booster, if applicable, here.
• If you feel sick or have been exposed recently to someone with covid, please do not return to campus. 
  • Students should let their professors know if they are unable to return.
  • Employees should notify their supervisors.
  • If you’ve tested positive off-campus, email covid@wingate.edu with a photo of your test result information (name, date of birth, test date, test type, and result are required)
  • If you are on-campus and have any symptoms, email covid@wingate.edu.
  • If you are on-campus and have been exposed, please quarantine yourself and contact the Health Center as soon as possible.
• Employees who are not up-to-date on Covid vaccines (vaccinated and boosted if eligible) will be included in surveillance testing. If you receive notification for a random test and you are up-to-date or have tested positive within the past 90 days, update your status with the Health Center. As a reminder, if you have tested positive for Covid, have symptoms or have been exposed, contact the Health Center.
• All members of the campus community are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated if they haven’t already done so. Please contact Cassie Rosbash (c.rosbash@wingate.edu or 704-233-8761) if you’d like to receive a vaccine or booster.

We appreciate your flexibility as the covid landscape continues to evolve. Please monitor your email for any changes.

Face Coverings

Students, faculty, staff and visitors will need to wear a well-fitting face covering in all Wingate buildings. A surgical mask with a nose wire, KN95 or N95 are recommended. The KN95 or N95 masks are preferred. Effective Feb. 7, face coverings are optional for instructors in class. Effective March 1, face coverings will be optional in all university buildings except the Health Center.

Where face coverings are required until March 1:

• Classrooms 
• EKS Library
• Common spaces in the residence halls/apartments
• McGee Center 
• Indoor meeting spaces
• Dining facilities unless seated and eating

Where face coverings are not required:

• Dining facilities while seated and eating 
• Residence hall rooms with roommates only 
• Outdoors

Additional Safeguards in Place

• Students will be required to check-in for entrance testing BEFORE engaging in any University activity. This includes any in-person classes, meetings, work, or returning to university housing.
• Non-Student visitors are NOT permitted in university housing. An exception is made for family/friends helping to move a student back into their residence halls.
• Wingate will follow the below isolation and quarantine guidelines for spring 2022.
• Covid testing will be available to you at the Health Center if you feel sick or are concerned about exposure.
• Wear a face covering into dining facilities until you are seated. "To go" options are available.
• The McGee Center will be open with adjusted hours throughout January. The hours of operation will be posted each Friday on the Campus Recreation Instagram account prior to the start of the semester. Emails will be sent after that with the hours of operation.
• Student organizations are not permitted to meet in person throughout January. Virtual meetings are encouraged.
• Athletics will continue to follow NCAA and CDC guidance. 
• Keep in mind as we follow guidance from our local and state health officials, these safeguards are subject to change.