The university’s multifaceted pandemic response framework has kept students and staff safe on campus
When Oglethorpe University made the decision to open its campus to residential students during the fall semester, leaders partnered with Canton & Company to develop the university’s comprehensive health protocols.
The result? Oglethorpe experienced only eight cases of COVID-19 among its on-campus residents — all of which were discovered prior to the Thanksgiving break, with zero additional cases reported during the semester. The university credits the expertise of Canton & Company for creating and implementing a multifaceted strategy.
Oglethorpe University’s pandemic response included:
- Technology solutions for twice-a-day screening and contact tracing on campus
- Population testing
- Social distancing procedures
- Student self-assembling in small, limited social circles
- Daily symptoms monitoring and case management
- Resident assistants and coaches monitoring campus adherence
- Governance and institutional reporting
- Adherence to specific public health and academic guidelines for pandemic response
Assisted by Canton’s senior medical team, Oglethorpe’s COVID-19 Task Force used a structured playbook to deploy the elements of the response plan. For example, all on-campus students participated in screening and contact tracing activities with an average 92 percent daily compliance rate.
Best of all, the university is now able to scale up its pandemic response. Oglethorpe will welcome 400 students to campus for spring semester, thanks to the proven success of the framework that put the health of its students first and curbed the spread of the virus.
To find out more, read the complete report on Oglethorpe University’s pandemic response.