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Oct. 9, 2020

Dear Nanook Nation!

We are halfway through the fall 2020 semester, with Thanksgiving break fast approaching. Everyone’s work to keep us safe has paid off so far. Keep up the good work — mask on, hands washed, stay 6 feet apart. Thank you!

With safety in mind, it’s not too early to think about Thanksgiving break — Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 29. Finals start just eight days later.

The current state travel mandate (PDF) and UA campus entry restrictions guidance (PDF) present some challenges if you’re thinking about leaving Alaska for Thanksgiving. Students who leave the state may not have time to complete testing requirements (or 14 days of quarantine) before the residence halls close on Sunday, Dec. 13.

If you test positive, you will be allowed to serve out quarantine or isolation on campus, but you might have to pay additional housing and dining costs if you live on campus past Dec. 13. There are other factors to consider, too. For example, if you’re an out-of-state student who tests positive on Dec. 13, you would not be allowed to fly and would have to stay in isolation on campus for 10 days or until cleared.

We strongly encourage you to either stay on campus and not travel out of state for Thanksgiving, or to finish the last week of class remotely. If you decide to finish remotely, you will need to discuss this with your instructors so they can make arrangements for the last week of class and final exams by distance.

One other thing: We hear a lot of talk about “close contacts,” but what does that mean?

You are a close contact if you were within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes at any time during the two days before they:
  • started showing symptoms, or
  • tested positive and went into isolation.
You are not a “close contact” if
  • you were never in immediate, direct contact with an infected individual
  • your interactions were for less than 15 cumulative minutes
  • you stayed at least 6 feet away from the infected person.
You are not a “close contact” if you have contact with someone who is. This has been coming up in cases where someone has a family member who tests positive. In that case, the person who tests positive must isolate and others in their household must quarantine. Close contacts of a COVID-19 patient's household members do not need to quarantine.

We can do this, Nanooks! Wear your mask, stay 6 feet away, and we can keep everyone safe and moving forward!

— Keith Champagne, vice chancellor for student affairs and athletics

PS: Here’s a good guide to some basic but important COVID-19 facts.
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