In the second semester, we will continue our work to mitigate risk and protect the most vulnerable in our community.

Every student and member of the faculty and staff will have a critical role and be expected to follow our health and prevention practices for the the greater good of the community, per our #EHSTogether commitment.

Strengthen the Body's Immune System

Follow healthy habits to help your body fight illness.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Take time to de-stress.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Eat foods with nutritional value.
  • Take vitamins daily, especially Vitamins C and D.
  • Take daily zinc supplements. Ask your family’s primary care provider if you have questions about proper dosage.

Counseling

EHS counselors are key players in the design of our health and safety policies. They review plans with an eye to easing student anxiety and helping everyone establish routines and normalcy. As it did in the fall, the Counseling Center will provide support to students who need help transitioning to school life and the changes on campus. Among other services:

List of 6 items.

  • The Counseling Center’s page in the website portal includes resources,

    key forms and documents, and a list of off-campus providers

  • The counselors will provide virtual appointments.

    If an in-person meeting is necessary, the appointments will take place in spaces with appropriate physical distancing.

  • Sign-ups for appointments and walk-in services

    will be done online for student convenience.

  • Counselors will arrange telehealth appointments

    with off-campus providers.

  • The Counseling Center will provide extra supports

    for new students, checking in one-on-one and sharing wellness resources.

  • Counselors will also reach out to students learning remotely

    to address their needs.

Prevention and the "Big Four"

Key to our efforts to mitigate risk is a set of hygiene and prevention practices recommended by health experts who have studied how colleges and schools can best protect their communities. These include what we have come to call the “Big Four”:

List of 5 items.

  • Wearing masks

  • Hand hygiene

  • Physical distancing

  • Limits on the size of gatherings

  • Limits on visitors and off-campus activity

During the first few weeks of school, we will limit the size of gatherings and the interaction of students as we establish a healthy baseline for the community through our Covid-19 testing program. There is no set timetable for relaxing these measures; testing alone doesn’t mean we can ease mitigation practices. Health conditions on campus and regionally will determine how we move through the continuum from strict prevention to more relaxed measures. 

As in the fall, parents initially will be permitted to visit campus only during the structured times we establish. As health conditions stand at present, students will also not be permitted to take day or overnight leaves. If conditions change during the semester, we will reassess and consider whether we can permit leaves and campus visits.

Questions

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

  • How will EHS determine when to relax prevention measures?

    There is no set timetable for relaxing risk-mitigation measures. Medical Director Dr. Adrianna Bravo and her Health Center team consult regularly with local health authorities regarding health conditions regionally and on campus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials will provide guidance, and we also will consider our own data regarding illness on campus.

  • Can students bring their own masks?

    Yes. Students will be expected to wear a laundered mask every day and are encouraged to bring masks from home so that they have at least a week’s supply. Condensation from winter weather will make masks damp and reduce their effectiveness, so students should change and wash them frequently.

    Please note the following restrictions on masks:
    • Students cannot use gaiter-style masks, bandanas, or masks with exhalation vents or valves.
    • Masks must be cloth and have ties or ear loops.
    • Art on the masks must meet the guidelines of the Student Handbook for our dress code and room decorations. It must be in good taste and cannot feature the advertisement of drugs or alcohol; sexually suggestive or degrading language or material; language, symbols, or images that may be considered prejudiced or offensive; or language, symbols, or images related to a political figure or party that are contradictory to the School’s values of building community.

  • When should students wear face masks?

    Students should wear face masks at all times indoors except when eating, showering, bathing, brushing your teeth, or sleeping. Masks are not required if you are outdoors alone.

  • Will students wear masks in their dorm rooms?

    We encourage students to wear masks as an important means to limit virus transmission. Students are not expected to wear masks when sleeping; curtains will separate beds as an additional measure of prevention.

  • Will students wear masks during athletics?

    Students should be prepared to wear masks during indoor and outdoor athletic activities. We may revise this expectation if health conditions allow as the semester progresses.

  • Should students follow Covid-19 prevention measures during an emergency?

    Whatever Covid-19 prevention measures are in place, students should follow the procedures established by the School for responding to emergencies such as a fire, storm, or active shooter on campus. For instance, while our wayfinding system was developed to help students maintain six feet of physical distance, they should use the quickest route to exit a building during an emergency evacuation.
1200 North Quaker Lane
Alexandria, Virginia 22302
703-933-3000