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To promote safe and healthy learning environments in Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), IHE administrators can work together with health departments to reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) IHE administrators play an important role by taking steps to slow the spread of disease to prevent outbreaks, and protect students, staff, and faculty Regardless of the level of community transmission, IHEs should be prepared for COVID-19 outbreaks in their communities that may introduce infection to the IHE, identification of cases among students, staff, and faculty, and potential exposure(s) to COVID-19 that may occur at IHE facilities or events Interim Guidance for Administrators of U S Institutions of Higher Education provides guidance to assist IHE administrators in planning a comprehensive response Many IHEs are adopting approaches to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, transmission on campus These approaches include increased social distancing in classrooms and dining halls, requirements for face masks, reducing density of on-campus housing, and various testing strategies However, off-campus community settings including apartments, bars and restaurants, and community spaces related to campus (e g , communities of faith, Greek organizations, athletic events, other mass gatherings) can also pose a risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission These off-campus settings should also be considered in case investigation and contract tracing efforts Case investigation and contact tracing are essential interventions pdf icon[9 9 MB, 20 Pages]external icon in a successful, multipronged response to COVID-19, and should be implemented along with other mitigation strategies As students move into communities near IHEs, and IHEs resume in-person learning, case investigation and contact tracing with students, faculty and staff associated with the campus should be anticipated as a crucial strategy to reduce further transmission once a case is identified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages collaboration between IHEs and state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health departments when investigating cases and exposures to infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 Prompt and coordinated actions, including case investigation and contact tracing, inform decision-making about strengthening, focusing, and relaxing mitigation strategies This document aims to highlight potential collaboration between health officials and IHE administrators to facilitate effective case investigation and contact tracing Who this guidance is for: Administrators of public and private IHE IHEs are comprised of a diverse set of colleges, universities, and technical schools, including 2- or 4-year, public, private non-profit, private for-profit, comprehensive, research-focused, or special-mission institutions IHE administrators (e g , presidents, deans, provosts) include individuals who make policies and procedures, set educational aims and standards, and direct programming of IHEs This document may also be informative for public health professionals coordinating IHE case investigations and contact tracing
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