Reopening with the Salus Safety Strategy in Place

Salus University is planning to resume the majority of its on-campus operations in accordance with the Salus Safety Strategy, effective Aug. 24.

"All one has to do is open a newspaper or listen to any of the news outlets and you'll learn that the number of cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in our country," said University president Michael Mittelman, OD '80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE. "Thankfully, while we've seen a small increase in the number of cases in Montgomery County and a slightly larger increase in our state, in general, we are not seeing anything like what's happening in Florida, Texas or Arizona."

Dr. Mittelman said that's primarily because Pennsylvania and Montgomery County specifically have been proactive in mandating the use of face masks outdoors - when people cannot appropriately social distance - as well as for most indoor activities. What makes that work, he said, is that most people are following instructions and doing the right thing.

Salus has had protocols in place throughout the summer that mirror those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Commonwealth. These protocols, according to Dr. Mittelman, have been effective to date.

"You'll notice that we've reorganized our COVID-19 website to make it easier to navigate and also comply with Governor Wolf's mandate for every academic institution to post a safety strategy," he said. "You'll also notice that none of the specific guidelines have changed from the previous listed protocols, they are just packaged a bit differently. All guidelines for our current summer semester operations remain the same as will those for the fall."

Highlights of the strategy include:

• Didactic classroom instruction (lectures) conducted in alternative formats with individual programs and their students selecting from a variety of modalities including, face-to-face, remote (live and on-demand) and blended offerings.
• Laboratory and clinical instruction conducted face-to-face either on-campus, at our clinical facilities or at externship sites.
• Operating our clinical facilities including The Eye Institute (TEI), Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) and Speech-Language Institute (SLI) at reduced patient capacities.
• Daily screening and temperature checks upon entrance to each of our facilities. The requirement to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when inside our facilities.
• Adapting our facilities to allow for physical distancing. Providing personal protective equipment to our students and faculty engaged in laboratory and clinical instruction where physical distancing is not possible.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
• Limiting the size of on-campus events.
• The suspension of all University-sponsored travel by any means of transportation (note that this restriction does not include commuting).

Additional information, including the University's protocols and procedures, can be found on the COVID-19 webpage at salus.edu/COVID-19.