Updates on Coronavirus

Fisher College has mandated the COVID-19 Vaccine and booster for all community members if eligible. Everyone should upload their vaccination card into Color or email a copy to healthservices@fisher.edu. If you need to file a medical or religious exemption you can do so by completing the appropriate exemption form. 

The College will also be mandating COVID-19 boosters. You are eligible for a booster once six months have passed since your second vaccine dose. See more information below.

You will not need to do baseline testing if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days (about 3 months) in this case please contact healthservices@fisher.edu.

While Fisher College does not host booster clinics, there are many places around the city you can schedule your booster shot if you are eligible.

You can schedule your booster at major pharmacies such as  CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid. You can also find other vaccine sites around Massachusetts here. 

If you are looking for a same day appointment you can:

• https://www.vaccines.gov/ 
• Or text your ZIP code to 438829 
• Or call 1-800-232-0233 

Testing: All community members regardless of vaccination status will be baseline tested upon arrival. A rapid test will be administered; if it is a positive test, a PCR test will be sent out as well. Community members will start isolation per protocol if positive.

FALL 2022 COVID-19 Community Guidelines

The college will accept vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization, (WHO), and the European Medicines Agency.

The campus community is asked to continue to follow these important protocols to help minimize the spread of COVID-19:  

• Testing will be offered in the Health Service Office at 116 Beacon Street (across from the dining hall).

• If someone is symptomatic, if they are a close contact, or if they are athletes and they needed to be tested per National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) protocols 

• Face coverings are optional. However, some college offices and departments might still require visitors to wear a mask. 

• Frequent hand washing
•  Complete your daily symptom screening 
• No outside visitors allowed in the residence halls until further notice.

We will welcome students in the residence halls for Spring 2022 at a reduced capacity. Room assignments will be limited to single and double occupancy in order to allow for adequate social distancing in the residence halls. Adequate residence hall rooms will also be set aside to create necessary isolation and quarantine spaces. 

For any additional questions, email Kathy Deaner, Interim Dean of Students. 

Quarterly Budget and Expenditures Report June 2020Quarterly Budget and Expenditures Report September 2020

Quarterly Budget and Expenditures Report December 2020

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES REPORT MARCH 2021

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES REPORT JUNE 2021

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES REPORT SEPTEMBER 2021

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES REPORT DECEMBER 2021

QUARTERLY BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES REPORT MARCH 2022

HEERF III: ARPA Update: August 9, 2021

HEERF III: ARPA Update: SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

HEERF III: ARPA UPDATE: December 6, 2021

HEERF III: ARPA UPDATE: FEBRUARY 8, 2022 

HEERF III: ARPA UPDATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2022 

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans.  In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19, which was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

Protection measures for everyone

Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. COVID-19 is still affecting mostly people in China with some outbreaks in other countries. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following: 

• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Rubbing alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands. Although soap and water are ideal and preferable to alcohol-based hand sanitizers, use sanitizer if you are unable to wash your hands. 

  Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

• Maintain at least 2 metres (6 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

  Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

• If you are in public (taking a walk, going to the grocery store,) wear cloth masks covering your mouth and nose

  Why? This will help infected people who do not show symptoms protect people who are not sick. (Note: this is not a substitute for social distancing.)

• Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

  Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

  Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

• Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 2 meters (6 feet) away from a person who is sick.

WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways COVID-19 is spread and will continue to share updated findings.    

The Center for Disease Control is taking this epidemic very seriously and working very hard to mitigate it by taking actions such as laboratory testing.

Learn more about the CDC's response here.  

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. About 2% of people with the disease have died. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.