As the University continues to respond to the evolving circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to providing up-to-date information to our community. Below you will find this week’s new and updated answers to frequently asked questions regarding university news, policies and resources.
Please refer to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center for the full list of frequently asked questions and more information about health and safety and University operations.
Spring 2021
How can students sign up for the WeWork All Access Benefit?
To take advantage of this opportunity, students who are enrolled in classes for the Spring 2021 semester should confirm there is a WeWork location in their area and then visit we.co/georgetown to sign up using their Georgetown NetID email address. FirstName.LastName@georgetown.edu or personal email addresses will not register as eligible for the benefit. In order to enjoy the WeWork All Access membership, students must sign up on or before January 28, 2021. Note: Students must sign up at least two business days prior to the end of the month for membership to begin on the first day of the following month. For example, students who sign up on or after January 29, 2021 will receive access to WeWork locations starting on March 1, 2021.
Health and Safety
I’ve been vaccinated. Does that mean I can come back to campus?
At this time, there is no change to how we are managing campus access for students, faculty or staff. According to the CDC, it is not clear whether the vaccines will keep you from transmitting infection to others. For this reason and others, if you have been vaccinated, it is important for you to continue to abide by all of Georgetown’s public health guidance, including wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and continuing to be tested if you are currently part of Georgetown’s testing protocols.
Why am I being asked for a registration code or to pay a registration fee during One Medical registration?
The University is working with One Medical, a leading primary care provider network, to provide COVID-19 testing at no charge to eligible community members.
Each Georgetown community member who is eligible for COVID-19 testing through One Medical is pre-approved for their One Medical membership. At the time of registration, One Medical matches your NetID email address to a list of pre-approved community members provided by Georgetown.
If you are prompted to apply a code or pay a registration fee, this is a sign that One Medical has not been able to match you to the list of pre-approved community members for one of the following reasons:
- You are not using your NetID email address. FirstName.LastName@georgetown.edu and personal email addresses are NOT provided to One Medical.
- You are not using the sponsored membership link. You must use a sponsored membership link so One Medical knows to look for your NetID email address and route you to the Georgetown registration process.
- Your email address will be added to One Medical’s pre-approved list in the next one to two days. Georgetown provides a new list of approved names to One Medical every evening. When you receive approval from Georgetown either from your manager or as an eligible student who indicates they will come to campus in the Spring 2021 Affirmation, your name will be added to the list provided to One Medical that day. If your approval takes place after that day’s data transfer, it will be added to the next day’s list and appear the following day.
- You are not eligible to register for One Medical membership. Only approved faculty and staff, on-campus residents, students living in the Neighborhoods of Georgetown, Burlieth and Foxhall and some undergraduate, graduate and professional students are eligible for free One Medical memberships. If you are still unable to register for One Medical for free after trying these trouble-shooting steps above, then check again with your manager or program director/advising dean to confirm your on-campus and/or One Medical membership eligibility, even if you have received an email from the University concerning your One Medical eligibility.
If you confirm you are eligible for a free One Medical membership but you continue to run into registration issues, please contact One Medical at 1-888-ONEMED1 (1-888-663-6331) or hello@onemedical.com.
What is the university doing to improve air systems across campus?
Planning & Facilities Management is working to minimize the spread of viruses through the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, among other measures. Our ongoing HVAC assessment and enhancement program will ensure that all classrooms and study spaces meet CDC COVID-19 guidance and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards for mitigation of virus transmission.
Working with a team of professional engineers and contractors, University personnel are evaluating, upgrading and monitoring the performance of the ventilation systems that provide temperature control and ventilation air that flushes contaminants from the classrooms, study rooms and common spaces within the University buildings. The work of this team ensured the University is:
- Identifying existing equipment condition and working to upgrade equipment operation and air filtration to meet the most current standards for space conditioning and contaminant control with each building;
- Improving air filtration in all occupied buildings;
- Working with the operation teams to improve and sustain the HVAC systems in every building across our Main, Med, and Law campuses;
- Developing a monitoring and maintenance strategy to confirm continuing operation of building systems in compliance with current good engineering practices; and,
- Establishing, based on current operating conditions in each building and each approved space, a maximum safe occupancy for that space that complies with the University program for re-occupying buildings.
Upgrades to the building ventilation systems include MERV-13 air filtration for occupied spaces, installation of ultraviolet decontamination systems and building air flushing strategies to reduce airborne transmission.
How were spaces approved for occupancy?
In consultation with professional engineers, Georgetown reviewed each individual classroom and study room to identify those that meet the guidelines for occupancy. The criteria include sufficient filtration, total ventilation and maximum occupancy guidance to comply with both CDC guidelines for social distancing and per person ventilation rates that mitigate the possibility of airborne transmission. Note that in every case, the recommendations are predicated on occupants maintaining social distancing and wearing masks at all times in the building. The University also considered density, energy use and availability of public health screeners.
Should I be concerned about a higher risk of infection if I cannot open the windows or do not have windows in my classroom?
No, you should not. Using the HVAC systems to provide proper ventilation and filtration is a much more reliable method for minimizing the spread of airborne diseases, while ensuring a comfortable environment for occupants.
Reliance on open windows to provide adequate ventilation within a space is not practical given the Washington, DC climate. Opening windows during non-ideal weather conditions can lead to a loss of temperature and/or humidity control within the space, which can have a negative effect on overall indoor air quality and occupant comfort. Using the HVAC systems to provide proper ventilation and filtration is a much more reliable method for minimizing the spread of airborne diseases, while ensuring a comfortable environment for occupants.
Can COVID-19 be transmitted through the HVAC systems?
Per CDC COVID-19 guidance, the risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 through HVAC systems is thought to be relatively low, however, the exact risk is not well-known at this time. The CDC recommends the use of a layered strategy to reduce exposure, which includes increased filtration, adequate ventilation, social distancing, the use of face coverings and proper hand hygiene.