Coronavirus — COVID-19
BRTC has created a number of back-up plans in case anything changes during the academic semester. College administration will continually be monitoring the status of the pandemic and cases in the local communities and even at the college, if applicable. Student, employee, and the community’s safety is BRTC’s greatest priority.
Check back frequently for updates. Last Updated: September 2, 2020
Return to Campus: BRTC’s COVID-19 Student Plan
BRTC’s Return to Campus: Student Plan identifies how BRTC is keeping students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and what students must do if they suspect they have COVID-19.
BRTC wants you to feel comfortable coming or sending your child here. Therefore, we will continue to update this page with how we are responding to the pandemic.
Social distance markers will be placed at 6 feet and chairs have been removed to remind students of distancing for each of the following:
- All common student lounge areas including campus tables, chairs, couches, and benches
- Outdoor lounge areas
- All computer stations in computer labs
- Locations where students interact with staff including
- Student Affairs offices
- Bookstores
- Pocahontas finance window
- Cafeteria seating
Masks
- Provided in common areas for students to utilize if needed
- Required of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors when 6-feet social distancing cannot be achieved
Multiple temperature check stations will be located on both campuses for temperature self-check
Other Protective Measures
- Plastic sneeze guards will be utilized in offices where student interaction often occurs.
- Signs around campus remind students of health and safety guidelines
- Hand sanitizer will be placed around campus
- Videos and information will be emailed to BRTC students explaining the semester health and safety rules
- Director of Student Development will remind students of health and safety guidelines in common areas during first the 2 weeks of class
COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Plan
- For on-campus classes, instructors will pass out to their students
- For online classes, a digital copy will be posted for students to access
- Available to all students on myBRTC
- Available to the public on the Campus Health page of the BRTC website
- Posted outside each classroom and in common areas
Self-Report
Students must self-report using the COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form if they experience any of the following:
- A positive COVID-19 test result.
- Close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last week. Close contact constitutes within 6 feet or less for more than 15 minutes.
- Close contact with someone who is suspected of having COVID-19 in the last week. Close contact constitutes within 6 feet or less for more than 15 minutes.
- Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 which include the following:
- Temperature greater than 100.4 degrees.
- Fever or Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Contact
Coming in contact with someone who has COVID-19 will result in your being contacted by a contact tracer and having to quarantine.
- Does not mean you have a possibility of getting COVID-19.
- You have simply been within 6-feet of someone who is COVID-19 positive, even if you did wear a mask.
- You will be contacted by a contact tracer
- You must quarantine
Quarantine
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, quarantine is separating and restricting the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.
If a student is quarantined, they must remain at home away from others in order to avoid spreading COVID-19.
Isolation
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, isolation is simply separating sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
Students, check out the following decision tree picture to decide if you need to self-report. If you have questions, contact Neal Harwell, Director of Students, at (870) 248-4158 or at neal.harwell@blackrivertech.edu.
COVID-19 Student Decision Tree Chart — Printable
If a student is diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19, the student must adhere to the following procedure:
- Fill out COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form.
- Required to socially distance from the BRTC community until a health and safety evaluation has been completed.
- Visit with BRTC representative when contacted
- Depending on the nature of the contact, be tested or self-quarantined until an appropriate time has passed.
BRTC will notify the student’s instructors if the student is diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19.
COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form Locations
The COVID-19 Student Health and Safety Form will be available as follows:
- From QR codes posted at campus health stations
- On the BRTC Campus Health page
- On myBRTC
Students are expected to adhere to all of the following during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Wear facial masks whenever the appropriate 6-foot social distancing requirement cannot be kept.
- If diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms, or has been in close contact in the last week with a person diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19, the student must follow the Process for Self-Report listed above.
- If suspected of having COVID-19 because of displaying common symptoms
- Visit with a BRTC representative when contacted.
- If the student is determined to be a potential health and safety risk to the BRTC community, he or she may be required to be tested or self-quarantined until an appropriate time has passed
- If caught willfully violating the COVID-19 BRTC health and safety rules, the student must
- Visit with a BRTC representative when contacted
- May be subject to a student conduct hearing for violating the student code of conduct in the student handbook and the appropriate measures will be will be taken by BRTC to protect the health and safety of the BRTC campus community
notice]Students who are quarantined or miss class for COVID-19 related reasons will still be responsible for communicating with their instructors regarding their missed assignments.[/notice]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you have questions beyond the following FAQs, contact info@blackrivertech.edu.
All classes will be held as scheduled on the Fall 2020 Class Schedule. If your class is slated to be held on-campus, the class will be held as identified.
- Each class will be handled on an individual basis if an outbreak occurs.
- Each student will self-quarantine as necessary if they become exposed to COVDI-19.
- Classroom safety measures are designed so students have minimal interaction with each other. In the case of 1 student quarantining, other students will not usually be effected.
Please know that if a danger to student or employee health becomes a concern, BRTC may make changes to the delivery of classes. If that occurs, BRTC will notify each student and identify the backup plan for the class.
The published 2020-21 Academic Calendar will not be modified unless extenuating circumstances occur.
BRTC has a variety of ways we can address modifications to 0n-campus classes:
- Break larger classes into cohorts which meet just once per week
- Move classes online temporarily
- Move classes online permanently for the semester
BRTC Employee and Institutional Plan
In the case of COVID-19 cases on campus, BRTC will perform the following:
- Ask that individual to quarantine at home,
- Notify all individuals who have been near the COVID-positive individual within a 6-foot range for 15 minutes or more of potential infection and request a COVID-19 test, and
- Perform deep cleaning and disinfection of the exposed area of campus.
In addition, BRTC has identified several areas of campus which have not been or do not need to be occupied for an extended period of time. Those areas are sealed to remain virus-free. They also provide a safe opportunity for use in the case another area is needed.
Employees, check the following decision tree picture to decide if you need to self-report.
Because an interactive list of areas designated as hot spots is not available, BRTC will be updating the following list as directed by the Arkansas Department of Health, Governor Asa Hutchinson, and the CDC.
Details
- The U.S. Department of State has issued the Global Level 4 Health Advisory – Do Not Travel for international travel effective March 31.
- Travel restrictions from the CDC: Worldwide
- U.S. travel restrictions from the AR Department of Health
July 10, 2020
The CDC has updated some of their information.
- CDC international travel information and restrictions: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html
- Cases in each state by county: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/county-map.html
June 15, 2020
Per the Arkansas Department of Health’s June 15, 2020, Directive on Business Limitations Phase II:
Effective June 15, 2020, there is now no quarantine requirement for travelers entering Arkansas based on the location they traveled from. This includes both domestic and international travel.
Last Updated: June 22, 2020
Source: AR Department of Health Directive for Travelers from “Hot Spot” and International Locations, Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 page
Learn more about COVID-19 by visiting the following.
Comcast Cable
Comcast is expanding its broadband service for low-income families to provide free access for 60 days. To qualify for Comcast’s Internet Essentials service, customers must be eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, or SSI. Applicants can visit internetessentials.com to enroll in the program; they may also call (855) 846-8376 for English or 855-765-6995 for Spanish.
Internet Accessibility
Comcast and ATT are also making their public and business hotspots free. This does not include home hotspots. Charter is offering free broadband for households with students through college age who don’t already have a subscription. Mobile, Comcast, ATT, and Sprint all announced that they would provide unlimited data to all current subscribers.
Influenza — Flu A and B
As part of BRTC’s regular administration, campus officials keep a close eye on influenza during flu season. For more information about flu, visit the following resources:
Paragould Campus
The following emergency contacts are the nearest in geography to the college.
400 US 49
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 236-1014
Paragould Family Care
5 Market Place
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 236-4001
(870) 892-4467
900 W Kingshighway
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 239-7000
101 N 3 1/2 St
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 236-7621
1809 N Rockingchair Rd.
Paragould, AR 72450
870) 236-7612
1405 W Kingshighway
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 239-7525
801 Goldsmith Rd.
Paragould, AR 72450
(870) 236-7782
Pocahontas Campus
The following emergency contacts are the nearest in geography to the college.
141 Betty Dr.
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-9949
Pocahontas Medical Center
1601 Market Drive
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-4467
2801 Medical Center Dr.
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-6000
410 N Marr St.
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-9867
1510 Pace Rd.
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-8888
2010 Airways Ln
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-8553
1304 Pace Rd.
Pocahontas, AR 72455
(870) 892-5239