Dear NuVu Community,

Thank you for your support in communication this week and last as we navigate the current Omicron landscape. We’re writing to remind you of our recent COVID-19 policy updates. Please read carefully below to review these recent changes.

Updated Mask Requirement

All students and staff will now be asked to wear masks that are equivalent to N95 masks. This includes KN95 and KF94 masks. We have provided masks for students this week of Jan. 10. NuVu unfortunately cannot provide these masks for the duration of the year, we have a small supply for emergencies.

COVID Testing

NuVu students participating in onsite programming are required to be tested for COVID-19 at least once every fourteen (14) days. All students and staff are required to be tested upon returning from breaks regardless of where it falls in the bi-monthly schedule. Testing options are available onsite at NuVu through CIC pooled tests, and we accept tests from any local CDC accepted testing resource.

NuVu will now test students every Monday morning, before studios start. Students will be tested once every other Monday.

If you have not yet opted in to NuVu’s pooled testing program but would like to, please complete and submit the attached Consent Form at your earliest convenience. Families who prefer to utilize free resources closer to their home, through their primary care physician, or any other CDC accepted COVID testing resource must self-report negative results to molly@nuvustudio.org every other Friday. 

Lunch

In making decisions about safety during snacks and meals, we are prioritizing two factors that are most protective against the spread of COVID when masks have been removed: ventilation and physical distancing.

Ventilation: 

The safest place to be without a mask is outdoors. When it is feasible, students will take their lunch outdoors, unless weather or other conditions make it unsafe to do so. Physical distancing is not required when meals take place outdoors.

If weather conditions prevent taking lunch outside, windows and doors will be opened, and HEPA filters will be switched to high. Each studio space has one HEPA filter, with the exception of the largest studio space, which has two. It is recommended that for every 750 square feet, one HEPA filter should be used. 

Physical Distancing:

Although not required outdoors, when meals and snacks take place indoors, students must be seated at least 3 feet apart, facing in the same direction while their masks are off.

• Windows will be open from approximately 12:15 - 12:45 PM; students are encouraged to use this time for active eating/drinking
• Masks should remain on when not actively eating or drinking
• Coaches eat at different time than students
• Acquired two additional HEPA filters

Updates to COVID-19 Safety Policies

Threshold for Onsite Studio

In order to facilitate an adequate studio experience, at least 70% of students need to be present onsite. Due to the size of our student body, the highly collaborative work, and tactile nature of NuVu’s curriculum, we know from experience that student engagement is higher as a collective. In order to maintain continuity in the community culture of each studio, we will strive to keep studio groups together wherever possible, even if this means going remote for a few days. We are ready to create custom maker-kits for each studio should the need arise, but we will consistently prioritize in-person learning through routine testing of students and staff. 

We aim to have consistently relevant information about covid transmission in our community with these routine checks. In the event a pooled test returns presumptive-positive results, and less than 70% of students are able to remain onsite, the entire student body will transition to remote learning for a minimum of four (4) days while follow-up tests and contact tracing takes place.  

Positive Test Protocol and Quarantine Guidelines

If a pooled COVID-19 test returns a presumptive positive result, all students in this pool will be asked to attend studio remotely until a follow-up test is completed. Should this make less than 70% of students eligible for onsite participation, all students will transition to remote learning until follow-up tests can be completed. Families are responsible for individual follow-up testing. 

Asymptomatic COVID-19

Individuals who have tested positive but remain asymptomatic will need to complete a five (5) day quarantine, and submit two negative rapid antigen tests within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space. Upon returning, the individual will need to double mask for an additional five (5) days, and monitor any onset of symptoms. Two negative rapid tests, and an N95 mask, or two surgical or cloth masks will be required to return onsite. Individuals who are presumed to have tested positive, do not need to quarantine, but must submit two negative rapid antigen tests within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space.

Symptomatic COVID-19

Individuals who have tested positive, and are also experiencing symptoms, will need to complete a ten (10) day quarantine. Provided that the ninth and tenth days (48-hours) of quarantine are symptom and fever free, the individual should seek medical guidance, or take a PCR test within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space. Once negative results have been submitted to NuVu, the individual may return to studio on the eleventh day. A negative PCR test and an N95 mask, or two surgical or cloth masks will be required to return onsite.

When A Close Contact Tests Positive

Definition of Close Contact: Anyone who was less than six (6) feet away from a COVID-positive individual while indoors for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more per 24-hour period is considered a close contact, even if masks were worn. 

Regardless of their vaccination status or whether they are required to quarantine, close contacts must monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine but should seek testing 3-5 days after the date of last exposure. They must also wear an N95 mask in public indoor settings, in addition to the required masks when inside the NuVu building.   

If an individual in a student or staff member’s household is symptomatic and is in the process of being tested for COVID, the student or staff member should stay home until a rapid test can be acquired, or until the household member’s status is known. If a household member is positive for COVID, then quarantine procedures must be followed by all individuals coming onsite to NuVu. The student or staff member should then get tested between days 3-5 after the date of last exposure. 

Suspicious Symptoms? Please Stay Home

While the risk of contracting COVID is dramatically lower for those who are fully-vaccinated, a small chance of becoming sick or making others sick remains. Therefore, COVID symptoms must be taken very seriously by everyone, regardless of vaccination status. Any student or staff member experiencing the following symptoms should stay at home:

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Fatigue in combination with other symptoms
• Fever of 100.0 F or higher, chills, or shaking chills
• Headache in combination with other symptoms
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat

As always, we are endlessly thankful to you all for your continued consideration of community health. We look forward to a time when these measures are loosened and we have more normalcy in our school days. 

All the best, 

The NuVu Team