St. Lukes leadership will also reassess the deferral requests and may update or alter guidance later based on new information. Our journalism needs your support. You should take an at-home COVID antigen test or contact your primary care physician first and follow their advice. LVHN also now accepts walk-ins at our COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic-Northampton Crossings located at 3768 Easton Nazareth Highway in Lower Nazareth Township in Northampton County. Even as school board . You also can schedule an appointment by calling our COVID-19 Hotline at 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD). The CDC has already identified fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and joint pain among the most common reported long-term side effects. Signs are downloadable for individual printing on the Resources page of this website. Only six Good Shepherd employees chose to resign. Employees with exemptions continue to receive weekly COVID-19 testing, Downs said. 8. 389 0 obj <> endobj Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) has four different operations levels based on the risk of COVID-19 transmission in our community. Email us More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, available to health professionals for about a year, a milestone of 200 million people fully vaccinated, cases and hospitalizations are spiking again, largely driven by the unvaccinated population. In addition, Lehigh's Employee Assistance Program (Integrated Behavioral Health) can be helpful for you and your dependents even if you don't participate in the Lehigh medical plan. (Cant see the Pa. vaccination rates map? Health Research; Employee Wellness Programs; More information on Community. Vision exams Onsite services are performed at the same cost of the service in-clinic plus an hourly fee and travel for the medical personnel performing the specific service (s). HUMo0Wh`na0o5V m(T8v,")hi4, [Yp^na\AFJP,Z.(.LUaXX~W1wn-@=+6VA# If you arrive on campus and begin to feel symptoms consistent with COVID-19, immediately notify your supervisor or department chair and go home. endstream endobj 393 0 obj <>stream Our success in returning to our vibrant on-campus experience will take the efforts of all of us, individually and collectively. Read more below for work-related resources. However, Bidens orders have faced significant opposition by Republicans in both the judicial and legislative branches of government. The dividers at these locations will remain in place at present. Lehighs faculty and staff are central to the universitys function of supporting students and elevating its research and educational mission. No. Get detailed information about COVID-19, and vaccine safety and effectiveness at LVHN.org/vaccineFAQ, SLUHN.org and goodshepherdrehab.org. People who believe they may have. Employee Health Services Hours and Locations . For insurance purposes, it may be important to obtain a test in your county of residence or via your primary healthcare provider. The Employee Health Nurse Care Manager will need to clear you for return to work and will facilitate appropriate contact tracing. The Supreme Court ruling limits the power of the federal government to mandate that large employers take certain measures, such as requiring vaccinations, but does not preclude or limit employers from instituting such measures. LVHN can help those who do not have a primary care provider. Yes. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. /@[ O To schedule an appointment for the Dorney Park drive-through clinic or any other LVHN COVID-19 vaccination event, people in Phase 1A can sign in to MyLVHN. Visit the Vaccination Resources page on the Coronavirus Information Center for more information about Lehigh's policies. You can obtain a test at many local health centers and pharmacies as well. 23504 or Christine.Wolfe@lvhn.org and notify her of your condition. St. Lukes and LVHN announced Aug. 9 that they were implementing a vaccine mandate for all employees, as well as everyone who conducts business in those health care organizations. When in doubt about when you are able to end isolation, always follow the guidance provided by the HWC (for students) or Lehighs LVHN occupational health nurse (for faculty and staff). HUn8}WTI,m\B`AeDr}i;C M (qx33t|u/nn\,c3e0]uW}^O'WA\U Concentra has acquired LVHNs occupational health business inBethlehemandAllentown. Free lunches. If you are covered under one of the Universitys medical plans and if you, or any of your covered dependents, have received a COVID-19 diagnostic test for which you received a bill for the visit and/or test, and would like to have our office request that Capital Blue Cross review the claim, please complete the following Google Form: 2021 COVID-19 Testing Claim Review Request. Note to supervisors and department chairs: Staff and faculty are not required to divulge that the reason for their absence is due to a COVID-19 isolation or quarantine. Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network officials, who announced their mandate along with St. Lukes and LVHN, declined to comment on whether they were considering such a policy. Studies show immunity from a vaccine may be more reliable and provide more long-term protection. As an employer, Lehigh has the ability to implement this requirement for the health and safety of its community, and vaccination and boosters remain critical in supporting these efforts. To access these services under Lehighs medical plan call the phone number listed on the back of your Capital Blue Cross Card. You can obtain a test at many local health centers and pharmacies as well. The situation is not as dire as last years surge, before the public had any access to COVID-19 vaccines, but the roughly 60% of the U.S. population that is fully vaccinated is not enough to prevent hot spots. The researchers also said they may have underestimated asymptomatic infections and the results may be confounded by certain factors like health behaviors and chronic illness among vaccinated subjects. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. MyLVHN - Schedule an Appointment Online scheduling is currently disabled Please call us at 888-402-LVHN (5846) to schedule an appointment. In particular, prior infection is likely to provide poor protection against the Omicron variant. Please allow a few weeks before this process is complete. Staff may use any type of paid leave to accommodate the need to stay home or leave campus early. .block-reference .header { padding-top: 40px; }. All rights reserved (About Us). We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism as we continue to cover the coronavirus crisis. Contact your primary care physician and follow their advice, including scheduling a COVID-19 test, if recommended. While no vaccine provides a guarantee against infection, COVID vaccination and the booster are effective at preventing serious illness and death and continue to be the best protection against the spread of new and more contagious variants of the virus. Instructors who choose to shift to remote-only instruction should: 1. send an email to their chair indicating their plan for instruction for the coming week and 2. inform students of this planned shift. < Testing and visits for the diagnosis of COVID-19 are covered under the Universitys medical plans with no cost share to the patient through January 16, 2022. hUmOP+fq& -VMU2 Example: staying home and out of the public. Any vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or under the WHO - Emergency Use Listing will satisfy this requirement. Health Services Administrator (Current Employee) - LVPG - September 28, 2022 Culture is awful, no orientation for new managers, way too many software programs that don't communicate, shifting priorities, terrible communication. Vaccine providers may not require you to show your vaccination card to get a booster or may be able to provide you with separate documentation that you received a booster. In mid-November, following a slew of lawsuits a judge in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the Bidens mandate for employees at large companies. Supervisors and department chairs, staff and faculty are not required to divulge that the reason for their absence is due to a COVID-19 isolation or quarantine. Isolation typically lasts 5 days after a positive test result, with required mask-wearing for 5 additional days. Both. The CDC recommends that all eligible people get a booster shot, even if theyve had COVID. Full information about Lehigh's partnership with LVHN for COVID-19 related employee health services. Where can students, faculty and staff get a COVID test in the local community? Does Lehigh have COVID-19 related health services for staff and faculty? Do I need to show a negative COVID test to end isolation? Those who test positive and have not been on campus or in close proximity are still encouraged to contact her. It has been brought to the attention of Human Resources that some healthcare providers may be submitting incorrect billing codes to Capital Blue Cross when a patient receives a COVID-19 diagnostic test, resulting in the patient being responsible for a copay or coinsurance for the visit. Directions to our locations; Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. What happens if I dont comply with the faculty/staff COVID vaccination requirement? COVID-19 Help Center As your health partner, LVHN provides all the COVID-19 information you need in one place. If you are out of work because you have been quarantined due to possible exposure to COVID19 or have tested positive for COVID19 yourself, follow the instructions regarding illness or exposure on the HR website. If a student tests positive for COVID-19, including those living off-campus, the student must self-isolate for a minimum of 5 days. Faculty or staff should not request information about students vaccination status. Once the isolation period has been completed and an individual is cleared to return to work or school, evidence of a negative test is not required. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. What is the difference between isolation and quarantine? Noncompliance with the vaccination requirement will result in employees not having access to campus facilities and will be addressed at the college and stem level as a violation of workplace and university policy. What do I do if I have COVID-19-related concerns about returning to campus? Boosters are a necessary component of our health and safety protocols to support a successful semester on campus, including in-person instruction and activities. Widespread vaccination in the fall allowed us to operate as an in-person campus. The first shipments of the Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccine that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use arrived in the Lehigh Valley around noon Thursday. See the Pennsylvania Department of Health site or Lehighs HWC site for lists of local testing resources. Lehigh students, faculty and staff should follow the guidance provided by the Health and Wellness Center (for students) and Lehighs occupational health nursefrom LVHN(for faculty and staff). In addition, LVHN produced the following video that introduces you to the care team behind the partnership and shares additional information about when and how to obtain services from Lehigh's employee health nurse case manager. However, the study has multiple limitations. If you experience or witness a situation in which members of our community, regardless of whether they are students, faculty, staff, or visitors are not adhering to these standards, you have the following options: If you can safely address the concern directly with the individual or group, you may do so by reminding them of University standards and our shared responsibility in promoting a healthy, safe and inclusive learning and working environment. for lists of local testing resources. hb```)ry ae`aq%TnPm[=``j`j`@S4Bb "EL0+0ez7F|OggfFu$f -"H mYg* ]A/ Out of a workforce approximately 20,000 strong, 97% are fully vaccinated. And Good Shepherd, which gave employees until Oct. 15, reported a 99% compliance rate among its workforce of about 1,200 people, including 71 who received exemptions or deferments. Our health care systems continue to combat the ongoing COVID-19 virus and are committed to the safety of every patient in our care and every colleague on our team, said a joint statement attributed to Lehigh Valley Health Network CEO Brian A. Nester, St. Lukes University Health Network CEO Rick Anderson Good Shepherd Rehabilitation CEO Michael Spigel. Your provider will advise you about COVID-19 testing and quarantining during your virtual visit. St. Luke's and LVHN employees who caught COVID-19 to defer getting the vaccine, other employers may follow Tyger Williams / Philadelphia Inquirer Some employers are considering allowing. The clinic is open 8 . If you don't feel well: Stay home and notify your supervisor or department chair. Talk to your healthcare professional if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. All HVAC systems have received, and will continue to receive, regularly scheduled preventive maintenance. How is Lehigh cleaning classroom spaces, offices, and common areas of buildings? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. endstream endobj 394 0 obj <>stream There are no laws governing this kind of exemption like there are for medical or religious exemptions, he said. "It's not FDA-approved, it's. See the Pennsylvania Department of Health siteor Lehigh's HWC site for lists of local testing resources. St. If you choose to submit your information via the Google Form, your information will be kept strictly confidential and will be submitted to Capital Blue Cross through their secure portal. I'm an international student and I am not eligible to get the booster in my home country. If an instructor becomes symptomatic or receives a positive COVID test result, the instructor should shift the class to remote instruction until the instructor receives a confirmed negative test result or, in the case of a positive test, is cleared to return to work. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. ML _f0Ie6EIopY}fCul*( Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, Job Placement Success & Postgraduate Education, Medical Information Request & Verification Form, COVID-19 Health Services from LVHN for Staff and Faculty, 2021 COVID-19 Testing Claim Review Request, Read more about COVID-19 symptoms, treatmentand on-campus testing for students on this page. If you've had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, Lehigh Valley Health Network can help. While we have had good responses so far, we will send the information to Capital Blue Cross with a request to review the claim for accuracy, but we cannot guarantee that the claim will be reprocessed and paid. Vaccines have been available to health professionals for about a year. A study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August found that subjects who had natural immunity but were unvaccinated were more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 as those who had natural immunity and those who got their shots. In August, Lehigh Valley Health Network, St. Lukes University Health Network and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network made the shots a requirement, setting individual deadlines for employees to get vaccinated, get an exemption or quit. However, the university didnt enter a settlement with Zywicki and the medical exemption wasnt granted on the basis of his prior COVID-19 infection, according to Higher Ed Dive. She serves as the key point of contact for Lehigh employees for any health concerns related to COVID-19 and facilitates care through recovery and return to work for any employees who suspect exposure or may test positive for COVID-19, working closely with Lehigh Human Resources throughout the process. If you arrive on campus and begin to feel symptoms consistent with COVID-19, immediately notify your supervisor or department chair and go home. Pros occasional free lunches Cons leadership - it all flows from there Was this review helpful? Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Nearly all LVHN employees complied with COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61, Bryan Kohberger defense lawyers want gag order kept in Idaho killings case, Allentown School Board likely to vote on hiring Carol Birks as superintendent next week. This story was updated Tuesday to indicate Lehigh Valley Health Network has decided to update its policy; previously the health network had been discussing doing so. Some readers who have been at Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th Street in . Studies have shown that vaccination is effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID, but vaccination protection against the virus and variants decreases over time. Faculty and staff noncompliance will be addressed at the college and stem level as a violation of workplace and university policy. Contact Christine Wolfe, RN, the university's Employee Health Nurse Case Manager from Lehigh Valley Health Network at 610-861-8080 ext. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Where can I find information about vaccination? For minor pains, illnesses or allergies, get answers any time of the day or night with an ExpressCARE Video Visit. 6DGamY'N{o)Z{aG>;-p~ t{@m 2R{8yrT[m'BNfk34Yn?gej &e"FL8O)x{Ko yIWk.x,Jj!iWE@`. Any faculty or staff member who has been on campus or in close proximity to other Lehigh community members and receives a positive COVID-19 test result should self-isolate, follow a primary care physicians advice, contact the universitys Employee Health Nurse Case Manager from Lehigh Valley Health Network, Christine Wolfe,RN, at 610-861-8080 ext. What should I do? Faculty should indicate to students how they plan to support students who need to be in isolation. For more information, visit the Human Resources website. Faculty and staff noncompliance will be addressed at the college and stem level as a violation of workplace and university policy. Any faculty or staff member who has been on campus or in close proximity to other Lehigh community members . Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) has four different operations levels based on the risk of COVID-19 transmission in our community. Faculty and staff must continue to monitor personal health for symptoms and risk of exposure. Our journalism needs your support. If the percentage of students in isolation for COVID in a class (section) is greater than 30%, the instructor can move to remote instruction until students return from isolation. There are . No. LVHN also said patients who have recently had COVID can defer boosters for at least three months following their diagnosis, as the illness can provide a significant immune system boost. Every employer can handle it in a different way because theres no set standard for that type of exemption, Easterly said. Call 888-402-LVHN or visit LVHN.org/virtualcare to learn about virtual care options. Working on Campus. In both instances, arguments were made that plaintiffs should be exempt from mandates because they had already been infected with COVID-19. Students with an approved exemption will be required to comply with the university's COVID-19 surveillance testing program and other preventive measures including, but not limited to, masking, social distancing and isolation/quarantine protocols, as determined by the university. Filter changes will continue to follow ASHRAE guidelines. . Notice: All Colleagues and Non-Employed LVHN Partners, including remote workers, will be required to be vaccinated after the first COVID-19 vaccine receives full FDA approval. COVID Vaccine Policy . Read more on the CDC website. The deadline for Good Shepherds mandate was Oct. 15. Lehigh medical benefits include behavioral health coverage. A video visit is also an option. The health network. Because of this, employers that are considering deferrals for the naturally immune are trying to figure out how to structure that as an internal policy. Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) remains vigilant as the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves, and we are committed to being your partner in health in these unprecedented times. Visit the campaign website now >, 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA, document.write( new Date().getFullYear() ); All Rights Reserved, Faculty & Staff Frequently Asked Questions, Any faculty or staff member who has been on campus or in close proximity to other Lehigh community members and receives a positive COVID-19 test result must notify Christine Wolfe and notify Lehigh by following the instructions in the, COVID-19 Return to Campus Employee Health Guide. Given the waning effectiveness of vaccines over time, the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, and mounting evidence that boosters provide additional protection against COVID, Lehigh is requiring the COVID booster as an extension of the universitys COVID vaccination requirement for all eligible students, faculty and staff who did not receive an approved medical or religious exemption.