COVID-19 ECC FAQ

Faculty, staff, and students will receive a Welcome email and text from Cleared4.org on behalf of Elgin Community College with a private, personal link to begin the process. ECC will send the Cleared4 email to your elgin.edu student email address and your provided primary phone number. If you don’t see your email from Cleared4, please check your SPAM folder. The emails will come from no-reply@cleared4work.com, and text messages will come from (833) 635-1086.

IF YOU ARE VACCINATED

• If you are fully vaccinated, choose “Enter Your Vaccination Data” to upload your vaccination card and enter your vaccine vendor and vaccination dates. 
• Upload a picture or file containing your valid, completed vaccination card. Do not upload until all doses of the vaccine are received. Choose the correct vaccination vendor from the drop-down menu. 
• Enter the vaccination dates for doses one and two. If the vaccine is a single dose, only one date is required. Select “Add” to continue. 
• A confirmation message displays to confirm your documents and status will be verified. Select  “OK” to your home screen, and you’re done! If your vaccination doses are accepted and you are fully vaccinated (14 or more days after the last vaccination dose), you will receive a link to your BluePass. This pass is effective until the vaccine expires. You do not need to do anything with the BluePass. 

IF YOU ARE NOT VACCINATED

• If you are not fully vaccinated, choose “Upload Negative COVID-19 Test Proof.” Testing must be done every week if not fully vaccinated. The process for uploading test results is the same process whether you conducted testing on- or off-campus. These systems aren’t linked. 
• If you are testing on Campus, your Test Report is typically available within 24 hours and will be emailed to you or available via the Results Portal by GoMeyra. Provide your email address and birth date to log in to the portal.
• Upload a picture or file containing your valid, negative COVID-19 test result. The test date must fall within the last seven days. Verify the COVID result (positive, negative, inconclusive), the Test Type (PCR default, antibody, antigen, molecular), the Sample Date, and Result date and select “Add.” (Files accepted: jpg, png, PDF, word document).
• If approved, the system sends an email and a text message with a link to your GreenPass. You do not need to do anything with the GreenPass. This pass is effective for seven days from the date of testing. When it expires, you need to re-test.

Yes, the mandatory testing requirement in Cleared4 is updated daily to reflect the most up-to-date information.

You will receive a welcome text and email message containing a secure, private and personal link that opens your Cleared4 interface. Open the URL in the email or text message to access your ECC Cleared4 page. Please do not share your link with anyone else, as it is unique for each person. If you have not received the welcome email or text from Cleared4.org, please contact staffliaison@elgin.edu (for employees) or CovidVaccine@elgin.edu (for students).

If your phone number or email address needs to be updated, please use the normal process by updating your information on the User Profile screen in Self-Service.

When you are at the home page, click the Settings button in the top left. You can then change the language to Spanish. Please remember only to change the language setting here. For all other name changes, you should do email and phone through Self-Service.

The August 26, 2021, Executive Order 2021-20 remains in effect. The order requires ECC faculty, staff, administrators, and students to be vaccinated or undergo COVID-19 testing at least once a week. This mandate does not apply to fully exempt employees working remotely or students scheduled to be fully online this semester. An employee completing 100 percent of their work from home (off-site) is not required to come to campus. However, for any employee who comes to campus for meetings, committees, or will be on campus for more than a "fleeting moment," the mandate will apply. 

Read Executive Order

ECC has not changed its definition of fully vaccinated, which is two shots of Pfizer or Moderna or one shot of Johnson & Johnson.

An individual is "fully vaccinated against COVID-19" two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or two weeks after receiving a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed, or otherwise approved by the FDA. Boosters are strongly encouraged but not required.

ECC will continue to offer vaccination clinics for first, second, and booster shots of Moderna, Janssen, and Pfizer. ECC will share details in the Spartan Review and on ECC's social media channels. You are also encouraged to visit kanevax.org or Vaccines.gov for information on vaccination locations.

We require an official vaccination card or documentation from a medical provider on file with the college. ECC asks students and employees to submit proof of vaccination and testing records through the Cleared4Work service. Once you add your vaccine verification information, Cleared4 will remove you from the mandatory testing program. You will be asked to upload your valid, completed vaccination card, enter your vaccine vendor (Moderna, Pfizer, J&J) and vaccination dates. Acceptable file types include jpg, png, PDF, Word documents. Do not upload your card until all doses of the vaccine are received. The system will verify your information and send you a text or email. 

• If you have not received the welcome email or text from Cleared4.org, don't hesitate to contact staffliaison@elgin.edu (for employees) or CovidVaccine@elgin.edu (for students).
• If you submitted proof of vaccination previously, no additional action is necessary unless that vaccination expires (based on CDC guidance, vaccination is valid for 365 days from initial immunity).
• Boosters are strongly encouraged but not required. We encourage employees to upload booster information. 

Proof

Your vaccine card should have a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logo in the upper right corner. If you lost the card or did not receive one, return to the vaccine location and request documentation or contact your state's health department's immunization information system. At this time, we are not using the COVID database from the State of Illinois. However, you can find your immunization records using the Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange.

Cleared4Work has verification mechanisms built into its platform to detect incorrect or false records. Anyone who submits false documentation will be subject to disciplinary action.

Visit Cleared4

Visit Immunization Registry

Elgin Community College shall exclude ECC students who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from the premises unless they comply with the testing requirements. Effective September 19, 2021, to enter Elgin Community College, ECC students who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must undergo testing for COVID-19 until they establish that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Failure to abide by this directive violates the ECC Student Code of Conduct and the COVID Addendum.

Read Student Code of Conduct

You may provide proof of religious or health exemption from vaccination if desired. However, there is no exemption for non-vaccinated individuals to decline testing. Weekly testing is required under the mandate for those who cannot be vaccinated or choose not to do so.

The mandate does not apply to fully exempt employees working remotely or students scheduled to be fully online this semester. However, if you are fully remote and plan to come on campus for activities, committee meetings or will be on campus for more than a "fleeting moment," the mandate will apply. As a College open to the community, we recognize the need to be accessible to more than just students and employees. Testing is open to the community but is intended primarily for the students/employees.

Students and employees will receive a personal URL sent to their email or primary phone number. To provide acceptable proof, your documentation should include a paper or electronic copy of the negative COVID-19 test result for review by ECC. There should be sufficient personally identifiable information on the test result to ensure the specimen and result are applied to the individual required to test. 

If you have not received the welcome email or text from Cleared4.org, please email staffliaison@elgin.edu (for employees) or CovidVaccine@elgin.edu (for students).  

Once vaccination documentation has been collected, we will be able to tabulate the vaccination rate. How we share that information is still being worked out.

ECC must adhere to this State of Illinois Mandate to maintain a safe learning environment for our students and employees. We expect all students who take on-campus classes or attend on-campus activities will comply. Student Support Services will contact individuals who have not provided vaccination status or COVID-19 test results to advise on required actions.

The goal of these efforts is to comply with the mandate and maintain a safe learning environment for all, not to punish or exclude students. However, instances of willful and deliberate non-compliance may be considered a violation of the ECC Student Code of Conduct and the COVID Code of Conduct Addendum, which can carry sanctions up to and including dismissal from the College. ECC is committed to mitigating the spread of this virus and keeping our students, employees, and community members safe. We know that vaccinations save lives, and everyone who can get vaccinated is encouraged to do so. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at CovidVaccine@elgin.edu. 

Test results are typically available within 24 hours and emailed or available via the Student Results Portal. The test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Elgin Community College’s designated Emergency response representative, who will contact you if you test positive. Visit Vitality Website.

At this time, no appointment times are required for testing, and walk-ins are welcome. Pre-registration for expedited process and delivery results over the Vitality Urgent Care portal registration is encouraged. Please keep the QR code and present it upon arrival. Please wear a mask if you feel unwell or have come into contact with someone who recently tested positive. 

Getting Your Results
Test results are typically completed within 24 hours, and results will be emailed or available via the Student Results Portal. The test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and Elgin Community College Designated Emergency response representative, who will contact you if you test positive. You will receive a link via text and email to see your results. Click either link and follow the instructions to upload an image/photo of your proof and enter additional information about your test. 

Register with Vitality

Testing offered at the college is free of charge for students and employees. See the On-Campus Testing page for more information. 

A COVID-19 negative test result from pharmacies and other medical facilities will be accepted, such as Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, Jewel-Osco, Walmart, and Target).

Unless fully vaccinated, you can not refuse weekly testing if you work on campus or attend classes. If you are vaccinated, weekly testing is not required, and no further action is needed.

If you have a positive test, you are required to notify your supervisor and follow the established protocols established in the COVID-19 Case on Campus Procedures. Employees are reminded to stay home if they are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19. Test results are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and ECC. Our contact tracer will call you to discuss the timeline for your return to campus and gather additional information regarding any potential close contacts.

Read Case on Campus Procedure

Vitality offers either a nasal, saliva, or oral swab. RT-PCR COVID-19 can be performed with a nasal, saliva, or oral swab. Antigen Rapid Covid-19 Test (Nasal swab only). You'll receive results in 1 hour or less and suitable for people with symptoms as an adjunct to the RT-PCR test.

You will be offered either a non-invasive nasal swab or saliva collection at the collection site. The nasal sample collection is done with a soft-tip nasal swab. Alternatively, saliva collection takes several minutes and involves filling a collection device until the saliva level reaches the fill line.

You can be tested more than once per week if you feel another test is warranted. If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home and contact your health provider. 

It would be best to do testing outside of your regular work hours. You can choose to use your lunch break period if time permits. Employees should not exceed their lunch period.

To comply with the requirements in the mandate, you should use viral testing, preferably a PCR test if available. Tests must have Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA or be operating per the Laboratory Developed Test requirements by U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

• Viral tests indicate whether an individual has a current infection. There are two types of viral tests: nucleic acid amplification tests, including the gold-standard PCR test, and antigen tests.
• At-home tests or self-test kits for COVID-19 are available for purchase from retail pharmacies and other outlets. Some of these tests require supervision from a health care provider through telehealth, who will then confirm the identity of the person taking the test (e.g., by showing a photo ID), while others are fully self-administered. For higher education personnel and students, at-home tests that are fully self-administered are permissible when the Institution of Higher Education requires proof of the test result through a video or picture of the test result to be available upon request from the personnel or student. You should be aware of the limitations of these tests, such as inadvertent improper administration and difficulty in verifying the reported results against your identity.
• Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose a current infection and are not recommended to meet the requirements of the Order.

These locations will not be used as testing sites for COVID, as the main campus will serve as the centralized testing site for ECC students and employees. ECC can explore vaccination clinics for these locations if there is sufficient interest.

We have developed a robust contract tracing program that has been used throughout the pandemic. This plan has been published in the Return to Campus policy for additional reference. For additional questions, please email studentCRT@elgin.edu.

There are no changes in ECC's requirements for reporting exposure or positive test results. If you have a positive test, you are required to notify your supervisor and follow the established protocols established in the COVID-19 Case on Campus Procedure. Employees are reminded to stay home they are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Campus COVID-19 Testing

Yes. The mandate requires weekly testing and not reporting test results. However, employees are reminded to stay home if feeling ill and experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If a positive test is received, it must be reported per the COVID-19 Case on Campus Procedure.

Yes, no one will be turned away. However, the on-site testing service is intended to be used primarily by employees and students, and the college incurs a cost for these services.

Yes, only people who have uploaded their proof of vaccination to Cleared4, students who are strictly online, and employees with approved fully remote work agreements are removed from the testing program. However, even if you are vaccinated, you should be tested if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

A limited, defined group of already HIPAA-trained staff will view sensitive information. These employees will complete additional HIPAA training and comply with all existing employee privacy policies and laws.

Compliance means providing proof of vaccination or submitting to weekly testing within the timeframe prescribed.

ECC will withhold Non-compliant employees from service until they comply with the safety requirements mandated by the State of Illinois. Furthermore, employees will be subject to the disciplinary process.

Elgin Community College shall exclude ECC students who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from the premises unless they comply with the testing requirements.

Elgin Community College students who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must undergo testing for COVID-19 until they establish that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Failure to abide by this directive violates the ECC Student Code of Conduct and the COVID Addendum.

Read COVID Addendum

We will copy faculty on an email sent to students who are not in compliance with the mandate. The email will inform students they are prohibited from returning to campus until they are in compliance.

No, if your classes are all remote AND your time conducting campus business is fleeting, you are not required to get the vaccine or participate in weekly testing. If you wish to substitute teach for a class on campus or accept any hybrid or face-to-face teaching assignments, the requirement will apply. However, if you are fully remote and plan to come on campus for activities, committee meetings or will be on campus for more than a "fleeting moment," the mandate will apply.

No, as the current Return to Campus policy requires employees to be on campus at least 80 percent of the time.

All enrolled Dual-credit program students must follow the mandate and are not eligible to be on our campus if not vaccinated or if they refuse the test. More specific information is forthcoming regarding this group of students. Learn more on the Students Under 18.

Beginning Monday, March 28 masks will only be required in the following circumstances and locations: 

• Some Instructional Spaces
  Certain arts and health professions classes. Masks may also be required in the classrooms, labs, faculty offices, and workrooms for faculty who are immunocompromised.
• Workspaces
  Students and employees are expected to wear masks as requested when meeting in an individual’s personal work or office space.
• Building K
  Masks are required at the Vitality testing site in Building K.

The ECC Arts Center continues to follow the best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Kane County Health Department. As our knowledge and understanding evolve, the College’s policies and plans will adapt appropriately and comply with state and local guidelines. Patrons are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of performance date and an ID. Patrons are required to wear face coverings at all times during the performance.

Please read our Terms and Conditions for event attendance. 

Updated 3/14/2022

After reviewing all current COVID-19 safety protocols and updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Kane County Health Department; the Illinois Department of Public Health, and feedback from our unions, employees, students, and community members, the following mitigation efforts will be in effect beginning Monday, March 28.

Masks will only be required in the following circumstances and locations:

• Some Instructional Spaces
  Certain arts and health professions classes. Masks may also be required in the classrooms, labs, faculty offices, and workrooms for faculty who are immunocompromised.
• Workspaces
  Students and employees are expected to wear masks as requested when meeting in an individual’s personal work or office space.
• Building K
• Masks are required at the Vitality testing site in Building K.

However, masks will be strongly recommended in all other settings on campus. Anyone who prefers to wear a face-covering is welcome and encouraged to do so. As masking is now a personal choice, we must respect everyone’s decision, whether they choose to mask or not. Continue to practice social distancing and Elgin Community College will make KN95 and/or N95 masks available for those who want to wear them.

As a reminder, ECC’s Emergency Operations Center group, along with college leadership, continues to monitor COVID-19's evolving impact on our environment, and a change in the transmission rate in Kane County may require a need to reimplement a mask mandate in accordance with the CDC, Kane County Health Department and/or state government.

Please note that any changes to our campus mitigation efforts will be communicated as soon as possible.

Class sizes for all in-person classes have been reduced to allow social distancing in accordance with all public health guidelines. Condensed schedules have been implemented that lower the number of in-person classroom sessions. One-way traffic patterns are being used whenever possible to minimize social interaction when students are entering and leaving classrooms.

All study abroad programs for spring and summer 2021 have been suspended due to the global health crisis. Students previously on a study abroad program in spring 2020 were able to return to the U.S. without incident and continue their studies remotely in the U.S.

ECC Arts Center Rehearsal Safety Protocol

Our objective is to maintain the highest safety standards during the pandemic while providing the best possible ensemble experience for our students in performance ensembles. To do so, we will implement strict safety protocols for all students, instructors, volunteers, and staff during all classes.

Class schedules and course modalities

We have implemented virtual classrooms for almost all Arts Center classes. For laboratory-based classes that require in-person interaction, we have taken the following steps:

1. Mask wearing is required at all times when indoors. 
2. Social distancing at 6' or more at all times. 
3. Frequent handwashing using readily available personal sanitization resources. 
4. Abiding by specific traffic patterns to facilitate social distancing and avoid cross-flow.
5. Reduced occupancy limits for all spaces to account for 6' social distancing bubbles. Additional space for vocalists and musical instruments, as determined by instrument-specific guidelines.
6. Amended schedules limit on-site time to a maximum of 50 percent, reducing the opportunity for contact, general facility use (bathrooms, etc.). 
7. Mandatory breaks after every 30 minutes to allow ventilation systems to exchange the air and reduce aerosol accumulation.
8. Expanded use of large rehearsal spaces, particularly those with superior ventilation and high ceilings. 
9. Additional entry and egress points allow for one-way traffic patterns. 
10. Restricted access to students, staff, and volunteers only; parents and families of students will not enter ECC. 
11. Regular sanitization of facilities and equipment, including between each rehearsal and student use.

Maintaining a safe social distance in music and voice classes.

• We have restricted rehearsals to students, instructors, staff, and volunteers only. Parents and families of students will not enter ECC.
• To allow for additional social distancing when required, all spaces used for rehearsals have been marked with 6-foot distances. 
• To allow for building-wide ventilation, we have made the following air quality upgrades.
  • All in-person sessions must take a break every 30 minutes to allow air HVAC Systems to bring fresh air into the room.
  • All singing social distancing is now at 6'.
  • Large rehearsal spaces, particularly those with superior ventilation and high ceilings and designs that exchange air for extremely large groups of people, are used for most in-person performance ensemble rehearsals. These spaces include the Blizzard Theatre (capacity of 650), the SecondSpace Theatre (capacity of 200), and the Events Center Gym (capacity exceeding 1,000). Smaller sectional rehearsals will be held in large classrooms with reduced numbers to ensure social distancing is maintained.

Hand and equipment hygiene

• The college has provided hand sanitizing stations, gloves, and disinfecting materials for each classroom to promote handwashing and sanitization, following recommended public health guidelines.
• Regular sanitizing of facilities and equipment will occur throughout and between rehearsals, including disinfecting between each rehearsal and student use.
• Sanitizing procedures will include all of the following measures:
  • Students will sanitize equipment;
  • Arts Center staff will sanitize equipment;
  • College Operation and Maintenance staff will clean/sanitize all rehearsal classrooms.

Instrument Specific Guidelines

Best practices for each specific instrument and instrument family are based on aerosol studies by the Vienna Philharmonic and the University of Colorado; the following guidelines will be in place: 

• Percussion players must adjust their habits. Rather than operating as a unit of percussionists who interchange instruments, players must occupy their specific range and set of instruments. Gloves should be worn when possible, and equipment must be sanitized between use. 
• String players are not at increased risk. Playing a string instrument is considered safer than even having a mild-mannered conversation at 6', as it requires no increased respiration.
  
• Vocals if singers wear surgical-style masks, aerosol emission is significantly reduced. 
  
• Keyboard players must be sanitized between use. Gloves are not recommended.

Woodwind and Brass Specific Guidelines

• The guidelines from the Vienna Philharmonic and the University of Colorado confirmed that 6' of distancing are appropriate in almost all cases (exceptions notated).
• A mask with a slit or flap must always be worn while playing an instrument during rehearsals and performances.
• All applicable wind and brass instruments with a bell must have a fitted bell cover install while playing.
• Spit valves on brass/wind instruments can not be emptied on the venue/classroom floor.
• Social distancing at 6' Woodwind and Brass instruments and 10' for trombone.
• A comprehensive discussion of wind guidelines requires an understanding of how the instruments function. Except for the flute, all wind instruments function by focusing a tight and narrow stream of air directly into the instrument. This stream of air meets a resistor (the mouthpiece in case of brass instruments, and the reed in case of woodwinds excepting the flute), which causes the stream to be set in motion as a vibrating column of air that produces waves, rather than a steady stream. This distinction is critical, as it informs how the air moves and spreads. Air does not steadily stream out of the bell the way that it would when being blown through a straw; instead, the energy input by the player is converted into vibrations, which contains the air in a far more closed space than if the air were being actively blown through the instrument. This distinction makes wind playing less problematic in terms of a viral spread than it would initially seem.

Elgin Community College's standards and protocols are based on the most current scientific studies and guidelines from applicable agencies, including but not limited to:

• Illinois Department of Public Health
• Illinois State Board of Education
• Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• University of Colorado Performing Arts Aerosol Study

The ECC Arts Center will continue to follow the best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Kane County Health Department. To ensure the safety of everyone in the theatre, we have put policies in place for all audiences attending events on the Arts Center website.

Visit Health and Safety