Current Campus Status

As TCAT Hohenwald continues to provide technical training and education to our students, it is our intent to take a proactive stance to any suspicious or confirmed case of COVID-19.  We are continuing to move through the Summer Trimester with the end of trimester approaching quickly.  Additionally, we do anticipate adding dual enrollment students when the secondary systems return to operations in August.

TCAT Hohenwald will continue efforts to protect the health and safety of our campus!  We need your help----to do your part---to protect you and others around you.  With concerns and cases of COVID-19 on the “rise” and numbers increasing in Lewis and all surrounding counties, the most advisable approach is to continue to follow guidance offered by the CDC, Tennessee Department of Health and the Governor’s Office, with particular reference to the Higher Education Pledge.  TCAT Hohenwald requires and endorses:

• Completion of the daily COVID-19 Questionnaire to assess your health and minimize risks
• Masking, especially if away from your individual area or about campus
• Social distancing of students and others at 6 feet as appropriate
• Cleaning and sanitization around your program area(s) of use/individual workstations
• Avoidance of congregation----with desired numbers of less than 10 in a group
• Proper hand-washing – 20 second+
• Washing of hands often and diligently
• Wearing proper PPE- Personally Protective Equipment, as appropriate – MASK UP.
• If feeling sick or experiencing illness, please stay home until feeling better.
• If running a fever, please do not attend TCAT “in-person” classes for the day.
• Respecting the health and “concerns” of others in regard to COVID-19; many have different views concerning COVID-19 with regard to potential exposure.
• If experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, shortness of breath, etc.), please consider being COVID-19 tested. All area TN Health Departments are offering free testing.
• If directly exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, please quarantine for 14 days and be tested.  With exposure, the TN Health Department predicts symptoms to appear within 4-5 days of exposure; a period of 10 days of self-isolation is recommended.
• Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will result and require a minimum of 14 -day quarantine.
• Any specific confirmed case will be handled appropriately with location of the case.  Many decisions will be made based on individual circumstance to include location, test results (time period, etc.).  The TN Health Department is now recommending with a confirmed case, to place the confirmed student on a 14-day quarantine and notify students in close proximity to the confirmed student.  The students in “close proximity” may be asked to quarantine as well, especially in high risk circumstance, which may include healthcare programs.
• Exposure is now being further defined as being in close proximity for 15 minutes or longer with a confirmed COVID-19 individual.  Exposure is not second-hand exposure.
• The TN Department of Health has advocated for colleges and TCATs to maintain “assigned seating” for students, in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case----that a “full dismissal” of all students is not necessary, but to react and “be surgical” in separating and quarantining the confirmed and potentially exposed.  Circumstances may vary with potential exposure and depending on the timeline of testing and such.
• With an asymptomatic confirmed case of COVID-19, TCAT Hohenwald would offer the student an online, remote learning option---as would the potentially exposed students in proximity.  The intent of TCAT Hohenwald would be to continue the technical education studies of the program and/or student(s) online, with minimal disruption to the student(s) as appropriate.  
• If a confirmed student case in a healthcare program might be involved in any clinical rotation, the clinical facilities may require further testing and likely provide weekly testing for participants.  Clinical affiliates may have varying requirements regarding clinical rotations.   Students are required to wear proper PPE at all times as appropriate and deemed required by site.
• A confirmed positive result would require a negative result to return to the clinical facility site, as and if required by the clinical facility.  TCAT would require the 14-day quarantine to return.
• With a confirmed case of COVID-19 where the student is too sickly to continue in online studies while placed in quarantine, the TCAT does have allowable absence hours for use in the case of illness.  If the students’ sickness continues beyond the allowable absence hours, the student may opt to request a Leave of Absence.  Please maintain contact with program instructors to maintain good academic standing and contact TCAT Student Services to further discuss any other leave options as needed and appropriate.
• Report any change in your circumstance or health immediately to instructors in order appropriate action and decisions can be made to proactively protect you and the health of others.

Taking health and safety precautions and guidance reduces our campus risks and assists in maintaining our “in-person” campus life and ongoing activity.  Thank you for your cooperation in this “new normal” as we traverse the COVID-19 Pandemic.

THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART!