COVID-19 Safety Levels

Current Safety Level: Orange

Guidelines for all Safety Levels

South Dakota State University is open and operating under stricter hygiene and cleaning regimen.
Prior to arrival on campus each day, individuals should self-screen and stay at home when sick.
Individuals will self-isolate or follow quarantine directives when there is a reasonable belief they have been exposed to COVID-19 infections or are infected.
Regularly clean high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles, counters, light switches, remote controls, restroom surfaces).
Maintain physical distance of at least 6 feet.
Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer.
Do not touch your face.
Wear a cloth face covering in accordance with the SDBOR face covering requirements.
High-risk individuals should take extra precautions at all safety levels. Additional CDC recommendations for high-risk populations can be found here.

Safety Levels

This color phase chart is for planning purposes and reflects general planning guidelines for campus decision makers. The guide has four colors or safety levels: green, yellow, orange and red, which coincide with levels of COVID-19 transmission. The applicability of the color phase is determined by COVID-19 Response Team, a team designated by the SDSU Emergency Management Team, who designates the phase based on state, community and campus factors.

This color phase chart shows COVID-19 Safety Levels and is also used for planning purposes and reflects general planning guidelines for campus decision makers.
Sector	Safety Level Green	Safety Level Yellow	Safety Level Orange	Safety Level Red –

	COVID-19 is no longer a public health concern due to the introduction of vaccine or therapeutic	State and local transmission data indicate low levels of community spread	State and local transmission data indicate moderate levels of community spread	State and local transmission data indicate large scale community spread.
Campus	SDSU is open and following pre-pandemic guidelines	SDSU is open to the public in some areas with strict guidelines	SDSU is open to the public in some areas with strict guidelines	SDSU is not open to the public, only essential employees on campus
Academics	Increased office hours and in-person offerings	Face-to-face, hybrid and online models are used to achieve physical distancing	Face-to-face, hybrid and online models are used to achieve physical distancing	All classes and office hours will be held virtually
Employees	Offices interaction restrictions are lifted	Offices are under strict protocols for interactions with others	Offices are under strict protocols for interactions with others	Only essential employees and functions on campus
Events*	Events can host pre-pandemic maximum capacity	Virtual interactions are encouraged. Events can host up to 120 individuals if social distancing is possible	Virtual interactions are highly encouraged. Events can host up to 60 individuals if social distancing is possible	Virtual-only activities, events and gatherings.
Student Life	Residence halls are open with pre-pandemic capacity Dinning Services are operating as they were prior to the pandemic	De-densified residence halls are open Mobile ordering and carry-out are encouraged Self-serve options are replaced with Grab-N-Go options	De-densified residence halls are open Mobile ordering and carry-out are strongly encouraged Self-serve options are replaced with Grab-N-Go options	Residence Halls are closed as feasible Dining limited to Grab-N-Go and mobile ordering

*Events hosted by SDSU or in SDSU facilities are subject to all SDSU JacksRBack Event Protocols. For events whose capacities exceed those listed on the chart above, SDSU has an event approval process.

Change in Safety Levels

Due to the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 protocols are continuously reviewed by the university's COVID-19 Response Team. The university works closely with the South Dakota Department of Health (SD-DOH) and local public health agencies to monitor COVID-19 in Brookings County and surrounding areas. The guidance on this chart will be updated to reflect the latest CDC and SD-DOH public health guidelines.

SDSU is actively monitoring COVID-19 indicators to determine safety level movement. Any one or more of the following indicators has the potential to trigger movement from one color to another.

Movement to Red from Any Color

Increasing statewide running average for the rate of hospital admissions.
Substantial rise in new COVID-19 cases relevant to the SDSU population.
Substantial number of cases tied to SDSU cannot be tracked to known cases (i.e., community spread).
Inability of the SD-DOH to conduct case investigation of new COVID-19 cases.
Insufficient resources for SDSU to rapidly isolate all newly identified COVID-19 cases.
Inability to provide testing of symptomatic and identified close contacts of newly identified cases.
Insufficient supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet demand.
Brookings Health System does not have the resources to treat all patients requiring hospitalization.

Movement from Red to Orange

Sustained reduction in new COVID-19 cases at SDSU.
SD-DOH is able to conduct case investigation of new COVID-19 cases.
SDSU has the capacity to rapidly isolate all newly identified COVID-19 cases.
Ability to provide testing of symptomatic and identified close contacts of newly identified cases.
Sufficient supply of PPE to meet demand.
Brookings Health System has the resources to safely treat all patients requiring hospitalization.

Movement from Yellow to Orange

Yellow to orange the number of infections increases over a seven-day period.
Transmission with high likelihood or confirmed exposure within communal settings with potential for rapid increase in suspected cases.

Movement from Orange to Yellow

The number of infections decreases over a 14-day period.
Evidence of isolated cases or limited community transmission, case investigations underway, no evidence of exposure in large communal setting, e.g., health care facility, school, mass gathering.

From Yellow to Green

A proven, FDA-approved vaccine is available and has been disseminated to the SDSU community.
A therapeutic for prevention or treatment of COVID-19 shows a measurable impact on disease activity and is readily available to the SDSU community.

Safety Level Communications

SDSU’s current safety level and color is indicated continuously on the SDSU website banner