Out of an abundance of caution and in support of CDC guidance regarding social distancing during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) will shift to remote learning. Students should take precautionary measures and not return from spring break. NOVA classes will be cancelled on March 16 and March 17 to allow for the transition. Most classroom instruction will be conducted virtually from Wednesday, March 18 until April 4.

Students taking courses that do not have a remote learning option (ex. clinical, labs, and internships) should check with their instructors for alternative plans.

Currently, there are no known COVID-19 cases on our campuses. However, there are more than 20 confirmed cases in the D.C.-Maryland-Northern Virginia region. NOVA is implementing this remote learning policy to mitigate the risk of transmission. NOVA is also implementing a self-quarantine requirement for individuals who have traveled to countries for which the CDC has issued a Level 2 or 3 Travel Warning.

Consistent with CDC guidelines, students, faculty, and staff returning from travel, whether personal or professional, to any country for which the CDC has issued a Level 2 or 3 Travel Warning related to COVID-19 must self-quarantine for 14 days. The self-quarantine is required whether or not the individual is exhibiting symptoms. During the quarantine, access to NOVA Campuses and participation in activities is prohibited.

Campus Operations:

NOVA Campuses will remain open unless otherwise noted. Keeping NOVA open allows faculty to develop and deliver lessons and materials electronically, thus maintaining continuity of teaching and learning. It also lets staff and administrators continue to provide services to help with additional response efforts. In certain instances, an employee may need to work remotely and is advised to contact their supervisor.

NOVA continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates when warranted. At this time, prevention and preparation are the best courses of action, and NOVA encourages all students, faculty, staff, and community members to follow the CDC recommended hygiene and social distancing practices. Further updates will be made by March 27 if NOVA decides to extend remote learning beyond April 4.

Student Organizations, Activities, and Events:

Student safety is NOVA’s priority. Effectively immediately, all in-person student-organized activities will be suspended until April 4. Student Services will work with student organizations that need assistance in rescheduling events.

Resources:

If you have any emergency services implementation questions, please contact the Office of Emergency Management at OEM@nvcc.edu. For media inquiries, please contact Hoang Nguyen, Public Information Officer at hdguyen@nvcc.edu.

For more information from the Virginia Department of Health and the CDC on (COVID-19), please see links below:

• VDH - Fact Sheet for Coronaviruses
• CDC - 2019 Novel Coronavirus FAQ
• CDS - 2019 Novel Coronavirus
• World Health Organization - Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)