Another Productive Week on Campus: Week of July 31st, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from a soggy, warm and steamy Elkins Park. Pretty typical summer weather for around here! It’s been another productive week on campus and in our clinics as students and faculty continue to converge to meet their educational missions. Our Physician Assistant, Optometry and Blindness and Low Vision Studies students and faculty have been busy conducting important lab work, preparation for National Boards and clinics in addition to the online training many students and faculty are engaged in now. In addition to these on campus activities, many of our students are scattered around the country finishing up their external clinical rotations. While it may seem quiet at times, it’s really a busy time for everyone.

While all this is happening, our third-year optometry students have either taken or are getting ready to take Part I of their National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) exam and our fourth year students are preparing to head down to Charlotte, NC to take Part III of the NBEO in the very near future. I want to wish everyone taking these exams the best of luck (although you won’t need it, because of how well prepared you are) and safe travels back and forth from Charlotte.

Walking around the clinics it’s nice to see everyone taking all the necessary precautions to keep themselves and their patients safe. I think the scrubs you’re all wearing look professional and will help to serve the purpose of minimizing the risk of infections. Since wearing scrubs regularly is new to most of you, I just want to remind everyone that best practice is that scrubs are only worn at work and they are changed out after every shift. Otherwise, there’s little justification for them. I suspect you already know all this and you’re washing them daily, so thank you for that!

Yesterday, Congressman John Lewis was placed to rest in Atlanta, Georgia. Three U.S. Presidents, in addition to a myriad of civil rights and other leaders, attended the funeral to honor the sacrifices and achievements of this great man. Please take a moment today to reflect on what Congressman Lewis did for our country and how his work, which must continue, helped shine a light on the inequities Black Americans have faced in America for hundreds of years.

Cristina Rosano, OD ’20, who graduated from Salus PCO in May, not only landed a job as an optometrist in Philadelphia, but she also found out that she may be busy in her off time as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleading squad. Dr. Rosano was one of 576 candidates from 23 states as well as Canada, Mexico and Japan that secured one of eight open spots on the 38-member team. Read more about how she fulfilled her dreams of being an optometrist and a National Football League cheerleader at salus.edu/CristinaRosano.

The second part of our three-part series titled “All in the Family: Legacy Students” features my daughter, Emily Mittelman, MSOT ‘20 and Jonathan Fabriziani, OD ‘20. I’m very proud of Emily for continuing the family legacy at Salus University and her passion for caring for others. In Jonathan’s case, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree as he has followed in his mother’s footsteps, our very own Maria Parisi, OD ‘85, Resident ‘86, associate dean of PCO’s Optometric Clinical Affairs. I know how proud Maria is of Jon who graduated this year, as well as his brother, Josh, who will graduate from PCO in 2021. Read more about our legacy students at salus.edu/LegacySeries2.

Provost Barry Eckert, PhD, will be one of the featured panelists from 1 to 2 p.m. today for a webinar titled “COVID-19 and Re-Opening Plans for Health Professions Education This Fall” by the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professionals (ASAHP). Dr. Eckert will share our plans for reopening this fall and the challenges these plans have on healthcare educators and institutions.

There is a two-part webinar next week, on Monday, Aug. 3 and Wednesday, Aug. 5, from noon to 1:15 p.m. each day titled “Addressing Racism in CSD Education.” Among the topics to be addressed include teaching multicultural counseling; support systems for underrepresented students; cross-cultural peer mentoring; multicultural and anti-racist curriculum; mentoring underrepresented doctoral students; cultural humility; implicit bias in CSD education; and inclusivity in CSD learning environments. For more information about the program, click here.

Ruth Shoge, OD ’06, Resident ’07, FAAO, assistant professor at Salus PCO and chair-elect of the ASCO Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee, was on the panel for a webinar earlier this week titled “Part 2 - Seeking Solutions - Race in Optometry: An Honest Conversation on Optometric Education” hosted by SUNY’s College of Optometry. It’s so important to keep having this candid and often difficult conversations and I appreciate Dr. Shoge both representing Salus at the SUNY event and taking on the Chair function of the ASCO Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee.

I want to wrap up today’s update with a bit of Naval history that offers a good lesson for all of us. On July 30, 1945, just three minutes after midnight, the heavy cruiser USS INDIANAPOLIS (CA 35) was struck by two Japanese torpedoes in the dark of night while conducting a solo transit of the Philippine Sea. Despite their best efforts, the ship went down in 12 short minutes. While around 900 of the 1,195-member crew escaped the ship that night, tragically only 316 were rescued. There’s a great deal written about the crew’s harrowing days in the shark-infested Pacific waiting to be found with few lifeboats, exposure to the elements, and almost no food or water. The one thing that became evident was that those unbelievably brave Sailors and Marines who survived while enduring almost impossible hardships, did so by working and staying together. Today, we must do the same as we confront the challenges of the global pandemic, social and political unrest in our country and around the world and the daily stressors we must deal with on a daily basis.

The pandemic will end in good time. We will get through this much more graciously and effectively if we continue to show respect for one another by wearing face masks and acting courteously and professionally towards each other. Our Salus strength is based on our desire to make the world a better place and I can think of no better way of doing that now than by setting our standards high and following those examples that Congressman Lewis and those Sailors and Marines who came before him all embraced. We are SALUS STRONG and we will get through this together!

As you think about and remember Congressman Lewis and the brave Sailors and Marines of INDIANAPOLIS, also please remember their courage, sacrifices and devotion to each other in the face of the most severe adversity. We can honor their memories and should draw strength from their legacies as we confront our own challenges. Have a great weekend. It’s going to start out a bit soggy but then be nice and sunny. Be safe, wear your face masks, wash your hands frequently, maintain social distancing and remember that what you do off campus directly affects us all on campus.

Mike

Serving as an Example for Others: Week of July 24th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from a hot and steamy Elkins Park. It seems every week I see more students and faculty on campus, which I’ve enjoyed. The Eye and Ear Institutes have been at about 50% capacity, but given the conditions we’ve had to work under, it’s appears to be a nice way to break into our new clinical routines. I greatly appreciate how our faculty, students and staff have fully embraced this next normal we’ve had to adopt to in order to teach and see our patients safely. I’ve also observed how much our patients have appreciated having access to a safe and familiar clinical environment where they can receive their necessary care.

For many legacy students and their families, attending Salus University feels preordained. Although each student has a unique reason for choosing the University, lucky for us, they share a common pride in making a Salus education part of their family tradition. Check out our “All in the Family: Legacy Students Series” at salus.edu/LegacySeries.

Of course, many things are not quite the same thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) program has made it as close to business as usual for its students, primarily by utilizing existing technology to its fullest potential. Find out how our summer residency students are successfully making the adjustment at salus.edu/BLVSsummer.

Being quarantined didn’t stop research from continuing at the University. Our researchers recently completed a large study that has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The study identified two clusters of surface-exposed amino acid residues that enable high-affinity binding of retinal degeneration-3 (RD3) protein to retinal guanylyl cyclase. Retinal degeneration causes various forms of congenital blindness. You can read more about the work being done by Dr. Alexander Dizhoor, PhD, and Dr. Igor Peshenko, PhD, at salus.edu/NewResearch.

Don’t forget about Clinical Grand Rounds later this morning. Dr. Ashley Maglione, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Tina Zeng, Second Year Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease Resident, will be presenting, Double Down on Double Vision. This should be a very interesting lecture.

Salus' Department of International and Continuing Education is providing administrative support for a continuing education program on July 29. Salus' very own Robert Serianni and Patricia Mayro will be speaking to a group of faculty members at Penn Medicine on the topic of “Advancing Clinical Supervision Knowledge and Skills for Practitioners. For more information about the program, click here.

As Congress prepares to debate the next COVID-19 aid bill, we have been writing to our Senators and Representatives to ensure they understand the importance continuing to support higher education in the bill. We’ve also asked that they treat graduate-only institutions, such as ours, equally to our undergraduate counterparts. In past aid bills, those schools with Pell-eligible students received about two-thirds more aid than those who don’t have Pell-eligible students. These funds could be used to off-set additional costs incurred due to the pandemic, as well as directly to students to offset some of their additional expenses. While we have not been successful in the past when lobbying for this, we’re hoping to gain some traction as it moves forward. Keeping fingers crossed!

I wanted to give a shout out to Dr. Rachel Levine, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health and a Salus honorary degree recipient. Dr. Levine has been effectively leading the charge to ensure we all remain safe in the face of the pandemic. Most recently, Dr. Levine, a transgender woman, has been targeted by critics of the state’s shutdowns and health mandates, not because of her official position, but because of her gender choice. I find this totally reprehensible. We all need to speak out against transphobia, especially in light of the conversations we’re having about social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. Dr. Levine is a consummate professional who is successfully executing our state’s very effective pandemic mitigation strategies under extremely difficult conditions. She deserves a great deal of thanks and respect, not derogatory and hateful comments.

Unbelievably, there still is a debate about the efficacy of wearing face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our country. The science behind the effectiveness of wearing face masks is unequivocal, which makes this discussion even crazier than it should be. Check out this article posted on NPR’s website. People have taken the stance that having to wear a face mask is a violation of their rights. I would argue that those not wearing a face mask are violating my rights and everyone else’s who might be exposed to them. It is our policy that anyone coming to campus will wear a face mask indoors, at all times, unless they are alone in their office. This, along with social distancing and frequent hand washing are currently the only tools we have to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While this pandemic will end, because people have not been following the current guidelines across the nation, it will take longer than it should. We need to serve as examples for others, as health care providers and members of the Salus community. That will help keep us all safe and hopefully those around you. Remember, what you do off campus directly affects us all on campus.

Have a great weekend. It looks like the temperatures might moderate a bit, so try to get outside, wearing a face mask if unable to socially distance from others, and enjoy yourselves. I plan on going for a long bike ride (with a face mask, if needed). Be safe, be smart, stay hydrated and remain Salus Strong.

Mike

Salus Safety Strategy: Week of July 20th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

All one has to do is open a newspaper or listen to any of the news outlets and you’ll learn that the number of cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in our country. Thankfully, while we’ve seen a small increase in the number of cases in Montgomery County and a slightly larger increase in our state, in general, we are not seeing anything like in Florida, Texas or Arizona. That’s primary because our state and county have been proactive in mandating the use of face masks outdoors when people cannot appropriately social distance and for most indoor activities. What makes this work is that most people are following instructions and doing the right thing.

At Salus, we’ve had protocols in place that mirror those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Commonwealth. These protocols, designed to keep all of us and those we care for safe, have been effective to date. Today, you’ll notice that we’ve reorganized our COVID-19 website to make it easier to navigate and also comply with the Governor’s mandate for every academic institution to post a Safety Strategy. You’ll also notice that none of the specific guidelines have changed from the previous listed protocols, they are just “packaged” a bit differently. All guidelines for our current Summer Semester operations remain the same as will those for the Fall.

As a reminder, effective 24 August 2020, we are planning to resume the majority of our on-campus operations in accordance with the Salus Safety Strategy. The highlights of this include:

• Didactic classroom instruction (lectures) conducted in alternative formats with individual programs and their students selecting from a variety of modalities including, face-to-face, remote (live and on-demand) and blended offerings.
• Laboratory and clinical instruction conducted face-to-face either on campus, at our clinical facilities or at externship sites.
• Operating our clinics at reduced patient capacities.
• Daily screening and temperature checks upon entrance to our facilities. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to complete the Salus Sign On to expedite screening. The requirement to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when at our facilities.
• De-densifying our facilities to allow for physical distancing. Providing personal protective equipment to our students and faculty engaged in laboratory and clinical instruction where physical distancing is not possible.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
• Limiting the size of on campus events.
• The suspension of all university-sponsored travel by any means of transportation (please note that this restriction does not include commuting).

You can see the entire Salus Safety Strategy by going to our COVID-19 webpage later today.

I know many of you may be thinking about our upcoming White Coat Ceremony and Fall Commencement. Based on the current status of the pandemic we are going to work hard to honor those incoming students as well as those getting ready to leave our nest by planning an outdoor event, possibly on campus. I’ve asked the staff to work several different scenarios that will allow us to do something in-person, that doesn’t jeopardize anyone’s health and safety. You’ll be hearing more about both of these ceremonies in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, please continue your diligence in wearing a face mask when appropriate (that would be most times when with others who are not in your “bubble”), social distancing, and frequent hand washing. Also, please remember that what you do off campus directly affects the health and safety of all of us on campus, so please be vigilant.

Finally, like you, I am also tired and frustrated by all this – which is normal. We are in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis. It will end – we just need to be patient, cautious and smart. We are Salus Strong and that, combined with your good sense and following the guidelines, will get us all through this.

Mike

Busy Summer Semester: Week of July 17th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning. It’s been a relatively busy Summer Semester week at Salus. 

Donna Agnew, PA director, was interviewed by KYW News Radio about our new standardized patient/simulation lab we expect to open in October. The lab gives our students the opportunity to examine simulated patients in a realistic healthcare setting. To hear the interview,  please click here.

The Speech-Language Institute recently marked its fifth anniversary. Read more about it, and get some insight and reflections from chair and program director Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP at SalusUhealth.com/SLI-Fifth-Anniversary.

This month, our Alumni Association transitioned from outgoing president David Friess, OD ‘02, FAAO, to incoming president Amanda Marchegiani, AuD ‘10. I want to thank Dr. Friess for his outstanding contributions to our Alumni Association efforts during his tenure. Dr. Marchegiani has hit the ground running and her zeal for the University will build on the past leadership of the Association. Look for a story about Dr. Marchegiani’s goals for the Association on our website in the coming weeks.

Our BLVS department is working on a virtual Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training project for patients at the Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center. The project serves two purposes: Providing direct experience for O&M interns whose internships (and graduations) were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and also, continuity of service to patients already engaged in O&M prior to the shutdown, as well as offering the service to new patients. 

Many of you who are in the area have probably read about Governor Wolf’s most recent mandate addressing the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth and around the country. While Pennsylvania’s cases are not increasing at a rate close to Florida, Arizona or Texas, the Secretary of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, is trying to take a more proactive approach to the changing conditions of the pandemic than other states have done. None of the new mandates will affect the protocols already in place at Salus.  What they will do, though, is more stringently regulate bars, restaurants and indoor gatherings that are not directly associated with education. 

The new restrictions include:

• All indoor dining: Reduced to 25% capacity

• Bars: Open for sit-down meals at tables only, bar service prohibited

• Telework: Mandated (if possible)

• Gatherings: Less than 25 people indoors, and less than 250 people outdoors

There are no changes to gyms and fitness facilities, but they are directed to prioritize outdoor physical fitness activities. As I already mentioned, these new guidelines don’t directly affect operations at Salus, but as you go about your business off campus, you need to ensure you’re following them. While we are doing everything possible to keep everyone safe at Salus, we can’t control what people do when they’re off campus. That’s why it’s so very important that people follow CDC and Commonwealth guidelines at all times, because what you do off campus can have a direct effect on campus. So, please, always wear your face mask when you cannot socially distance when outdoors and always when indoors in public spaces, continue to wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing at all times. You don’t want to be the one who is responsible for spreading the virus. 

On Monday, I’m going to share our updated Salus Safety Strategy with all of you. The State Department of Education requires us to post this on our website which will also occur next week. You won’t find any significant changes from our current protocols other than the name. The protocols are all integrated into the Safety Strategy. You can always find the most up-to-date info on our website.

It looks like it’s going to be a nice, albeit hot, weekend. Please continue to practice all those new, good habits you’ve integrated into your daily routines such as wearing your face mask when around others, both indoors and outside, social distancing and frequent hand washing. Please be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

DEI Lunch and Learn: Week of July 10th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from Naval Submarine Base New London, CT, where, for the first time in about 4 months, Tanis and I have left the greater Philadelphia area so I could speak at one of my former shipmate’s retirement ceremony. I always feel very honored when asked to do these and in this particular case extremely proud of what this fine officer has accomplished through her wonderful career. As a bonus, I’ll get to see one of our PCO alumni, LT Jonathan Jacesko, who is also stationed here!

Closer to home, I want to thank our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for sponsoring what I thought was an extremely thought provoking and instructional “Lunch and Learn” yesterday afternoon. I particularly want to thank Camille Menns, (MSOT ‘21) who led the discussion on Allyship. These are important discussions that can only happen when people, such as Camille, are willing to put themselves out there and lead the way. The question and comments that followed her presentation told me that, while we still have a long way to go, people are beginning to feel more comfortable in having those difficult conversations that absolutely must occur in order to realize true changes in attitudes and ultimately behaviors.  

Last night, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry Residency Program will be celebrating the successful completion of the residency class of 2020. Normally, Dr. Richard Bennett and his wife sponsor the annual “Chow-Ciao” at their home but because of the pandemic, this year’s event was virtual. On behalf of all of us at Salus, I want to wish our departing optometry residents the very best of everything as you embark on your next professional adventures. At the same time, I’d like to welcome our incoming class of residents who have already hit the deck running!

Speaking of welcoming, I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome the PCO Accelerated Scholars Class of 2023 to Salus. Like our new residents, these students, from a very diverse academic backgrounds, all hit the deck running as well. I’ve already seen them working in the Clinical Procedures Lab and I know they’ve been getting lectures since arriving. Dr. Eckert and I had the opportunity to virtually meet the class earlier this week which provided us a nice opportunity to personally welcome them and learn a bit more about each student. I look forward to seeing you all around campus!

As more people start to come to campus and people become more comfortable with our screening process and other protocols to keep us safe and healthy, there is a tendency to become a little complacent with things. Please don’t! Wearing face masks that cover the nose and mouth, combined with social distancing and frequent hand-washing are the only defenses we have right now to combat COVID-19. We cannot let down our guard, not even once. Please, if you see someone not wearing a face mask or wearing one improperly, politely correct them. If you’re on the receiving end of one of those comments, please accept it for what it is – a reminder to help keep us all safe. It’s pretty simple – I wear a face mask to protect you and you wear one to protect me. Like all new habits, it takes several weeks to get comfortable with it, but I can assure you, you will.

Finally, it’s easy to get discouraged watching the news, the many mixed messages we’re hearing, and about the increases in COVID-19 cases we’re seeing across the country. I think we can be heartened that our specific area continues to do well, primarily because most people are following the prescribed guidelines of wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and frequent hand washing. As I’ve said multiple times before today, we will get through this – it likely will take a little longer and require a bit more effort than we originally thought, but this will end. It’s extremely important to keep a positive attitude and remember that sometimes it’s the small things that can make the biggest differences – such as following the CDC guidelines. The CDC protocols we’ve adopted at Salus are solid and will change from time to time based on local conditions and the science available to us. As always, if things do change, we’ll keep everyone informed, as we have since this all began. 

We are united in effort and SALUS STRONG! Try to get out and enjoy the weekend practicing all of the preventive measures I’ve already mentioned. I look forward to seeing more of you on campus in the coming weeks.

Mike

Independence Day: Week of July 3rd, 2020

Good morning – I hope everyone is enjoying the nice hot summer weather! Today is going to be close to 96 degrees, so please remember to stay hydrated! Campus activities, both virtual and in-person have been steadily increasing.  Here’s what’s been happening around campus: 

Three students in the University’s Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) programs received this year’s Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Service Foundation (NEPALSF) scholarships to support their careers in the field of education and the rehabilitation of individuals with visual impairments. Congratulations to Mary Price, in the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program; Michaela Halesey, in the Educators of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments (TVI) program; and Katelyn Maffei, also in the Educators of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments (TVI) program. You can read more about them at salus.edu/LionsScholarships

As I mentioned last week, the University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) is having its first “Lunch and Learn on Allyship and Advocacy” from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. DEI committee member Terrance Harshaw, security personnel, and Camille Menns ‘21OT will lead the discussion. I encourage faculty, students and staff to attend via BB Collaborate or call to join at 1-571-392-7650, PIN: 218 196 3518.

A round of applause for the Student Academy of Audiology, who coordinated a contactless food drive at our Elkins Park campus a few weeks ago to benefit Face to Face, a Germantown nonprofit organization that offer free services to low income and homeless individuals annually.

Ilan Dock ‘21OD represented the University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in this year’s national American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) Quiz Bowl, which was held virtually. Thanks for representing PCO! Way to go, Ilan!

The next Grand Rounds will be “ODs and OTs: A Collaborative Approach” on Friday, July 10. Drs. Erin Kenny and Dawn Ciccarone will deliver the live-streamed CE event via Blackboard Collaborate. For more information about the program, click here.

State Senator Art Haywood just notified us that the first round of criminal justice reforms resulting from the Black Lives Matter protests passed the legislature with Governor Wolf set to sign them. House Bill 1841, creates an electronic database of law enforcement officer separation records. Agencies will be required to use this database when hiring. House Bill 1910 will require new training to help law enforcement officers identify child abuse. It also requires Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder evaluations of officers within 30 days of lethal force incidents. Additionally, people with criminal records will have fewer barriers when seeking professional licenses for work. Until this week, the Commonwealth’s 29 occupational licensing boards were able to deny licenses for certain past criminal histories. Senate Bill 637, signed yesterday by Governor Wolf, changes those rules.

Tomorrow we celebrate Independence Day. But this year, I think the focus needs to be a little broader from what most of us have been accustomed to. While we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we need to set aside some time to think about how we can also incorporate the injustices that Black Americans have faced for over four centuries. Next year we will appropriately commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth Day as a University Community. Until then, let’s take some time to honor and celebrate the disestablishment of slavery during this year’s 4^th of July. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s a necessary step to begin to acknowledge the injustices Black, Brown and Native Americans have faced throughout our history. 

I hope to spend part of this 4th of July reading and learning more about discrimination and how minorities have been marginalized throughout our history. I also intend to reflect on the true meaning of being an American.The Declaration of Independence makes it clear that being an American is about much more than the place we call home. It’s represents a deep commitment to higher principles: liberty, equality for all, opportunity, and self-governance. As health care providers, it also must inspire the spirit of caring and respect for others, assuring equal access to quality healthcare and ensuring everyone is afforded the same opportunities to succeed – even if they don’t see the world in the same way. As we approach this year’s holiday, please take some time to reflect on what we need to do to ensure that Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ and disabled American’s rights are assured, women have the right to choose, and our America is welcoming to all immigrants. These represent many the positive aspects of what I believe our founding fathers envisioned for America.  

This year’s celebrations will be significantly constrained due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There won’t be any picnics, parades or fireworks. With cases on the uptick throughout most of the south, we need to remain vigilant with our protective protocols. Governor Wolf just mandated that face coverings that go over the nose and mouth, must be worn outdoors when not able to maintain social distancing of at least six feet, in any indoor locations where the general public would go, such as stores, healthcare facilities, restaurants, etc. and riding in taxis or ride share vehicles. For  more details on this, please click here. If you do go out and are around others, please follow these guidelines, in addition to practicing your social distancing, and continuing to wash your hands frequently. 

With the city and the majority of the country moving in the wrong direction, we have to remain increasingly vigilant, responsible and careful. As healthcare providers, we also need to set the example for others, because we don’t want to see a resurgence here! As I’ve consistently told you, eventually, this will end and we will get through it just fine. Our current protocols and plans for this semester and the fall remain in place. They’re designed to keep us and those we care for safe and healthy, and so far, they’re working well. You can always get the most up-to-date information concerning our COVID-19 response and plans on our website here.

Try to get out and enjoy the summer weekend. Stay hydrated, remain vigilant, wear your face mask and remember, you’re all SALUS STRONG – and together we will weather this and come out on the other end much smarter, resilient and tolerant.  

Finally, please remember that even the strongest among us needs to talk to someone, sometimes about some of the stressors they’re feeling. It’s perfectly normal and it’s okay.  Students can access our counseling services here and faculty and staff, should contact Human Resources.

Have a great weekend!

Mike