Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: Facial coverings

  • University of Cincinnati begins online transition on Wednesday

    University of Cincinnati begins online transition on Wednesday

    Below is a release issued by the University of Cincinnati today.

    Updates

    Spring 2022 Return to Campus

    Due to the recent increase in local, state, and national COVID-19 cases, and the high transmission rate of the Omicron variant, the University of Cincinnati will transition online January 5, 2022 and pivot back to full in-person activities on Monday, January 24, 2022.

    To minimize the disruption that the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant and subsequent quarantining and classroom absences would have on our operations, classes, along with academic support services, will be conducted online for the first two weeks of the academic semester.

    The goal of this in-person delay is for us to assess the impact of Omicron on our populations; let the spike in transmissions run its course; implement additional measures for screening testing and vaccination; and allow faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to receive booster shots.

    We want to ensure that, when we come back, we come back to a safer, healthier and fully vibrant face-to-face experience.

    Vaccine Requirement

    In response to full FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the University of Cincinnati is requiring  students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The university is taking this step to promote the health and safety of our university community. Research shows vaccines are the most effective form of protection against COVID-19.

    All World Health Organization endorsed vaccines, including those in the U.S. made by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, will fulfill the vaccine requirement. Booster shots may also be required in the future.

    VACCINE REQUIREMENT FAQS

    Travel

    The university’s physician-led COVID Response Team is closely monitoring, local, regional, national and global trends related to COVID 19. Current standard policies apply to university-related domestic travel. International travel, is subject to additional review in light of changing circumstances.

    Effective December 6, 2021, due to the Omicron variant you will need to have a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight. If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19 (i.e., your positive COVID-19 viral test result on a sample taken no more than 90 days before the flight’s departure from a foreign country and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

    Effective November 29, 2021, students and scholars from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe will not be able to enter the U.S. as a result of the Omicron Coronavirus variant. Currently, no exemptions or an expiration date have been issued. Additional details will be added as they become available.

    Facial Coverings

    Given the most-recent developments with the virus, and in keeping with guidance from the CDC,  individuals, both fully vaccinated and those not fully vaccinated, are required to wear a facial covering indoors (unless you have received an exemption or accommodation; or when eating, drinking or alone in a private room). See more details on facial coverings.

    Those who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear a facial covering when outdoors and unable to maintain social distancing. Individuals who are not wearing a facial covering when outdoors are attesting to compliance with this requirement.

    Spring 2022 Screening Testing

    Currently, the university is offering weekly  COVID screening testing. The testing site is located on the ground level of Steger Student Life Center.

    Faculty, staff and students can submit proof of vaccination, which consists of a snapshot of your vaccination card,  via the UC COVID Check app and the web-based version of the COVID Check app.  Please do not submit other materials at this link.

    The university may revisit these testing practices and protocols, depending on testing needs and the changing context.

    Quarantine and Isolation

    Given that broad access to vaccines is available, on-campus quarantine and isolation housing is on reserve for student use but may be limited depending on events. Thus, on-campus quarantine and isolation housing cannot be guaranteed at any time. All students should have individual plans for isolation and quarantine housing in the event they are required to do so. Let’s remember that vaccination is currently the best way to prevent the need to quarantine or isolate.

    UC COVID Check App

    The UC COVID Check App will remain in use and operation during the Spring 2022 Semester.

    Students are required – and faculty, staff and visitors are strongly encouraged – to report via the UC COVID Check App if they develop viral symptoms, receive a positive COVID test result or have been in close contact with a COVID-positive person.

    To Remember

    As we move forward together as a community, let’s also remember our campus practices may need to change as conditions change. As such, all COVID-19 practices and policies are subject to revision and updates.

    Questions

    Please read the above information, links and other navigation on this page.  If you still have questions after reviewing the available information, please email campusreturn@uc.edu Please check this site regularly as all COVID-19 practices and policies delineated throughout this site are subject to revision and updates.

  • Fall High School Contact Sports Receive the Go-Ahead From DeWine

    Fall High School Contact Sports Receive the Go-Ahead From DeWine

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Student-athletes all across Ohio jumped for joy Tuesday when Governor Mike DeWine announced that he will be signing a new Ohio Department of Health order. This order will permit the Fall contact sports of Field Hockey, Soccer, and Football, to move forward with competition against other schools.

    Although the Governor confirmed his support for the new health order in a press conference on Tuesday he also said he wanted to ensure that Ohio’s coaches continued to inspire their student-athletes to follow safety precautions. DeWine stated that he hopes that by allowing high school athletes to have a season that will then inspire them to be as careful as they can be.

    “I hope that our coaches will use this an opportunity to focus on helping these young people understand what really is at stake,” Dewine said, “Coaches, you, in a normal year, inspire, you mentor, you instruct, you instill discipline and self-discipline in your student-athletes. For all of that, we are very grateful for what you do. You make a lot of sacrifices, work long hours and you inspire our kids. We thank you very much for that. But this year, it’s going to take more. It’s going to be inspiring them in regards to the goal of keeping COVID out of their team,” DeWine added.

    Field hockey, Soccer, and Football will now be joining the OHSAA’s previously approved Fall sports, which were Girls and Boys Golf, Girls Tennis, Girls Volleyball, and Girls and Boys Cross Country.

    With the majority of high schools in Ohio desperately wanting to play sports this Fall, the OHSAA has been working with the Governor’s Office and the Ohio Department of Health to create a new health order that contains modifications from the previous health orders released. With the new Health Director’s Order comes two separate mandates and recommended best practices documents for schools to follow for competitions. If practices aren’t followed the OHSAA could issue consequences for the violation of these requirements as prescribed in Bylaw 11, Penalties. The new health order will still include symptom assessments, mandated facial coverings, enforcement of social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing, and what to do when faced with confirmed COVID-19 cases or exposure to the virus. The finalized health order will be sent to schools this week.

    Bob Goldring, the OHSAA’s Interim Executive Director, also voiced his support of contact sports being allowed to compete in Ohio.

    “The OHSAA is moving forward because we want kids to have an opportunity to participate, and the Governor’s Office is providing that opportunity and a chance,” Goldring explained, “So for that, we are most appreciative. It’s important to remember that our student-athletes have been practicing and training with others for weeks and even months, and it has gone well. So, we believe they deserve the chance to move forward, and that the high school space is also different than the collegiate space.”

    The OHSAA staff has also been consistently working hard to create sport-specific modifications and recommendations for schools when conducting interscholastic competition.  If you would like to read over the updated sports modifications and safety precautions you can click on the following link:https://ohsaa.org/Home/OHSAA-COVID-19-Correspondence.

    OHSAA’s Goldring, like Governor DeWine, when speaking on Tuesday also emphasized the importance of student-athletes, coaches, and school administrators being the absolute best advocates for safety.

    “COVID-19 certainly has created a risk factor, and that is something on which each family has to decide for their student, and each local school district has to make decisions on moving forward based on all the information they have been presented,” Goldring continued. “But we also believe our student-athletes, coaches and school administrators – in education-based programs – are suited to be the best advocates for safety, strongly promoting and following mandates and recommendations to wear facial coverings, stay socially distanced and so forth. Our coaches, especially, are role models to so many of our student-athletes. So hopefully our student-athletes will follow their lead and guidance, especially when they talk to students about what to consider away from school.”

    If you would like to look over the full text from Tuesday’s updated memo sent to the OHSAA’s member schools visit the following link: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/BulletinBoard/20200818AdministratorUpdate.pdf

    OHSAA’s Fall Sports Seasons are Scheduled to Begin on the Following Dates:

       Friday, Aug. 21 – Soccer and Field Hockey

       Monday, Aug. 24 – Volleyball, Cross Country, and Football

       Both Golf and Girls Tennis Seasons have already begun.

    Have more questions about the new sports health orders and mandates? The Governor’s Office, the Ohio Department of Health, the National Federation of State High School Associations, colleagues at other state high school athletics/activities associations, members of the OHSAA’s Joint Advisory Committee on Sports Medicine, and members of the Governor’s Sports League Advisory Group created a series of questions and answers for those wanting to learn more! Click on the following link to read:https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Sports/2020/OHSAAReturnToPlayQA.pdf.

    For the latest updates in the world of sports be sure to tune into Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!

  • LHS Athletics Enter Into Phase 3 of “Skills Practice”

    LHS Athletics Enter Into Phase 3 of “Skills Practice”

    LHS’s Athletic Director, Brian Conatser

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Its been a tough road for athletes all across Ohio in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Competitions have been canceled, sports seasons have been postponed, and in-person practicing has been banned. Although this new normal has been hard on many high school athletes and coaches, many were glad to hear that the Ohio Governor and Health Department’s Responsible Restart Ohio implemented a “three-phase process” that would ease both athletes and coaches back into practicing and competing.

    LHS’s Athletic Director, Brian Conatser, couldn’t be happier to get the Tiger Athletes and Coaches back into LHS’s athletic facilities, but in the safest way possible!

    “We are in Phase 3 of our skills practice which will last until July 6th,” Conatser explained, “Once we get more guidance from the Ohio Governor and OHSAA, we will move forward with those restrictions and guidelines.”
    On June 1st, LHS opened its Athletic Facilities in accordance with the OHSAA skills training guidelines.
    “Our coaches are extremely committed to working with the Athletic Department to implement COVID-19 procedures and guidelines. As an Athletic Department, we walked through the process as a team, fine-tuning our plan prior to our athletes returning to campus,” Conatser said, “The plan is extremely thorough and detailed, as the safety of our student-athletes and coaches are our primary concern.”
    Conatser provided the guidelines given to him by OHSAA that both coaches and student-athletes are following as they begin to return to athletics.
    1. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the 2020-21 Final Forms COVID-19 waiver prior to the 1st training session.
    2. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the LHS COVID-19 Self-Evaluation Google Form every day prior to each skills training session.
    3. Social distancing includes a 6-foot separation.  Entrances and Exits are outlined and over-communicated to avoid congregation and lingering of student-athletes.
    4. Facial coverings must be worn when in the building (gyms, fitness center, athletic training room). Facial coverings may be removed during the training session.
    5. Sanitation products and stations are located at the entry and exit of our inside facilities. We also ask EVERY student to bring: Water bottle, Sanitation wipes, Hand sanitizer, and Facial covering.
    6. All equipment, balls, etc. must be wiped down at the beginning and end of each training session.
    7. Three phases:  Phase 1: May 26th – June 8th / Phase 2:  June 9th – June 22nd / Phase 3: June 23rd – July 6th

    Conatser gave credit to Loveland’s student-athletes, coaches, and parents for playing such an important role in the three-phase process.

    “From parents dropping off their kids in designated spots to everyone following the COVID-19 guidelines. The coaches deserve an overwhelming amount of credit,” Conatser said, “These outstanding professionals make sure their programs have all of the information well ahead of time via communication from ZOOM, Google Hangout, email, Twitter, etc. We are looking forward to a safe and productive summer of skill training.”

    For more Loveland Tiger sports updates stay tuned to the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!

  • LHS Begins Three-Phrase Process in Reopening of Athletic Facilities

    LHS Begins Three-Phrase Process in Reopening of Athletic Facilities

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – The time has finally come to begin the reopening of high school athletic facilities! Loveland High School announced last Thursday on their school website that they would begin a three-phase process following and according to the guidelines given by the OHSAA for the reopening of their athletic facilities, which began on June 1st.

    After the initial announcement, Loveland’s Athletic Department reassured the community that they have been in communication with all teams about the expectations and guidelines so that all of the student-athletes and coaches are both protected and safe.

    Loveland High School Athletic Director Brian Conaster

    LHS’s Athletic Director, Brian Conatser, explained more in-depth as to what the three-phrase reopening process entails and what his Athletic Department is going to do to ensure the safety of Loveland’s student-athletes and coaches.

    “This is a three-phase process that follows the Ohio Governor and Health Department’s Responsible Restart Ohio. Our coaches are extremely committed to working with the Athletic Department to implement the COVID-19 procedures and guidelines,” Conatser explained, “As an Athletic Department, we walked through the process as a team, fine-tuning our plan prior to our athletes returning to campus. The plan is extremely thorough and detailed, as the safety of our student-athletes and coaches are our primary concern.  Here are a few guidelines that our coaches and student-athletes are taking as we begin our return to high school athletics;
    1. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the 2020-21 Final Forms COVID-19 waiver prior to the 1st training session.
    2. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the LHS COVID-19 Self-Evaluation Google Form every day prior to each skills training session.
    3. Social distancing includes a 6-foot separation. Entrances and Exits are outlined and over-communicated to avoid congregation and lingering of student-athletes.
    4. Facial coverings must be worn when in the building (gyms, fitness center, athletic training room). Facial coverings may be removed during the training session.
    5. Sanitation products and stations are located at the entry and exit of our inside facilities.  We also ask EVERY student to bring: Water bottle, Sanitation wipes, Hand sanitizer, and Facial covering.
    6. All equipment, balls, etc. must be wiped down at the beginning and end of each training session.
    7. Three phases: Phase 1: May 26th – June 8th / Phase 2:  June 9th – June 22nd / Phase 3: June 23rd – July 6th”

    Conatser told us that June 1st was a great day to be a Tiger because all of LHS’s student-athletes, coaches, and parents played such an important role in the reopening process.

    “From parents dropping off their kids in designated spots to everyone following the COVID-19 guidelines, day one was a success,” Conatser said, “The coaches deserve an overwhelming amount of credit! These outstanding professionals made sure their programs had ALL of the information well ahead of time via communication for ZOOM, Google Hangout, Email, Twitter, etc. We are looking forward to a safe and productive summer of skill training. Welcome back TigerNation! Go Tigers!”

    Here at Loveland Magazine, we are so happy to see the Tigers able to train and eventually compete again! We wish all the athletes and coaches the best of luck! Train Hard and Run Like a Tiger! Stay tuned for the latest Loveland Sports 411 with me, Cassie Mattia!