FHL is located on an island only accessible by vessel or plane. Thanks in part to early, proactive county regulations designed to minimize the risk of COVID-19 introduction from the mainland, the island has experienced a relatively low incidence of the disease. Thus the elements of the FHL plan that are arguably the most critical to its success are those aimed at incoming (especially unvaccinated) visitors: a combination of self-quarantine and viral testing before and after arrival designed to catch cases before they get to the island or if they do get here, before they spread.

A note about vaccination status: under the FHL COVID Prevention Plan, a fully vaccinated individual is one who has provided FHL with documentation of having completed the recommended dosage of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks prior to arrival at FHL. Acceptable vaccines include any that have been authorized for emergency use or approved by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO). See the linked websites for applicable lists.

Viral Testing Options

ALL VISITING INDIVIDUALS (Regardless of Vaccination Status)

If you are visiting as a participant in a conference, field trip, or retreat at FHL, please refer instead to the rules & procedures communicated to you by the group organizer/leader. 

Before Arrival

For the 14 days prior to departure, monitor yourself and household members for symptoms of illness. Please cancel or postpone your visit to FHL if anyone is experiencing any of the following symptoms:

    • A new fever (100.4 F or higher) or a sense of having a fever
    • A new cough that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • New shortness of breath that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • A new sore throat that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • New muscle pain that cannot be attributed to another health condition or to a specific activity, such as physical exercise
    • New gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • New respiratory symptoms, such as a runny nose, that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • New chills that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • New loss of taste or smell that cannot be attributed to another health condition
    • A new headache that cannot be attributed to another health condition or emotional reason

After Arrival

See During Your Stay

UNVACCINATED VISITORS ONLY – Additional Steps

If you are visiting as a participant in a conference, field trip, or retreat at FHL, please refer instead to the rules & procedures communicated to you by the group organizer/leader. 

Before Arrival

  1. For 14 days before departure, please self-quarantine as much as possible, staying at home except for trips needed for essential services.
  2. Before departure, obtain a COVID-19 viral test. If results at your location are reliably being reported within a day or two, have the test done within three days (72 hours) of departure; if results are taking longer, have the test done as near to your departure date as possible while still being sure you will have results by the day before your arrival.
  3. Email documentation (may be a screenshot) of your test results to the FHL Visitors Coordinator.  The documentation must include your name, the sample date, and the test results.
  4. If you plan to get the recommended post-arrival COVID-19 test to shorten your quarantine period at FHL to seven days, order a kit from Pixel by LabCorps (see details on our page on viral testing options). If you’d like, you may order the kit sent to FHL in your name, and we will hold it for you.
  5. To minimize the need for shopping while here, pack as many supplies (toiletries, nonperishable foods, etc.) as you can take with you.  We also recommend you pack a personal thermometer.

Upon Arrival

You are under quarantine for your first 10 days at FHL or your first seven days if you present the negative results of a viral test performed at least three days after your arrival. Post-arrival testing is not required but is strongly recommended.

TESTING (recommended)

If you do not test, you will be in quarantine for your first 10 days at FHL.

  1. Plan to take your sample on a weekday morning at least 72 hours after arriving at FHL.
  2. A day or more ahead of time, email Peggy in the Stockroom to let her know that you will need a FedEx pickup on the day you take your sample; Peggy will make arrangements with FedEx Express to pick up your completed test kit to be flown off island.
  3. After you take your sample and pack it up following the instructions that came with the kit, drop off the envelope outside the stockroom before noon.
  4. When you receive the results of your test, send the email documentation (may be a screenshot) to the FHL Visitors Coordinator.  The documentation must include your name, the sample date, and the test results. If results are negative, you are out of quarantine; if positive, contact Bernadette immediately to make arrangements for isolation.

QUARANTINE RULES & PROCEDURES (ADDITIONAL TO ‘DURING YOUR STAY’ PROCEDURES)

  • Go to town only for groceries, toiletries, and medications; the three retail establishments allowed are King’s, Marketplace, and Friday Harbor Drug.
  • Make any visit to town as short as possible.
  • Other than essential town visits, limit trips off campus to outdoor excursions; during these trips, maintain distance from island residents.
  • Wear a face covering at all times on campus, except when you are in your own bedroom, eating/drinking, or taking a shower.
  • At all times, maintain at least six feet distance from all persons.
  • THE ONLY FHL BUILDINGS YOU MAY ENTER ARE YOUR HOUSING UNIT AND THE BUILDING WITH YOUR PERSONALLY ASSIGNED LAB OR STUDY SPACE, IF YOU HAVE ONE. DO NOT ENTER ANY OTHER FHL INDOOR SPACES, including common bathrooms, the entire Fernald top floor, Lecture Hall, Commons, Computer Building, Stockroom, Student Shop, Whiteley Center central area, and common lab spaces; this means no use of shared equipment such as CT scanner, confocal microscope, TEM/SEM scopes, and flumes.
  • If you have an assigned lab space or Whiteley study space, limit yourself in the building to that space and the route necessary to access the space.
  • Do not enter the Stockroom to retrieve packages; all parcels from USPS, UPS, and FedEx will be placed on a table outside the Stockroom entrance, and remain available there Mon-Fri, 8-5. If a package arrives for you, Peggy will let you know by email.
  • If you need an item from the Stockroom, call Peggy Combs during work hours (206-616-0697; Mon-Fri, 8-5) for assistance.
  • Use only the bathroom in your housing unit.

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