COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Clarion West will be using state and federal CDC guidelines, information available on the Washington State COVID-19 Data Dashboard, and the comfort and needs of our students, staff, and instructors to determine our on-the-ground protocols throughout the summer. 

Mutual respect and health and safety remain priority goals. Students and instructors will have an opportunity to discuss additional COVID-19 health and safety concerns when setting community guidelines and update policies to meet the needs of the group. 

Vaccinations

All staff, students, and instructors, except those with a medically documented condition, must have up-to-date vaccination and at least one booster (if eligible). See travel information links below for international travelers. 

Clarion West is happy to work with you on a case-by-case basis to determine the best ways to obtain vaccinations or boosters. 

Masks

Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, but not required, for vaccinated attendees in common areas. We expect attendees will be unmasked while eating or drinking.

Clarion West will keep a supply of masks on site, but requests students plan to bring or obtain their own. KN95 and N95 masks are recommended.

We recommend wearing high-quality masks (N95s or KN95s) as much as possible during travel to the workshop to avoid exposure.

Testing

We will plan to test all participants upon arrival on campus, and again 3-5 days after their arrival. It is important that you remain masked and do not enter your apartment until you receive a rapid test result.

Beyond that, we will at minimum ask participants to test whenever symptoms develop or after an exposure. 

We may also ask all participants to test when: 

• A classmate has tested positive
• An event venue or host requests for attendees to test (at least one of our 2024 summer party hosts has made this request)

Clarion West will provide up to 3 rapid tests per person, but we ask that participants bring or purchase their own tests, especially if they are able to obtain free kits before arriving. 

Additional Precautions

Additional precautions may vary, depending on the situation with COVID-19 variants and transmission rates in Washington State, as well as all related State and Federal Guidelines.

In general, Clarion West plans the following common-sense health precautions: 

• Clarion West will have air purifiers in place in the classroom with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation filters in place. 
• Clarion West will provide hand sanitizer in all common areas and for individual apartments. (We highly encourage hand washing over sanitizer whenever possible!)
• Increased COVID-19 transmission rates or new guidelines may result in additional precautions, including, but not limited to:
  • Rapid testing: weekly rapid tests for students, instructors, and staff.
  • Distancing: additional distancing and ventilation in the classroom.
  • Masks: required in all common areas and classrooms.
  • Meals: students may be encouraged to take all meals from the dining hall to outdoor terraces or other well-ventilated areas.
  • Events: cancellation of public events.

Public events 

Clarion West typically holds two optional public events each week, including a reading every Tuesday night with that week’s instructor & Friday evening gatherings with limited capacity in indoor or large capacity outdoor locations. Students are encouraged to mask at events and follow any masking policy of the venues and hosts. 

Activities outside Clarion West

Students will be expected to follow any local guidance on masking when traveling off campus. We will be encouraging using high-quality (KN95/N95) masks on public transit and in crowded indoor areas. We highly recommend eating in outdoor or open-air venues over indoors.

When in doubt, Clarion West will follow UW COVID guidelines: University of Washington COVID-19 Policy and Guidance Summary (PDF).

International Travel

If you will be traveling to Seattle from out of the country, you should check the USA.gov travel advisories to make sure you are up-to-date with entry requirements on vaccinations and testing. You can find up-to-date policies here: COVID-19 International Travel Policies.

Testing Positive While Attending Clarion West

What happens if you test positive for COVID-19 while at Clarion West?

• If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, Clarion West will follow the isolation protocols laid out by the CDC as of May 11, 2023. This may include up to five days of quarantine in your room or in a dorm room set aside in the same building. 
• If you are in quarantine and cannot attend class, Clarion West staff will work with you to be sure you aren’t missing anything, up to and including creating a hybrid class option during your quarantine. 
• Clarion West staff will monitor you and bring you food and over-the-counter medications, as needed. 
• If you need to visit a doctor, Clarion West staff will bring you to your appointment.