BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — All students, faculty, and staff attending the University at Buffalo this semester are mandated to take a daily health screening. The university said it's a way of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and detecting potential cases.
The questionnaire asks about COVID-19 symptoms, positive test results, contact with positive individuals without wearing a mask, and travel outside of New York State. It takes approximately 30 seconds to complete.
This is the mandatory Daily Health Check all @UBuffalo students, staff, and faculty have to complete. PhD students I spoke with on campus say the university is taking the right steps, but worry some students might not tell the truth or skip the survey completely. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/CNv9HnIe4b
— Gilat Melamed (@gilat_melamed) August 18, 2020
The final step is printing out or taking a screenshot of the below message. UB said you may be asked to show proof that you were cleared to be on campus for that day.
Answering "yes," to whether you have traveled to a hot zone or have symptoms triggers a message stating the person must quarantine, get tested, and cannot be on campus. The school asks for contact information to follow up.
Visitors must also complete the health screening. Students and faculty are required to complete it even on days they're not on campus.
Fifth year PhD student Ali Alshehri said UB is doing a good job at implementing COVID-19 protocol, but is not sure how effective the survey will be.
“I’m not very confident to be honest because it's not, it doesn’t seem to be… there isn’t a way to check that actually students who are coming to campus are actually doing it,” he said.
Scott Laing, a fifth year PhD student questioned how honest respondents would be, and admitted he probably would not take the survey everyday.
“I think kids lie a lot, I mean if you just went to Pennsylvania would you really disclose that on this, if you went back to visit your parents real quick," he said. "Because if you had a denial, then you’re kind of stuck.”
According to UB's COVID-19 student compliance policy, social distancing must be maintained, and masks must be worn in public spaces at all times, including outdoors.
