Our approach to community

The school is here to support its community during these special times. Whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member, we have dedicated teams to help you in the academic and work dimensions and in learning what to do if you become at risk of contracting COVID-19. Three focal points have been established: Life at Nova supports students, Faculty Affairs supports faculty, and People & Culture support staff. This way, we aim to efficiently react while prioritizing our community's safety and health and ensuring the best learning experience by maintaining the presential classes and activities.

How can we help you?

Focal points help you with the whole process, from learning what to do in the first place to accessing testing for COVID-19 at better conditions, and at the same time, assisting our community's well-being. We also support you in understanding the procedures for when you miss classes or exams due to quarantine or illness.

We highly encourage every member of our community to act responsibly and reach out to the respective team in case of symptoms, confirmed infection, or high-risk contact. This way, the school can provide the most accurate information to avoid panic and possible mismanagement of the disease. By tracing the contacts, we can slow down the spreading of the virus in our community.

Ask for help

STUDENTS
Life at Nova
lifeatnova@novasbe.pt

FACULTY
Faculty Affairs
faculty.affairs@novasbe.pt

STAFF
People & Culture
peopleandculture@novasbe.pt

What should I do if…

  • Stay at home or go home while minimizing contact with other people. If on campus, you can go to the isolation room behind the Welcome Desk and from there call the SNS24 hotline
  • Call the SNS24 hotline for guidance on what to do. Only health authorities can access your situation and advise you accordingly
  • Follow SNS24's advice. If there is suspicion of COVID-19, please keep the school informed of your situation. We will follow up with you regularly to check how you are feeling
  • If you wish to get tested, check the information about the testing protocols below.
  • Do not come to campus until you are cleared.
  • Stay at home or go home while minimizing contact with other people. If on campus, you can go to the isolation room behind the Welcome Desk and take some time to organize yourself. Avoid public transport at all costs
  • Isolate yourself and call the SNS24 hotline for guidance, particularly regarding the people you live with. Only health authorities can access your situation and advise you accordingly
  • Inform the school of your situation. The pivot team will call you to check on you and better understand your circumstances, namely, to understand if you have been in contact with other members of our community who must be informed (high-risk contact tracing). We will follow up with you regularly
  • Ask for a quarantine declaration in case you need to present it to validate your absence from exams or assessments
  • Do not go to campus until the health authorities clear you
  • Call the SNS24 hotline – First and foremost, you must understand whether the contact you have had with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 is of high or low-risk exposure. Only health authorities can accurately assess the level of risk accurately that you were exposed to and make a recommendation on how to proceed.
    - If the contact was a low risk one, you will most likely be advised to continue with your daily life while self-monitoring your health status, paying extra attention to any potential symptoms
    - If the contact was a high-risk one, you will most likely be advised to stay in isolation for 10 days. You might also be advised to get tested or not, depending on your situation. The health authorities will regularly check on you, and you might be told to get tested if you present symptoms.
  • Inform the school of your situation so that the Life at Nova team can send you relevant information to guide you and follow up with you regularly
  • Do not come to campus until health authorities clear you
  • If you are a student, inform your course instructors in case you need to miss classes and ask for instructions to watch live-streamed classes. If you must miss an exam or assessment, please inform lifeatnova@novasbe.pt, and the team will guide you through the processes
  • If you are a faculty member, inform Faculty Affairs to align the best solution in case you must cancel or move to online classes or adjust vigilance in exams. Inform your students of any changes to classes on your courses

What exactly do we do to help you?

  • Let us know of your situation via email or phone for personalized support
  • Your pivot team will send detailed information on how to proceed and follow up on your situation regularly
  • In any case, you should stay home until you have more clarity of your situation. If on campus, you can use the isolation room behind the Welcome Desk
  • Get in touch with SNS24 and confirm how you should proceed
  • According to the health authorities' protocol, a high-risk contact is someone who has had a high-level of exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19 and does not have a completed vaccination scheme, or that has a complete vaccination scheme but lives in close proximity to the confirmed case (for instance, sharing a room).
  • High-level of exposure (taken place in the 48h before the first symptoms or positive test result of the confirmed case):
    • Face-to-face contact, less than 1 meter apart, regardless of the duration of the exposure;
    • Face-to-face contact, between 1 and 2 meters apart and for 15 minutes or more (sequential or cumulative, for a period of 24h);
    • Contact in a closed environment, for 15 minutes or more.
  • The health authorities are the best entity to provide accurate support in accessing the level of risk of exposure, so you should call the SNS24 hotline
  • The Life at Nova team will run a survey over the phone to help you identify high-risk contacts you might've had at Nova SBE
  • The Life at Nova team, and other key teams, will reach out to all direct contacts providing information on how to proceed as well as personalized support
  • The aim of tracing high-risk contacts is to accelerate the process done by the health authorities and guarantee that all risk people are informed and advised as soon as possible in order to minimize the probability of contagion

Contingency Plan

This document aims to disclose the essential aspects established by NOVA University Lisbon (NOVA) regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It informs Nova SBE’s community about this new disease, which measures are available to prevent and control the infection, and what are the procedures and measures to adopt when identifying suspected and/or confirmed cases. 
 

NOVA SBE CONTINGENCY PLAN

UNL CONTINGENCY PLAN

Get tested for COVID-19

The widespread access to testing is an important tool to fight the pandemic. Testing can save lives because it helps identify confirmed cases and notify people they came into contact with. This way, treatments can start in a timely fashion, and the disease's severity can be reduced. However, it must be used with reasonability and based on accurate information whilst following the health authorities' protocol above all. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • The health authorities' protocol advises that high-risk direct contacts should be tested up to five days after the last contact with someone who tested positive and then again after ten days. This way, the probability of accurately identifying the disease is higher
  • If tested negative in both tests, high-risk direct contacts must quarantine for ten days or fourteen days if no test is undertaken. Quarantine is mandatory regardless of testing negative
  • High-risk direct contacts should call the SNS24 hotline (808 24 24 24) reporting your situation and following the official recommendations for your specific case
  • The Portuguese health system subsidizes testing for high-risk contacts. After a formal report to the health authorities (SNS24), a prescription is sent for PCR test, exempting the user from the test cost
  • There are different types of tests used for detecting COVID-19. The most common are PCR and antigen tests (for more information, see below). Only tests by health practitioners can be certified, and typically those are the ones used for official purposes. Self-tests are not certified and, therefore, only valid in specific contexts (for instance, access to hotels when done on premisses and validated by hotel staff)
  • Testing does not eliminate the need for precaution. Even if you test negative, you should maintain all safety measures
  • A negative result means that the likelihood of being infected is low. However, tests are not 100 % accurate, and false negatives may occur

Free Rapid Antigen Tests

To access free testing, a Portuguese Health System number is required.

As part of the ongoing national testing strategy, there is widespread access to rapid antigen tests within most cities in Portugal. These free tests can be done in pharmacies and labs – please note that most places require that you make an appointment first to undertake them. Each person is only allowed to take four free tests per month.

Free testing, however, is not available for the following individuals:

  • People with a vaccination certificate (certifying the holder's complete vaccination scheme for at least 14 days with one of the vaccines against COVID-19 approved by the European Union – Comirnaty, Vaxzevria, Janssen, Moderna)
  • People with a recovery certificate (certifying that the holder has recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection, following a positive result from a test undertaken more than 11 days ago and less than 180 days)
  • Children under 12 years old

Some cities also offer their own free testing programs. Namely:

  • Lisbon – The Municipality of Lisbon provides free, unlimited tests to all residents and non-residents through a mass testing operation. These tests can be done in selected pharmacies and mobile testing stations (information on mobile testing stations changes weekly and can be found on the official Municipality of Lisbon's website – search for "Testagem massiva gratuita à COVID-19")
  • Cascais – The Municipality of Cascais has a testing campaign in place with a permanent testing site (at FIARTIL -  Av. Amaral, 2765-192 Estoril, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, from Monday to Friday) and mobile testing stations (the schedules and locations change every week). These free tests are available to people who live, work, or study in Cascais, and proof of that is required if you wish to get tested at the permanent testing site. Here are a few examples of what you need to bring with you depending on your situation:
    - Residents – household bills (water, electricity, gas, telephone, television), proof of tax domicile in Cascais, etc.
    - Workers – social security statement, salary receipt, a statement from the employer, etc.
    - Students – a student ID card, proof of enrollment (of the current academic year)
  • Oeiras – The Municipality of Oeiras has a free testing campaign available for residents. Each person can be tested twice per month (with a 14-day interval) and must present proof of residence (household bills, for instance). People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days are not eligible. These tests can take place in selected pharmacies or in a mobile testing station (whose schedules and locations change every week). All the information is available here (in Portuguese only).

Rapid Antigen Test

The SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test detects the presence of the nucleocapsid antigen, which means the tests detect the presence of the virus in the body. It is also performed using a swab. The result takes 15-20 mins. The clinical sensitivity of these tests has been improving, and the health authorities now approve them. However, the sensitivity level is lower than for PCR Tests, which means that the test is more likely to have false-negative results than the PCR.

  • Location: NOVA Medical School – Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, 130, 1169-056 Lisboa
  • Opening Hours: From Monday to Friday, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm
  • Price: 15€ (to be paid at Nova Medical School - NMS)
Register here

PCR Test

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method for detecting the genetic material of viruses, which measures the presence of the virus in the body. It is performed by using a swab. The result takes 24-48 hours. These are the "gold standard" tests for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.  

  • Location: NOVA Medical School – Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, 130, Lisbon
  • Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8.15 am-2.45 pm; Saturday, 8.15 am-10.45 am.
  • Price: 50€ (to be paid at NOVA Medical School – NMS)
Register here

Other Testing Options

IMUNOLAB

  • Rapid Antigen Tests – 18€
  • Selected labs (see below)

 

Imunolab Sede – Av. General Roçadas, 66C – 21 815 34 06 (12.00 am-6.00 pm)

Imunolab Picoas – Rua das Picoas 12, r/c – 21 353 04 46 (from Monday to Thursday, 8.00 am-12.00 pm and 1.30 pm-6.00 pm; Fridays from 8.00 am to 12.00 pm)

Imunolab Carcavelos – Rua Dr. Marques da Mata, n.º 151 R/C – 21 457 52 62 (2.00 pm-5.00 pm)

Imunolab S. Domingos de Rana – Estrada da Rebelva, 1216, Loja E, 2775-595 São Domingos de Rana – 21 453 65 43 (8.00 am-12.00 pm and 2.00 pm-5.00 pm)

Imunolab Pragal – Rua Galileu Saúde Correia, n.º 20, Loja A – 21 272 22 60 (2.00 pm-5.00 pm)

Imunolab Queluz – Av. da Liberdade n.º 23, Loja B – 21 430 26 55 (2.00 pm-5:00 pm)

Tracing High Risk contacts

Play your part in stopping the contagion

Tracing high-risk contacts is a process that the health authorities follow with everyone who tests positive and is a key measure to stop the spreading of COVID-19. According to the Portuguese health authorities, all high-risk contacts must quarantine for 14 days after the positive person's last contact, even if testing negative.

At Nova SBE, we track and proactively reach out to the high-risk contacts to facilitate and accelerate this process. In particular, in peak periods of the pandemic, health authorities have a lag in the process, and this additional time is critical to stop the contagion among our community. Everyone who might have been in a high-risk contact based on the confirmed case's answers is contacted by the school and receives guidelines on how to proceed. This way, everyone who might have been in high-risk contact with someone who tested positive can proactively reach out to the health authorities to confirm their level of exposure, take the necessary measures, and start their isolation before risking spreading the virus, if needed. The school aims to provide the most accurate information, thus easing stressful situations.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Cleaning and Disinfection

It is important to emphasize that the campus is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every Sunday and whenever there is a report of a positive case on campus. The rooms and places where this person has been are sanitized as soon as the case is reported.

Well-being

Maintaining a healthy mind is essential in times like these. A site was launched to foster our community's well-being and help people keep up with useful activities during isolation, such as physical exercise and meditation. It also includes links to online shops and learning platforms to increase the productivity of the days spent at home. If help is needed, or just want to discuss well-being issues, contact sdw@novasbe.pt.

THRIVE

Specific information for Faculty

In case the professor needs to be isolated, he/she:

  • Informs students about the online classes and sends them the hyperlink
  • If TAs need to be isolated, they must coordinate with the course professor who will take over  the classes
  • If the professor needs to be isolated, he/she must coordinate with the Program's Academic Director and inform the Master's Program Manager

In case students need to be isolated, they:

  • Remain in quarantine and take the exam
    - Life at Nova supports them
    - The Special Requests Team justifies their absence
    - Students contact the professor and ask for alternative evaluation
  • Need to attend classes from home if in quarantine
  • Must contact the professor and ask for a hyperlink to watch the class through live streaming

In case an alternative evaluation is required, the authorization is attributed by the Pedagogical Council. The alternative evaluation (format) is arranged by the Pedagogical Council and the course professor. If the professor needs to miss the exam, he/she should inform Faculty Affairs so that an alternative for proctoring can be found.

Bachelor's, Master's & Ph.D.'s

Back to Campus Guide

This document will be used as a General Guideline for the Academic and Campus Life during the Fall Semester of 2020/21 for the Nova SBE community. 

See document
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