COVID-19 UPDATES

The intent is for in-person classes to begin at the start of the semester on January 10, but we will take a hybrid approach to in-person lectures which will be phased in as much as current island conditions will allow. Hybrid learning consists of online lectures and exams, with students coming to campus in person for lab courses. Students are permitted to be on campus for online activity if internet connectivity at home prevents a sufficient learning environment.  

Our campus is open and operational. As we continue to comply with CDC and WHO guidelines and recommendations, strict safety protocols have been implemented to mitigate risks and maximize the well-being of the Ross Vet community.  All students will be expected to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols as communicated by RUSVM, which may include social distancing protocols and wearing masks.  

Class schedules are released for all students the Friday before the first day of the new semester. For January, you should expect your schedule to be available by Friday, January 7, 2022. 

Ross Vet uses a cohort model. All students in each cohort take the same classes. For Vet Prep through Semester 3, Ross Vet will register eligible students for classes. Beginning in Semester 4, eligible students may select additional electives.  

There are several ways for you to connect with future classmates. One of the easiest ways to connect is to join one of Ross Vet’s private Facebook groups. If you haven’t received any invites yet, please reach out to our Student Experience Team at StudentExperience@rossvet.edu.kn. 

We ask that Vet Prep and Semester One students arrive on the island between December 31, 2021, and January 3, 2022. These cohorts should be prepared to participate in orientation activities in person on campus on January 6, 2022, and thus plan their arrival accordingly. 

Yes. While the borders are open, you can move when you feel it is safe to do so. You are strongly encouraged to review https://www.stkittstourism.kn/ for up-to-date travel information and St. Kitts entry requirements.  

Current St. Kitts COVID-19 protocols do now allow us to meet students at the airport upon arrival. There are COVID-19 approved taxis available at the airport that will take you to your quarantine site.

• Ground Transportation is available at the airport to transport travelers to your quarantine site, apartment, or campus residences as applicable.
• You can also arrange with your hotel for pick up options.
• Incoming passengers will be transported to their accommodations via Travel Approved taxi operators who have been certified by the St. Kitts or Nevis Tourism Authority via the “Travel Approved” program. Each vehicle must have a visible “St. Kitts & Nevis Travel Approved Seal” on its windshield.  Only “St. Kitts & Nevis Travel Approved” vehicles can collect passengers upon arrival at the airport. Please note that all incoming travelers to the destination must have taxi fare. 

Currently, we are strongly encouraging you to not bring pets to the island. We understand the difficult decision to potentially leave your pet behind and your desire to have your pet with you on your veterinary journey, but only the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the government, Dr. Lesroy Henry, can permit your pet to come to St. Kitts due to the current COVID-19 protocols. The CVO is permitting pets to return to the island on a case-by-case basis. An application is required for pets and service animals. Individual St. Kitts resorts and hotels may have different guidelines. You must receive authorization before booking a ticket. For more information, e-mail skbvet12@gmail.com.  You are asked to contact Dr. Henry at Lesroyh@hotmail.com. 

For assistance bringing a Service Animal or an Emotional Support Animal approved through the Office of Student Disability Services (with accommodation notification letter) to campus please contact David Satterlee at dsatterlee@rossvet.edu.kn. 

For Commercial Flights:  Both airline rules and approval from the St. Kitts Chief Veterinary Officer will determine if you can bring your pet to St. Kitts. For more information, email quarantineassistantstk@gmail.com. 

Please be advised that commercial airlines may have separate guidelines and requirements necessary for travel to St. Kitts with a service animal, emotional support/therapy animal, or pet.  An airline’s approval or categorization of an animal is separate and apart from Ross Vet’s jurisdiction and recognition.  Any categorization of this type would not be valid under Ross Vet policy. 

The borders are open and the decision to have others accompany you is ultimately your decision. Please be sure to visit St. Kitts Tourism to review all current government protocols for entering the country.    

Yes. All travelers to St. Kitts are required to be screened and tested for COVID-19 before departing for St. Kitts. Only test results acquired less than 72 hours before the date of travel will be considered valid. Please note, acceptable COVID-19 RT-PCR tests must be taken by nasopharyngeal sample. Self-samples, rapid tests, or home tests will be considered invalid. Visit https://www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-requirements for more information. 

As of December 11, 2021, fully vaccinated travelers are not required to quarantine as long as they have proof of a negative or ‘not detected’ COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their arrival. You may fully integrate into the Federation upon arrival and passing through the regular Immigration and Customs checkpoints. Visit https://www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-requirements for more information.

If you are not fully vaccinated, you can expect a minimum 9-day quarantine. Visit https://www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-requirements for more information.

A list of available hotels to quarantine at is available at https://www.stkittstourism.kn/travel-requirements.  

If you wish to stay at a private rental home or condo, it must be pre-approved as quarantine housing by the government. To explore this option, you can submit your request to info@stkittstourism.kn.  

Students may not quarantine at campus residences. 

Yes, local businesses in St. Kitts are open. Customers must follow each business’s safety protocols and face masks continue to be required by the St. Kitts Government in all public spaces. 

Yes, the same protocols are required for all travelers entering St. Kitts. As announced on May 29, 2021, only fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed entry to the Federation. Exemptions are in place for Citizens and Residents of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis and children under the age of 18 coming from international destinations. As a student, you are considered a Resident and thus subject to the traveler quarantine periods stated in a previous question. All Travel Protocols and Requirements remain in place for the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis. Please see the St. Kitts Tourism webpage for all entry protocols. 

RUSVM VACCINE POLICY 

All Ross Vet students must show proof of vaccination by September 30, 2021. This means you have had a single-dose vaccine (such as J&J) or two-dose vaccine (such as Pfizer, Moderna, or Oxford-AstraZeneca) and it has been 14 days since your final vaccine. 

New incoming January 2022 semester students must provide proof of compliance with the policy before attending the first day of class, whether virtual or in person. To comply with the policy, all students must log in to the RUSVM Safe App to either submit proof of vaccination or confirm you applied for an exemption from equity@adtalem.com (for vaccine accessibility and religious accommodations) or rossvetosds@adtalem.com (for disability accommodations). You will receive your credentials to log into the RUSVM Safe App later. Please note, if you’ve already had COVID-19 or have the COVID-19 antibodies because of getting COVID-19, you are still required to adhere to the Mandatory Vaccination Policy. 

The RUSVM Safe App is available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store. 

After you submit photocopies of your visa documents to your New Student Coordinator, gather the original documents and photocopies and place them in a folder or envelope. You will need these documents once you get to St. Kitts. We recommend you bring these documents in your carry-on.  

Your student visa will be processed by the Ministry of National Security in St. Kitts AFTER you have arrived on the island. You will be asked to submit your passport and it will be returned to you with an official student visa stamp affixed to it. The visa will be valid for the duration of your studies on the island. 

At the airport, you must present proof of vaccination to the Health Desk upon arrival to St. Kitts and Nevis.   

Email Colleen Govia at cgovia@rossvet.edu.kn. with any questions.  

It depends. Student VIPs must meet the government resident guidelines. For those students traveling with a VIP, please reach out David Satterlee at dsatterlee@rossvet.edu.kn. Ross Vet can assist you with your compliance with the government resident guidelines.  

Incoming students are encouraged to live on campus for their first term only as space permits. Students with a family, children, a pet over 35lbs, or with multiple pets must live off-campus. Students with a special request could also live off-campus. 

Students in the January 2022 class who apply to live on campus, your application will be handled on a first come first served basis and as space permits. Once we have reached our capacity on campus, the remaining students will be notified via email. Dereka Thompson is available to answer any of your application questions. 

When looking for an apartment off-campus: 

Determine your budget 

Decide whether you want to live alone or with a roommate 

Determine the location where you want to live (i.e. near the campus or further away). RUSVM maintains a list of properties located further away from campus and for these properties, you will need to consider transportation - Rossie Shuttle Service or alternate transportation options.  

Begin your search for housing by doing the following: 

Go to the Off-Campus Housing 101 at https://rusvm.och101.com/ The website lists only apartments that have been inspected by our Housing and Security team. Apartments not found on our website do not guarantee our housing and security standards. 

Click on MyRoss at the very top left corner of the page 

Log in to MyRoss with your student ID# and password. 

Andrea Liburd is available to assist you with your off-campus housing search. 

You can ship your items to the island using the following companies:  

Tropical Shipping in Miami, 1-305-805-7400, (your packages will arrive at the port by ship) 

AmeriJet which flies to St. Kitts, 800-927-6059, (your packages will arrive at the airport) 

You can use the following brokers to clear your items: 

Royal Logistics - 869 465 5055 

Hobson Enterprises - 869 465 8753 

Give the shipping vendor your shipment destination and your arrival date. They will provide you with an estimated shipping date for your items.   

Indicate that your contents are “Used Clothing/Items”. 

Please note, most items you will need can be purchased on the island. 

For the most up-to-date information, please view covid19.gov.kn.  

All Ross Vet students must show proof of vaccination by September 30, 2021. This means you have had a single-dose vaccine (such as J&J) or two-dose vaccine (such as Pfizer, Moderna, or Oxford-AstraZeneca) and it has been 14 days since your final vaccine. 

New incoming January 2022 semester students must provide proof of compliance with the policy before attending the first day of class, whether virtual or in person. To comply with the policy, all students must log in to the RUSVM Safe App to either submit proof of vaccination or confirm you applied for an exemption from equity@adtalem.com (for vaccine accessibility and religious accommodations) or rossvetosds@adtalem.com (for disability accommodations). You will receive your credentials to log into the RUSVM Safe App soon. 

 Please note, if you’ve already had COVID-19 or have the COVID-19 antibodies because of getting COVID-19, you are still required to adhere to the Mandatory Vaccination Policy. 

Ross Vet has maintained our spaces in accordance with CDC-recommended safety protocols. Common areas have been outfitted with hand-sanitizing stations, and signage is posted throughout campus to promote social and physical distancing. We are regularly cleaning and disinfecting all campus facilities and require the use of face masks. To access campus, students will need to show proof of vaccination via the RUSVM Safe App. This means you have had a single-dose vaccine (such as J&J) or two-dose vaccine (such as Pfizer, Moderna, or Oxford-AstraZeneca) and it has been 14 days since your final vaccine. To comply with the policy, all students must log in to the RUSVM Safe App to either submit proof of vaccination or confirm you applied for an exemption from equity@adtalem.com (for vaccine accessibility and religious accommodations) or rossvetosds@adtalem.com (for disability accommodations) by the September 30 deadline. Please note, if you’ve already had COVID-19 or have the COVID-19 antibodies as a result of getting COVID-19, you are still required to adhere to the Mandatory Vaccination Policy. 

First, isolate yourself from others should you feel any of the following symptoms and contact a health professional: 

• Cough 
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 
• Fever 
• Chills 
• Muscle pain 
• Sore throat 
• New loss of taste or smell 

If you are a current student on the island, please contact RUSVM Health Services promptly at sknursing@rossvet.edu.kn. 

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may be asked to isolate at home. 

Currently, yes.  RUSVM must comply with local government protocols. Should local requirements change, we will communicate them with you.  

Precautions can be taken to minimize your risk and prevent exposure and the spread of the disease. 

We must work together to take common-sense precautions that can reduce the risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.  

Per CDC guidelines 

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, if soap and water are not available. 
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home. 
• Practice social distancing with people outside of your home. Stay at least 6 feet from other people. 
• Wear a cloth face covering when around others. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. 
• Clean and frequently disinfect common work surfaces. 
• If you or a family member develops a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as a cough or shortness of breath, or are experiencing cold- or flu-like symptoms, work with to alert appropriate contacts and practice social distancing.