Testing & Close Contact

If you test positive for COVID-19 you are asked to isolate in your room until your symptoms start to improve and you have been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications for at least 24 hours. Once you have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and your symptoms are generally improving, you can rejoin in-person classes and other campus activities. Please continue to practice social distancing whenever possible, wear a mask when around others, and wash your hands frequently for an additional five days.

This policy is based on the CDC’s latest guidance regarding respiratory illness prevention.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact our office.

• Stay home.
  • Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
  • Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask, including travel and public transportation settings.
  • Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
  • Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
  • Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

• Stay in touch.
  • Be sure to contact those who you were in close contact with to let them know you tested positive for COVID-19.
• Stay masked.
  • During your at-home isolation period, wear a KN95 or surgical mask when around others and have them wear masks too.
  • After isolation, you should continue to wear a well-fitting mask when you are around other people for another five (5) days.
• Stay clean and healthy.
  • Be sure to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly.
  • If able, open your windows to improve ventilation.
  • Rest and follow the directions of your medical provider.

The most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control on COVID-19 can be accessed by clicking here.

Given the highly transmissible nature of current variants and the fact that most people who test positive were contagious two days before symptoms appeared, it is likely that roommates have already been exposed to the virus.

We strongly encourage residential students who are rooming together to make a plan in advance for how they will navigate the situation should one of them test positive at some point during the academic year. This may include developing plans for how shared living arrangements in the room, suite or apartment will be modified, or alternatively, how roommates may temporarily relocate to stay with friends or family or in other off-campus residences.