When a faculty or staff member tests positive with symptoms for COVID-19 or is otherwise
symptomatic for COVID-19
If you are faculty or a staff member and develop symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 with symptoms, you should not come to campus.
If already on campus, go home. Notify your supervisor and HR immediately. Self-isolate
to protect family or others. You will need to self-isolate per the CDC Guidelines
below:
Symptom-based approach
You may return to work after these three things have happened:
- after you have no fever for at least 24 hours (that is a full day of no fever without
the use medicine that reduces fevers) AND
- other symptoms have improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath have
improved) AND
- at least 10 days have passed since your first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test.
When a faculty or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 and is asymptomatic
Time-based strategy
Persons with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who have not had any symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue isolation under
the following conditions:
- At least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic
test assuming they have not subsequently developed symptoms since their positive test.
If they develop symptoms, then the symptom-based or test-based strategy should be
used. Note, because symptoms cannot be used to gauge where these individuals are in
the course of their illness, it is possible that the duration of viral shedding could
be longer or shorter than 10 days after their first positive test.
*Prior to return to on-campus activities, you will be asked to sign the University certification form found here. This form should be returned to Human Resources.
When a faculty or staff member has been identified as a direct contact with someone
who has COVID-19
A direct contact is defined by the CDC as an Individual who has had close contact
(less than 6 feet) for more than 15 minutes. Anyone who has close contact with someone
with COVID-19 should quarantine according to the following guidelines:
- Quarantine can end after Day 7 post-exposure if a diagnostic specimen (PCR or antigen) tests negative and
if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. The specimen may be collected
and tested within 48 hours before the time of planned quarantine discontinuation (cannot
be tested prior to day 6). Quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than after Day 7.
- Quarantine can end after Day 10 post-exposure without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during
daily monitoring.
- Persons can discontinue quarantine IF they have remained asymptomatic during the quarantine
period. If they develop symptoms at any time during the quarantine process they should
get tested as soon as possible. The quarantine period will be reevaluated pending
the test results.
For a direct contact who has been fully vaccinated as defined by the CDC, quarantine
or testing is not required unless symptoms develop.
CDC information on when to quarantine – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html
*Prior to return to on-campus activities, you will be asked to sign the University certification form found here. This form should be returned to Human Resources.
Safety Office