As of August 11, 2022; subject to changes by the University in the future.
After Being Exposed to COVID-19
If you were exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 or have been told by a healthcare provider or public health authority that you were exposed, the CDC explains the steps that you should take. Regardless of your vaccination status or if you have had a previous infection, those who have been exposed to COVID-19 should:
- Stay home/isolate if you have symptoms. Follow the full quarantine guidelines outlined by the CDC.
- Without symptoms, get tested at least 5 full days after the close contact or as soon as possible if you don’t know when you had close contact.
- Wear a mask for 10 days following close contact or until your test result is negative.
Visit the Safe Campus website for more information, including where to test, what to do if you test positive, and the latest on the University's response to COVID-19.
When to Get Tested for COVID-19
The CDC recommends you get tested in the following instances:
- If you have symptoms, test immediately.
- If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may be more likely to get an inaccurate result.
- If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.
- Consider testing before contact with someone at high risk for severe COVID-19, especially if you are in an area with a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level.
Returning to Work
Employees who need to stay home to quarantine or isolate, do not need a note from a healthcare provider or public health partner before returning to work. This approach has been adopted because healthcare providers, medical facilities, and public health partners may not be able to provide documentation quickly. Supervisors can allow employees to work remotely if they are asymptomatic and able to complete their job duties from home.
Note on Returning to Work for Employees in Healthcare Settings
- Faculty and staff working in a healthcare setting should still monitor temperature and absence of symptoms each day before starting work.
- If faculty and staff working in a healthcare setting develop even mild symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should either not report to work, or stop working and notify their supervisor prior to leaving work, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested if indicated.
- If a faculty and staff member working in a healthcare setting is found to be infected with COVID-19, they should be excluded from work until they meet all Return to Work Criteria. Testing results will impact when they may return to work and for which patients they might be permitted to provide care.
Travel Guidance
For the latest guidance on testing and isolation before, during, and after traveling, visit the CDC's domestic travel, international travel, and cruise ship travel pages.