COVID-19 Illness & Exposure Information

Symptoms: 

• Symptoms may include new onset of fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, fatigue, and new loss of sense of taste or smell, diarrhea and vomiting, although not all those who have COVID-19 develop symptoms.

Prevention:

• Avoid contact with sick people and stay home when you are ill. 
• Maintain at least 6 feet distance between yourself and others. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or by using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol. 
• It is especially important to clean your hands after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose.
• Cover your face with a face-covering in all indoor and public places.

UCCS encourages members of our community to get the vaccine at an upcoming UCCS COVID vaccine clinic or at a community vaccine clinic that can be found by visiting https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/how-can-i-get-a-vaccine. In addition to getting vaccinated, practicing the prevention strategies described above remains an important strategy in preventing infection.

If you are experiencing any new onset COVID-like symptoms you should refrain from coming to campus, isolate yourself, and reach out to your primary care provider or, if you are a student, the UCCS Wellness Center (719-255-4444) for next steps. If you are experiencing difficulty breathing/shortness of breath you should seek immediate medical attention. Please call before coming into the Wellness Center, doctor's office or emergency room to let them know about your symptoms.

Who Should Isolate?

Individuals experiencing any  COVID-like symptoms should isolate themselves for 10 days, but can discontinue their isolation sooner if: 

•    All symptoms completely resolve within 24 hours after onset OR 
•    If they test negative for COVID-19, 
•    AND if symptoms have improved 
•    AND if one of the symptoms is not a new onset of loss of sense of smell and taste 
•    AND if they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications 
•    If they receive another definite medical diagnosis that explains their symptoms such as strep throat

 
An individual that experiences a loss of sense of smell or taste regardless of vaccination status, or tests positive for COVID-19 needs to isolate from others for 10 days without exception. To end isolation after those 10 days they must also have significant improvement in other symptoms and they must be fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. To see the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s algorithm for isolation click here.

If you had severe illness from COVID-19 (you were admitted to a hospital and needed oxygen), your healthcare provider may recommend that you stay in isolation for longer than 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (possibly up to 20 days) and you may need to finish your period of isolation at home.

Who Should Quarantine?

Any individual that is a close contact with someone who has COVID-19—excluding people who have had COVID-19 within the past 3 months or who are fully vaccinated.

• People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms.
• People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.
• People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms. Fully vaccinated people are recommended to have a COVID-19 test on day 3-5 following the close contact with a positive case and continue to watch for symptoms for 14 days following contact.

How long do I need to quarantine? 

• The CDC still recommends quarantining for 14 days, but other options to reduce quarantine include: 
  • After day 10 without testing for individuals in non-congregate housing 
  • After day 10 with a negative test result for individuals living in congregated housing (residence halls) 
  • After day 7 with a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later) for individuals in non-congregate housing 

After stopping quarantine, you should

• Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
• If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your local public health authority or healthcare provider.
• Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Please note that if an individual continues to be exposed to the positive individual, such as family members sharing bedrooms or bathrooms, they cannot start their quarantine until the last day they were in contact. Visit the CDC’s website for an example of how to properly calculate quarantine time frames here.

Unvaccinated individuals considered to be a direct contact of someone diagnosed with COVID-19, within 6 feet for a cumulative amount of 15 minutes or more within 24 hours, should follow the CDC’s quarantine guidance even if they test negative. Individuals not living in residence halls who remain asymptomatic and seek testing on day 5 or later of quarantine can be released from quarantine on day 8 with negative results. Students living in the residence halls will be required to complete the full 14-day quarantine, or a 10-day quarantine with a negative COVID test after day 7 in accordance with local and state public health guidance. Visit the CDC’s website for an example of how to properly calculate quarantine time frames here.

Individuals experiencing any  COVID like symptoms should isolate themselves for 10 days, but can discontinue their isolation sooner if they test negative for COVID-19, AND if symptoms have improved, AND if one of the symptoms is not a new onset of loss of sense of smell and taste, AND if they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. They may also end isolation if they receive another definite medical diagnosis that explains their symptoms such as strep throat. An individual that experiences a loss of sense of smell or taste, must isolate for 10 days without exception even if their test result is negative.

Anyone that does not have a close contact to the actual positive case does not need to quarantine.

The person who was a close contact to the positive individual should follow quarantine instructions, which includes avoiding contact with you to keep you from having to quarantine as well. See below for examples.

Examples:  

• My significant other was exposed to a positive case at work, but they have not tested positive and do not have any COVID like symptoms. Can I come to work?  
  • Yes. You may come to work, but your significant other should quarantine away from you. Should they test positive at a later date, you will need to quarantine at that point. 
• My friend’s mom tested positive. I didn’t spend any time with her, but my friend did. Do I need to quarantine?  
  • No. You only need to quarantine if your friend tests positive. You should avoid contact with your friend during their quarantine period. 
• Someone in one of my classes mentioned that they have COVID like symptoms. Can I come to campus?  
  • Yes, you may come to campus. Until we know if someone has tested positive a quarantine is not put into place. Someone from the UCCS Wellness Center or El Paso County Public Health will reach out to you if you need to quarantine based on close contact with someone who tested positive.

An individual diagnosed with COVID is infectious for 48 hours prior to the onset of their symptoms and for 10 days after the onset of symptoms. During contact tracing, individuals should report any close contacts they had after the development of symptoms as well as the 48 hours prior. 

If you had severe illness from COVID-19 (you were admitted to a hospital and needed oxygen), your healthcare provider may recommend that you stay in isolation for longer than 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (possibly up to 20 days) and you may need to finish your period of isolation at home.
 

If you have developed NEW COVID-like symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19 and refrain from coming to campus until you receive a negative test result or you receive a different diagnosis by a health care provider that has ruled out COVID-19. If you are a student, call the Wellness Center at 719-255-4444 for a tele-health appointment. If you are faculty/staff, call your primary care provider.

Employees should contact their supervisor and work with UCCS Human Resources for next steps. 

Students who receive positive test results from a non-UCCS provider should notify the Wellness Center by emailing contrac@uccs.edu.

Students who need additional support with things such as notifying professors, should contact the Dean of Students office at dos@uccs.edu

TESTING FOR STUDENTS:

Active UCCS students can be tested at the UCCS Wellness Center through an appointment by calling 719-255-4444. The Wellness Center is currently offering telehealth visits and testing for students experiencing COVID like symptoms and for close contacts of positive cases. The Wellness Center offers rapid antigen testing for symptomatic individuals, as well as PCR testing that is sent to a lab with results typically in 48 -72 hours. Commuter students may find it easy to visit a community testing site which can be found at https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/covid-19-testing-information. 

TESTING FOR EMPLOYEES:

Faculty and staff may be tested by contacting their primary care provider or by visiting a community testing site. 

WHEN TO GET TESTED:

For optimal results, COVID testing for symptomatic individuals is days 2-5 after developing symptoms. Optimal results for individuals exposed to a positive case that are currently asymptomatic is 7 days after exposure. 

The Wellness Center is able to provide testing to actively enrolled students displaying COVID-like symptoms that are seen by a Wellness Center provider, those with a known exposure to a positive case, and those who need testing prior to travel.  

There are multiple community testing sites as well, their sites can be found here. 

Individuals in quarantine and isolation should not travel via any public means of transportation. If an individual in isolation or quarantine can make it to their home in a vehicle without needing to stop, they will be allowed to drive home. Individuals from out of state or outside a short drive from campus will need to complete their 10-day isolation if they test positive or their 10-14 day quarantine from the last day they were deemed to be a close contact of a confirmed positive case. Students living in the residence halls must complete the full 14-day quarantine even if they go home for that period since they will be returning to a congregate housing setting, or they must complete a 10-day quarantine with proof of a negative COVID test on day 7 or after. Unfortunately, exceptions about travel cannot be made since this is a public health issue. 

Please do not walk into the Wellness Center if you are experiencing any COVID like symptoms. Appointments for telehealth visits and follow up testing can be scheduled by calling 719-255-4444. The Wellness Center is able to provide testing to actively enrolled students displaying COVID-like symptoms that are seen by a Wellness Center provider, those with a known exposure to a positive case, and those needing testing prior to travel.  

Most countries and some states require a negative PCR test prior to travel. For asymptomatic individuals seeking testing prior to travel, review your destination's requirements for testing to ensure you get an adequate test. The Wellness Center is able to offer students some pre-travel testing depending on your departure schedule and timing of test results. Students can call 719-255-4444 to assess the best option for their testing. For a list of community testing sites that offer PCR testing visit https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/covid-19-testing-information. Please allow 2-4 days prior to travel to get your results back. 

Per the CDC, if it has been less than 90 days from their positive result, they do not need to quarantine again.
 

If you were deemed to be a direct contact of a positive case, you will receive notification from the UCCS Wellness Center or El Paso County Public Health along with instructions on what to do. If you were sent a broad notice of being at a large scale event with someone who has since tested positive for COVID, but do not receive instructions, you should monitor yourself for COVID symptoms for 14 days following the event, consider getting tested 3-5 days after the event, wear a mask in all indoor settings for 14 days, but no additional measures such as a quarantine are needed. If you develop any symptoms during that time frame, you should seek testing within 3-5 days of the event and isolate (stay home from work/school/social events) from the day symptoms started until you receive negative results; or if you have a positive COVID test, until 10 days from onset of symptoms. If one of your symptoms is loss of sense of smell or taste, you should also isolate for 10 days from symptom onset regardless of test results.