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, 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.

As vaccine becomes available, UCCS will prioritize individuals who may receive the vaccine on campus following state and local health department vaccine prioritization phases. Even as vaccine becomes available, it will remain important to prevent infection by practicing the prevention strategies described above and avoid being exposed.

All individuals coming to the UCCS campus must complete the daily wellness check. 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 OR

• 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, 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.

Who Should Quarantine?

Any individual that is a close contact of a positive case, which is defined as being within 6 feet for a cumulative amount of 15 minutes or more within 24 hours, should quarantine themselves as follows. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated their guidance to allow for quarantines of asymptomatic individuals to end sooner based on an individual’s living situation.

• After day 14 for individuals living in congregate housing (residence halls)
• After day 10 without testing for individuals in non-congregate housing
• After day 7 after receiving 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.

Anyone considered to be a direct contact, within 6 feet for a cumulative amount of 15 minutes or more within 24 hours, of a positive case should follow the CDC’s quarantine guidance. Individuals 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 based on 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 have developed NEW COVID-like symptoms, you should refrain from coming to campus until symptoms resolve or until you receive a different diagnosis by a health care provider that has ruled out COVID-19. 
 

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 at 719-255-4444 or by emailing wellness@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 for FREE 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 with results in 15 minutes or 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 will be testing all residential students upon their return to housing.  

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 7-14 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. 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 will be testing all residential students upon their return to housing.  

Most states require a PCR COVID test which is different than the rapid testing being done in the Wellness Center. For asymptomatic individuals seeking testing prior to traveling, review your destination's requirements for testing to ensure you get an adequate test. Those seeking PCR testing can visit the Citadel Mall testing site to get a PCR test. A link to that information can be found here. Please allow 3-4 days prior to travel to get your results back due to the high volume of testing being done. 

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