Exposure Information For UCCS Community

exposure

Exposure Information For UCCS Community

Guidance for Campus Community Members who have Tested Positive, had an Exposure, or are Experiencing Symptoms Related to COVID19

Please do not come to campus if you have tested positive, had an exposure, or are experiencing the following symptoms:

  • Fever or chills    
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Cough    
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing    
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Vomiting or Diarrhea    
  • Congestion/runny nose
  • Headache     

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Visit the CDC Website for up to date information 

Basic Definitions

  1. Close contact

    You meet close contact if you: Have been within 6 feet, for more than 15 minutes, in 24 hours to someone who tested positive for COVID, starting 2 days before the person was sick
     
  2. Isolation

    Isolation keeps someone infected with the virus away from healthy people

    When should I isolate?

    • If you have symptoms and can stay at home
    • If you have no symptoms but have a positive COVID test

     
  3. Quarantine

    Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from healthy people

    • When should I quarantine?
    • If you have had a close contact with someone who has COVID 
Your Actions & What To Do
  • If you develop any COVID symptoms, stay at home until you can be tested.
  • If you develop COVID symptoms, but they resolve in 24 hours, you do not need to be tested or stay at home any longer. 
  • If you develop a loss of taste or smell, remain at home for 10 days regardless of test results.
  • Anyone who has a positive test must remain at home for 10 days from the start of their symptoms AND you must be fever free for 24 hours AND your symptoms must be improving.
  • If you have no symptoms but have a positive COVID test, you must stay home for 10 days from the day you were tested.
  • If you have a fever, you must remain at home, even if you have a negative COVID test, until you are fever-free for 24 hours without taking anti-fever medications. 
  • If you have had a “close contact” (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes in 24 hours) with a person who tested positive for COVID, you must stay home for 14 days (quarantine) from the last time you had contact with the positive case. 
  • If you are quarantined for 14 days due to an exposure, you cannot test out of quarantine by getting a negative COVID test.
  • If you come in close contact with a person who is placed into quarantine, you do not need to quarantine unless the quarantined person tests positive within 48 hours of you being with the person. 
  • You do not need to quarantine if you have a 3rd party exposure. Example: Your significant others' co-worker tested positive and your significant other needs to quarantine. You do not unless your significant other has developed symptoms or tested positive. 
     
Next Steps To Take

1.) Contact your Supervisor/Instructor to let them know you will not be coming to campus. 

2.) If you are a student, contact the Wellness Center at wellness@uccs.edu or 719-255-4444 to notify them if you have tested positive or if you have been exposed to a positive case. 

3.) Employees with questions related to remote work or leave eligibility should visit the HR website or contact HR. 

5.) Stay home (Self-isolate). Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

  • Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines as needed, such as acetaminophen, to help alleviate your symptoms.
  • Stay in touch with your medical provider. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care and/or call 911 if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs.
  • Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.

If you’d like to receive text messages with information about support available during isolation and/or quarantine, report your symptoms to Colorado COVID Symptom Support tool. For additional information related to self-isolation visit the CDC Website. 
 

Do I Need To Be Tested?

Anyone with symptoms should get tested ideally within the first 5 days, stay away from others and follow the stay at home instructions as spelled out in Item 6, above. 

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 best time to get tested if you are in quarantine, but not experiencing symptoms, is seven (7) days after exposure. The only testing site offering asymptomatic testing is the Citadel Mall site. Their information can be found at the link above. 

The testing site will notify you of your results. They need to let you know if you are positive or negative.

If you tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms, you can be cleared to return to campus 10 days after the test was collected as long as you do not develop symptoms. If you develop symptoms, then you must follow the recovery strategy for those with symptoms. 

For additional information related to safe return to work, visit this resource.


 

 

 

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