If you had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you may be at risk of infection. Anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 is encouraged to get tested. It is important to quarantine and self-monitor to protect yourself, your family, and the Carroll community.
You are a close contact if any of the following situations happened while you spent time with the person with COVID-19, even if they didn't have symptoms:
- Had direct physical contact with the person (for example, a hug, kiss, or handshake).
- Were within 6 feet of the person for a total of more than 15 minutes in a single day.
- Had contact with the person's respiratory secretions (for example, coughed or sneezed on; contact with a dirty tissue, shared a drinking glass, food, towels, or other personal items.
Note: Wearing a face mask or covering while you spend time with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, even if the person with COVID-19 was also wearing a mask, likely reduces your risk of getting COVID-10, but may not prevent it entirely. If you and/or the other person with COVID-19 was wearing a face mask or covering during any of the above situations, you are still considered a close contact.
Quarantine
Quarantine is required if a student is a close contact of a person that has been tested positive for COVID-19. Student’s living in Carroll housing should plan to go home to quarantine when it is safe to do so. A student will be released from quarantine when the criteria outlined by the CDC and Waukesha County Public Health Department are met. The CDC and Waukesha County Public Health Department currently follow the guidelines below, which can also be found on the CDC and Waukesha County Division of Public Health websites:
The CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 10 days. However, based on local circumstances and resources, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives:
- Quarantine can end after Day 5 with a negative COVID test if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
- On days 6-10 students must wear a well-fitting mask in all areas on campus.
- Any student who develops symptoms after being exposed should be tested immediately, regardless of their vaccination/booster status,
Students who are up-to-date on their vaccination (received booster dose) and who come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 are not required to quarantine, based on CDC guidelines.
Up-to-date close contacts are required to:
- Test negative for COVID-19 5 days after their last exposure
- Wear a mask indoors until they receive negative test results and for days 6-10 after their last contact with the positive person.
- Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and immediately self-isolate should symptoms develop
Isolation
Isolation is required if a student tests positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms and is awaiting test results. Students who are living in Carroll housing should plan to go home or off campus to isolate.
All students will recive a 10 day isolation end date when contacted by Carroll University Contact Tracers. If students would like to be released from isolation early, they must meet the following requirements:
- Have NO symptoms or improved symptoms
- Have NO fever for 24 hours- must be fever-free without taking fever reducing medications
- If a Residential Student would like to return to their campus living space on day 6 of their isolation period, they MUST meet the additional requirements:
- Test negative for COVID 5 days (or later) after symptoms started OR positive test result if student had no symptoms. (Students cannot test before day 5)
- Students will be responsible for scheduling their own COVID test
- Students can test in the Student Health Center on day 6 or later- they must call 262-524-7233 to schedule an appointment.
- At-home tests will not be accepted – students must get tested at an official lab-certified testing site.
Students must wait for an official approval email from the Contact Tracing Team before returning to campus.
Students wishing to receive a COVID test after they were exposed at day 5 to leave quarantine, or if they develop COVID symptoms, can schedule online in the patient portal https://carrollu.medicatconnect.com/, or call 262-524-7233
Masks are still required for visits to the Health Center.