What to Do If: You Test Positive and Live Off-Campus

If you receive notification that you have tested positive for COVID-19, you need to immediately return to your residence. You should not go to class or be on campus outside of your place of isolation during this time. Please stay calm and use the following guidance. 

OVERVIEW

You will first be notified by a student notification email, which will be sent to your MIX email.

If you test positive outside of the University process you are required to let the University know you have tested positive for COVID-19 at pscstudentexperience@mail.wvu.edu

During this time, we ask that you stay calm and use the following guidance. As a member of the community, it is critical that you take these necessary measures to keep everyone safe. You are expected to follow all University rules and policies.

You should immediately return to your residence and avoid contact with others for at least 5 days after your testing date, as directed by the local health department. This is called isolation. You should not go to class or be on campus outside of your place of isolation during this time, and you must remain in isolation until you are medically cleared.

You must remain in isolation until the following criteria are met:

• You are at least 5 full days from symptom onset and those symptoms have significantly improved, AND
• You have been fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
• Persons who continue to have fevers and/or symptoms that do not improve within 5 days should remain in isolation until they meet the two criteria described above.
• Persons who test positive who never develop symptoms may discontinue self-isolation 5 days after the date of their first positive test.

If you fail to comply with this isolation requirement, you will be subject to disciplinary action through the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, which may include interim suspension, educational requirements, removal from courses, a campus ban in designated areas, removal from residence halls, University probation, deferred suspension, suspension or expulsion.

What’s the difference between isolation and quarantine?

The University uses the terms “isolation” and “quarantine” for those who have COVID-19 related matters.

Isolation is avoiding contact with others for at least 5 days after your testing date, as directed by the local health department. If you live in a residence hall, you will move to an identified isolation space. You should not be on campus for class or work at any point during this period, and you must remain in isolation until you are medically cleared. You are likely in isolation due to a positive COVID-19 test result.

Quarantine is avoiding contact with others to the furthest extent possible for at least 5 days, as directed by the local health department. You should not be on campus for class or work at any point during this period. You are likely in quarantine because you’ve been considered a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

BEFORE ISOLATION

• You will be contacted by the Mineral County Health Department and Student Health and provided isolation guidelines, medical guidance and begin contact tracing efforts. 
• Please be prepared to provide accurate information for the contact tracing process so we can work quickly to notify close contacts (those who have been within six feet of you for more than 15 minutes) and mitigate further spread of COVID-19. It may help to review your calendar and travel to remember locations and close contacts. If it helps, write this down so you can give the most accurate picture to those conducting the contact tracing process.
• We know that during this time you may tell those who are determined to be close contacts that you have tested positive for COVID-19. Those people may very well receive information to quarantine as a result of the contact tracing process, but we ask that you and those close contacts allow time for us to accurately conduct contact tracing and alert them on their next steps.
• A representative from the WVU CARE Team will contact you to provide resources for your personal and care needs.
• You will be responsible for contacting your professors.

DURING ISOLATION

You should not be leaving your residence unless absolutely necessary. To help you during this time, the University has developed a list of helpful resources.

You will receive daily check-in phone calls from the CARE Team.

If symptoms worsen:

You should contact Student Health at 304-788-6913 or your primary care physician. 

If you are having breathing problems, extremely high body temperature or other acute symptoms, you should call 911. Please let them know that you are in quarantine for COVID-19 and make sure to wear a mask/face covering if emergency medical services attend to you in any way.

AFTER ISOLATION

The Mineral County Health Department and University will work together to make sure you meet CDC criteria before releasing you from isolation. You must meet the criteria of at least 5 days of isolation, plus improvement in symptoms and no fever for 24 hours as long as the illness is mild to moderate. The University will notify you that you have met the criteria to return campus and in-person classes.