When the University is notified of UW personnel or a student with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, the following steps are taken.
We respond to COVID-19 positive individuals within 24 hours of notification to EH&S. We gather information from the COVID-19 positive individual to help us understand the period of transmission and who may have been at risk for exposure. The information gathered may include, but is not limited to:
- Health status and date of onset of symptoms (or, if asymptomatic, test date)
- Test date
- UW locations where the individual spent at least 10 minutes while potentially infectious, up to 48 hours before symptoms began (or, if asymptomatic, during the 48 hours before date of test and any time after being tested); locations are assessed for the need for additional cleaning and disinfection in accordance with the UW COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol.
- Activities conducted while infectious
- Face coverings and personal protective equipment worn
- Names of UW close contacts and others who may have been around the individual while infected
The COVID-19 Response and Prevention Team provides the individual with:
COVID-19 positive individuals stay home and away from other people:
- For at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
- For at least 24 hours with no fever, without fever-reducing medication and
- Until their symptoms have improved
Students living in University residence halls who test positive receive have additional requirements and receive assistance to facilitate self-isolation from the COVID-19 Response and Prevention Team and logistical support from their campus housing provider.
A COVID-19 Response and Prevention Team member follows up with COVID-19 positive individuals during the self-isolation period to assess symptoms and provide additional public health guidance.
Visit the CDC COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolations webpage for more information about what you can expect to happen if you have tested positive for COVID-19.
University units are asked to refrain from requesting or requiring a doctor’s note, a negative test result or positive antibody test following COVID-19 infection per state and local public health guidelines.