Exposed to the virus? Here are UD’s guidelines

Photo of the student neighborhood at the University of Dayton.

Kaitlin Lewis    
News Editor

What steps to take if you are exposed to COVID-19 on campus.

It’s been five months in the making, but the time has come – students have finally started to return to Dayton.

While UD has many protocols to keep the campus community safe, the spread of COVID-19 is still possible.

If you are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, here are the steps UD asks you to take.

1. What it means to be exposed: The CDC website defines exposure as anyone who comes within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or longer two days before symptoms begin. Exposure is also possible from an individual who is asymptomatic if the exposure occurred two days before that individual was tested. The CDC says that exposure is possible under these guidelines regardless even if either person is wearing a facial covering.
2. How you will know: After a positive case of COVID-19 is reported to the Student Health Center, UD’s contact tracers will conduct interviews to identify anyone who may have been exposed. The contact tracers will then call any exposed individuals, and UD housing will assist with moving the student to a quarantined area.
3. I’ve been exposed… now what? Students who are exposed to COVID-19 will be asked to quarantine for 14 days. A student who lives within 400 miles of campus will be asked to move back to their permanent place of residence if possible. Any students who is not able to return home will be moved to a designated place of residence on campus.  

During the 14-day quarantine, there are further steps UD asks students to take in order to ensure a safe and healthy return to campus:

• Students should monitor and report any symptoms to UD’s COVID-19 Health Reporting site. Students in quarantine are asked to update this chart daily.
• If a student does develop symptoms during the 14 days, they are required to provide another COVID-19 test before returning to campus.
• If a student does not develop symptoms during the 14 days, they are not required to be re-evaluated.

To limit the number of students who may be exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, UD urges students to follow guidelines already put in place, such as maintaining six feet from others, wearing your masks and avoiding groups larger than 10. Following these guidelines will help reduce your chances of needing to quarantine, UD said.

For more information regarding the University’s plans for contact tracing, quarantining and confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus, click here.