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How the COVID-19 Case Management Team Determines a Quarantine

Sep

16

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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Now that many of us have returned to campus, two of the top questions received by our COVID-19 case management team are, “what does close contact mean?” and “how do you determine who will be quarantined?” Learn the answers from COVID Case Manager Tanya Mahan below.

“After the COVID-19 case management team learns of a person who is COVID-19 positive or presumed positive (a combination of known exposure and symptoms), our team conducts an interview with the individual to determine their infectious period. The infectious period starts 48 hours before symptoms start,” Tanya explained. “During the interview, we also ask the person for any close contacts from the start of their infectious period to the last time they were on campus. Close contacts are anyone who was in that person’s six-foot bubble for a total of more than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period.”

After the COVID-19 case management team has a list of close contacts, the team members call those on the list to advise them of their exposure and identification as a close contact. Then, the case management team provides the following guidance based on the close contact’s vaccination status:

• Close contacts who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine but must wear a mask for 14 days after the day of exposure and monitor for symptoms. If they have any symptoms, they should stay home and contact the COVID-19 case management team at COVIDillness@valenciacollege.edu.
• Close contacts who are not vaccinated must quarantine for 14 days (with some early release options, pending testing).

Additionally, the case management team sends the supervisor of the COVID-19-positive or presumed-positive employee an FYI notification email template to share with anyone on the team who may have had brief contact (not close contact) with the individual. The case management team also sends this FYI notification template to faculty members to send to students in a class where an individual is COVD-19 positive or presumed positive.

If you find yourself feeling unwell and suspect you might be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home. The College has continued to make available Emergency Paid Sick Leave, which provides up to two weeks of pay to employees for reasons related to COVID-19, including illness of self or care for a family member in the home who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Any student or employee who has a positive COVID diagnosis, has COVID-like symptoms, or has been in contact with someone who has a positive COVID diagnosis should contact Valencia’s COVID-19 case management team at COVIDillness@valenciacollege.edu for guidance before returning to campus.

Faculty and instructors, please encourage students who are feeling ill to stay home. View our Illness Reporting Protocol for Faculty When a Student Becomes Ill.

Related Tags: coronavirus, roadmap for reopening