What To Do If You Have Been Exposed to Someone Who Has Tested Positive

Information for individuals who have had an *exposure to someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19.

What is Exposure?

Exposure and close contact are used interchangeably here, but both should be read as being within six feet of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.

Students

All students who are not fully vaccinated have submitted approved religious or medical exemptions and are tested at least once weekly. The health center is also testing students, regardless of vaccination status, who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

People who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must be in isolation for 10 days and, at least 24 hours before the end of the isolation period, their symptoms should be improving, including being fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications.

If You Are Fully Vaccinated

Vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 may continue their normal activities as long as they are not symptomatic. They should also schedule a PCR test to be administered on days 3-5 after exposure, continue to wear a mask indoors, and watch themselves closely for symptoms for 14 days after exposure. The current mask policy on campus requires everyone to wear a mask indoors, and outdoors if unable to maintain a physical distance of six feet.

If a fully vaccinated person begins to exhibit symptoms within 14 days of an exposure, they must stay home/move to a quarantine space until results from their PCR test return. If results are positive, they will need to isolate for 10 days from their last date of exposure. If negative, they may return to normal activities, keeping in line with the precautions noted above.

If You Are Unvaccinated

Unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 will be required to quarantine for 14 days (without testing); OR, they may choose to “test out” of quarantine after **7 days (accompanied by a negative PCR test on day 5 or later and a negative rapid antigen test on day 7) only if NO SYMPTOMS have been exhibited within those 7 days.

If these individuals become symptomatic during the quarantine period, they should be tested as soon as possible and remain in quarantine. If positive, they will be required to isolate for 10 days from their last close contact with the person who tested positive. If negative, they will be required to continue their quarantine for the remainder of the full 14-day period.

More Information

Guidance for fully vaccinated individuals can be found on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html#anchor_1617376555813

CDC guidance for unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 can be found on the CDC website.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) also offers guidance, as well as testing site locations and vaccine locations, on the VDH website for COVID-19.
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-in-virginia/

Questions?

Contact Ruby Bryant, RN, Director of Student Health Services, rbryant@randolphcollege.edu, 434.947.8130, if you have further questions.

**Updated CDC guidance for quarantine was adopted by the Randolph College COVID-19 Task Force on September 9, 2021.