Isolation and Precautions

1. Stay home; do not come to campus for work or classes.
   • If you are an undergraduate student living on main campus, you must remain in your residence until cleared by a Care Navigator. You will receive meals delivered during this period.
   • Students should follow their instructor’s policy for making up coursework, as needed, which may include attending class remotely or completing work by other means.
   • Faculty should follow their instructional continuity plan, as needed.
   • Staff/AAP employees may use COVID-19 Paid Time Off (PTO) or sick leave following their department’s established call-in procedures or by submitting a request in GMS, based on your department’s established practice.
2. Report your symptoms through the COVID-19 Symptom Check-In survey via the GU360 app or website
3. Take a PCR test. (If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 90 days, consult with a Care Navigator and your physician on testing options.)

If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 (i.e., less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period), please follow the guidance below.

1. Test on Day 5 following your most recent known exposure (the day of exposure counts as Day 0). If you receive a positive result, you will need to follow the isolation protocol below.
2. Wear a properly-fitted, high-quality mask (e.g., N95, KN95, KF94) around others for a total of 10 days since the date of exposure. If you are on campus during this period, you should wear an N95, KN95, or KN94.
3. If you develop symptoms:
   • Please stay home; do not come to campus for work or classes.
     • If you are an undergraduate student living on main campus, you must remain in your residence until cleared by a Care Navigator. You will receive meals delivered during this period.
     • Students should follow their instructor’s policy for making up coursework, as needed, which may include attending class remotely or completing work by other means.
     • Faculty should follow their instructional continuity plan, as needed.
     • Staff/AAP employees may use COVID-19 Paid Time Off (PTO) or sick leave following their department’s established call-in procedures or by submitting a request in GMS, based on your department’s established practice.
   • Report symptoms through the COVID-19 Symptom Check-In survey via the GU360 app or website.
   • Take a PCR test. (If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 90 days, do not PCR test. Consult with a Care Navigator and your physician on testing options.)

Georgetown University students, faculty and staff must isolate if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result. Isolation is used to curb the spread of the virus by separating people who have tested positive or are sick with the virus from people who are not infected.

Individuals who test positive through Shield T3 testing on campus or who report a positive test result via the COVID-19 Test Result Submission Form will automatically receive an email from Georgetown’s Care Navigator team with important information about isolation protocols. Please make sure to review the email thoroughly and follow all instructions.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or the presence or absence of symptoms, will need to isolate for at least 5 full days.

In order to be cleared from isolation by a Care Navigator on Day 6, individuals must satisfy all of the criteria below:

1. Not have any symptoms or, if mildly or moderately symptomatic, be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms are improving, AND
2. Receive a negative result from an antigen test taken on Day 5.
   • Test results must be reported to Georgetown by submitting the COVID-19 Test Result Submission Form.
   • Care Navigators will help provide access to antigen tests. In addition, free rapid antigen at-home tests can be ordered through gov and DC residents can pick up free rapid antigen test kits at several locations throughout DC.
   • DO NOT get a PCR test unless instructed by a Care Navigator or a physician.

Some situations will require longer isolation.

• If an individual tests positive on the Day 5 test, chooses not to test, does not have access to an antigen test, or their symptoms continue, they will have to discuss the end of isolation with the Care Navigator team. If an individual has had a severe or critical infection (i.e., requiring oxygen, hospitalization or critical care) they will need to isolate for at least 10 days and be cleared by a physician.
• If an individual is unable to wear a mask (i.e., has an approved accommodation from the University), they must isolate for 10 days.
• Individuals who are immunocompromised often need to isolate for longer than 10 days. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If leaving isolation before Day 11, individuals will need to wear a properly-fitted, high-quality mask (N95, KN95, or KF94 recommended) indoors and outdoors when around others, for a total of 10 days since the date they tested positive or started to experience symptoms. If they are on campus during this period, wearing an N95, KN95 or KN94 is required. N95s and KN95s are available for free at the entrances to many university buildings.

Please visit the Isolation Support site for more information for residential students who are in isolation on campus.

What to do if you are in isolation?

• If you live with others, isolation means you should stay in your room and avoid contact with your housemates.
• Don’t leave your room unless you have to attend a medical appointment.
• Use a separate bathroom, if one is available. If not, make sure to not be present in the bathroom at the same time as your uninfected housemate. Wear a mask, except to shower, shave or brush your teeth.
• If you are sick, monitor your symptoms. Call your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse. Call 911 if you are having trouble breathing.
• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils
• Wear a properly-fitted, high-quality mask (e.g. N95, KN95) – even outdoors – when around other people (e.g., if you have to go to a medical appointment).

Plan ahead!

It is important to discuss the possibility of isolation with your housemates. Create a plan that all household members agree to follow. Topics to discuss include:

• Do you have COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits at home in case you need them? Free rapid antigen at-home tests can be ordered through COVIDtests.gov, and DC residents can pick up free rapid antigen test kits at several locations throughout DC.
• Should you designate one room as the “sick” room? (This might be a good solution if there is a room with its own separate bathroom.)
• Does your household have adequate disinfecting and cleaning supplies?
• How will food be delivered to you? Make a list of places that deliver groceries or prepared food.
• What if you need medications delivered? Check which local pharmacies make deliveries.
• Some people may want to isolate elsewhere–for example, in a hotel. Prepare a list of local hotels ahead of time. 

If you are an off-campus student and have general questions, please contact the Office of Neighborhood Life (ONL) at 202-687-5138 (9 a.m – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday) or by email at neighborhoodlife@georgetown.edu.