Quarantine & Isolation

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, have been exposed to novel coronavirus (and are asymptomatic) or have tested positive you must quarantine or isolate. Both the CDC and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) continue to recommend a full 14-day quarantine as the most effective way to reduce disease spread. 

REPORT A POSITIVE CASE  Health Alerts

Quarantine and Isolation Procedures

The CDC and CDPHE have established quarantine and isolation guidelines to assist in reducing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). UNC is following all CDC and CDPHE guidelines for exposure and confirmed positive cases.

Quarantine Guidance (PDF) Interactive Form

Exposure occurs when people have a close contact (outside of their household) or a household member (including roommates) who: 

• Has tested positive for COVID-19
• Has COVID-19 symptoms
• Is becoming ill and thinks they may have COVID-19

Pick your population below to learn more about your quarantine and isolation procedures:

• Students Living On-Campus

  Living on-campus is defined as anyone living in UNC Residence Halls, Arlington Park Apartments, Greek Housing or UNC owned-houses. To learn more about isolation and quarantine, read the UNC Quarantine and Isolation Planning Guide

  Isolation for Residential Students

  If you have received a positive COVID-19 results, you will be moved to an isolation room on-campus or, if possible, to isolation off-campus at your family home. The length of isolation is 10 days from the start of symptoms or 10 days from your positive test result if you are asymptomatic per a CDPHE directive.

  You must remain in isolation until:

  • 10 days after your symptoms first appear
  • No fever for 24 hours (without fever reducing medication)
  • All other symptoms are improving

  Quarantine for Residential Students

  If you have COVID-19 symptoms and/or have been exposed to COVID-19 and live in a residence hall or Arlington Park Apartments you will be moved to a quarantine room on-campus for at least 14 days per CDPHE directive.

  If you live in UNC owned houses or a UNC affiliated fraternity or sorority chapter house, you will be directed to quarantine in your house for 14 days per a CDPHE directive.

  Quarantine Length Requirements for Residential Students

  Length of quarantine	Is testing required?	Who should use this option?
  14 days	No	People who have regular close contact with high risk individuals. This includes people who live or work in residential or congregate living facilities*. *Congregate living facilities are defined as "a living arrangement in which residents live in their own rooms and apartments (dorms), share common spaces and eat meals in a common dining room., with opportunities for socialization with other residents in shared common spaces.

• Student Living in Non-UNC Housing

  Isolation

  If you have received a positive COVID-19 results you must stay home and remain in isolation until:

  • 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (or, if asymptomatic 10 days since your positive test result)
  • No fever for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications)
  • Other symptoms or improving

  Quarantine

  If you have COVID-19 symptoms and/or have been exposed to COVID-19 you must stay home for 10 days since exposure or 7 days with no symptoms and a negative test result (after day 5).

  Quarantine Length Recommendations

  Length of quarantine	Is testing required?	Who should use this option?
  10 days	No	This quarantine period is appropriate for most people who do not have contact with high risk individuals
  7 days	Yes	People who do not have contact with high risk individuals and are asymptomatic and had a negative test result (on day 5) may be released from quarantine.

  For 14 days after exposure and/or positive results you should:

  • Watch for and monitor COVID-19 symptoms
  • Wear a mask and practice social distancing
  • Wash your hands regularly
  • Immediately isolate if you develop symptoms
  • Avoid contact with high risk individuals

• UNC Employees

  If you are returning on campus are expected to fully comply with the below isolation and quarantine guidelines below.If you are  working remotely will continue to do so until further notice. These guidelines explain health screenings, health and safety guidance, and working in different areas.

  You should take their own temperature before arriving at work each day. You may also refer to the Health Screening QuickReference guide for an overview of UNC’s policies.
  

  If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms you should contact your supervisor immediately and do not come to campus.

  Isolation

  If you have COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive COVID-19 test result, you should stay home until isolation is complete. This means:

  • 10 days after your symptoms first appeared (or, if asymptomatic 10 days since your positive test result)
  • Fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications)
  • Symptoms are improving

  If you continue to have sever symptoms, you should continue to say home and consult with your health care provider about the need for additional testing and/or the appropriate time to return to work. Documents from your healthcare provider must be provided.

  Quarantine

  If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or a probable COVID-19 case, you should quarantine and self-monitor for symptoms.

  Length of Quarantine	Is testing required?	Who should use this option?
  14 days	No	People who have regular close contact with *high risk individuals. This includes people that live or work in residential or congregate living facilities.
  10 days	No	This quarantine period is appropriate for most people who do not have contact with *high risk individuals.
  7 days	Yes	People who do not have contact with high risk individuals and have a negative test collected 48 hours before quarantine is discontinued (on day 5 or later).

Contact Tracing

When any member of the UNC community becomes ill with COVID-19, contract tracing will begin. The Student Health Center will work with the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment to identify and communicate directly with the individual(s) who may have been in close contact with the patient and assess the significance of the exposure.

Close Contact

The CDC defines a close contact as "someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset, or 2 days before a test for asymptomatic individuals.” Generally, being in the same classroom as someone who tests positive for COVID-19 is not considered being in ‘close contact’ due to UNC’s efforts to provide 6’ of space between students and required mask-wearing.

Please know that if there is a need for anyone to be quarantined or tested, they will be contacted by either the Weld County Department of Health or the Student Health Center. Further instructions and information will be provided regarding UNC's quarantine, isolation, cleaning, health, safety and privacy protocols. Support services will also be offered to those directly affected.

Campus community members should fill out the “Report a Student or Employee with Symptoms” form or the “Report a Positive Test Result” form on the Health Alerts webpage if they have symptoms or a positive test result and/or have reason to believe another campus community is showing symptoms/had a positive test result for contact-tracing purposes.