Please reach out to Wellness at wellness@ursinus.edu to let us know about your positive test.

You may need to reach out to your contacts (individuals who spent at least 15 minutes cumulatively within 6 feet of you anytime back until 48 hours before the onset of symptoms, or if you had no symptoms, 48 hours before your positive test sample was taken. The CDC also describes contacts in more detail.

• Was the person less than 6 feet away from someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19? Consider time spent with someone with COVID-19 starting 2 days before the infected person developed symptoms, or the date they were tested if they do not have symptoms, until they started isolation.
• Has the person been in the presence of someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period?

If the answers to the questions above are both yes, the person is a close contact, regardless of whether the person was wearing a mask properly. This person should be contacted and notified that they should begin wearing a mask and testing regularly.

If the answer to either of the questions above is no, the person is not a close contact.

It is the College’s recommendation (and best practice for the health and safety of all) to continue to isolate for 5 days from the date of a positive COVID test and to mask for 10 days total. However, in light of the CDC’s recent changes to recommendations, the following practices have been updated for those who test positive for COVID:

Individuals with COVID-19 with symptoms: Individuals who have COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms shall isolate from others until fever free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms are mild and improving. Masks are required to leave isolation before 10 days from when symptoms began or the date of their first positive test. You can remove your mask sooner if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart.

Individuals with COVID-19 without symptoms: Individuals who have COVID-19 and are not experiencing symptoms are not required to isolate provided they wear a well-fitting, high-quality respiratory mask whenever around other people for 10 days from the positive test. You can remove your mask sooner if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart.

Student Athletes: If you test positive for COVID, please do not resume any team activities that cannot be completed without a mask for at least 5 days from your positive test. If symptoms have resolved after 5 days, you may consider rejoining your team, but please wear a mask as much as possible until you have two negative tests at least a day apart or 10 days have passed since your positive test.

Isolation: Off-Campus

If you live within driving distance of campus, you should plan to go home to isolate. You are recommended to isolate for 5 days (5 “sleeps”) from your positive test. 

Isolation: On-Campus

If you are unable to return home to isolate, you will need to remain in your assigned residence hall room. Ursinus does not have on campus quarantine or isolation housing available. You should have an established plan with your roommates and/or housemates (if applicable) on how to isolate in a manner that everyone is comfortable. It is possible to isolate safely in residence with others!

• Do not attend class, athletics, or other college-related events until your isolation period has completed
• Remain masked and physically distanced from others
• Utilize single-use bathrooms if available
• Avoid common spaces or areas where others may be present

Takeout from Wismer will be available for students isolating on campus. Please view this website and click on “Sick Meals” to request takeout. You can safely pick up your takeout from Wismer as long as you are wearing a masking and physically distancing whenever possible. You can also send a friend to pick up for you, if available.

For any concerns about symptoms or health, please contact the Wellness Center to schedule a check-up during business hours Monday-Friday. You can call 610-409-3100 or email wellness@ursinus.edu.

If this is a life-threatening emergency, please contact Campus Safety at 610-409-3333 or call 911. For afterhours or weekend care, please contact Patient First Urgent Care in Collegeville at 484-902-1893 or schedule an appointment at the MinuteClinic at CVS here.

If you have questions about isolating in your residence hall, please reach out to the Office of Residence Life (residencelife@ursinus.edu) or 610-409-3590.

Please notify your faculty if you need to miss class because of a positive test. If you need further academic support, please reach out to the Institute for Student Success (insituteforstudentsuccess@ursinus.edu) or 610-409-3400.

If you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medications), symptoms are improving, and/or test negative after 5 full days in isolation, you may return to campus. You should wear a well-fitting mask when around others for the 10 full days following your test or symptom onset.

If you continue to test positive or continue to experience symptoms, you should consider staying in isolation until day 10. You may return to campus only if you have been fever-free for 24 hours and other symptoms have diminished.

If at any point you have serious symptoms, including difficulty breathing or high fever, you should contact Wellness or your primary health care professional.

Student who have been exposed to COVID are encouraged to test periodically within five days following exposure. Please review the testing information listed on the sidebar to determine the best testing plan for you. If you are experiencing symptoms, please make an appointment with the Wellness Center.

You are also recommended to wear a well-fitting mask around others and to avoid places where masking is not possible for at least five days.

For healthy students, masks are no longer required on campus. Masks are required for those who are still within the 10-day timeline from a positive test but have completed isolation. However, if you test negative before 10 days have passed, you may remove your mask at that time. Masks are also highly encouraged for those who have been recently exposed to COVID.

Some faculty or staff may request that students wear masks in classrooms or offices and we ask that students comply.

Please recognize that some people make choose to continue to mask even though the campus or community may not require it. It is important that students, faculty, and staff respect and support these personal health decisions.