For the safety of all our community members, the Simpson COVID Management Team (CMT) has continued to monitor the evolving COVID-19 data and trends to carefully consider what protocols are most appropriate at this time.
Current COVID-19 Protocols
Masks are required in classrooms for the first two weeks of classes.
Students and faculty members are required to wear masks in classes from August 30-September 9 as decided by the Faculty Liaison Council (FLC). Masks are not required in any other indoor or outdoor spaces.
Report positive COVID-19 test results.
Students who receive a positive COVID-19 test result are to inform Health Services. Faculty and staff who receive a positive COVID-19 test result are to inform Mimi Bartley-Nancarrow, Director of Human Resources.
Templates will be provided to help those who test positive notify close contacts.
Prevention protocol
The COVID-19 Management Team and Health Services will continue to track COVID-19 cases across campus. If the number of positive cases exceeds 3 percent in one week, mask-use will be required in classes and recommended in other indoor spaces for 2 weeks, or until case counts drop below 3 percent. The campus COVID-19 dashboard, available on SC Connect, will continue to be updated weekly.
Please visit simpson.edu/covid19-plan for the current Simpson COVID-19 plan and to access other COVID-related information.
If you test positive for COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID-19, you must first isolate for 5 full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the date of the day of the positive viral test if you are asymptomatic). After the isolation period and if you are asymptomatic, you can leave the living space while wearing a mask around others for an additional 5 days.
Please view the CDC’s recommendations for isolation for more information.
What to do for isolation
- Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
- Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
Use a separate bathroom, if possible. - Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
- Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
- Wear a well-fitting mask when you need to be around other people.
Ending isolation for people who had COVID-19 and had symptoms
If you had COVID-19 and had symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days. To calculate your 5-day isolation period, day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed. You can leave isolation after 5 full days.
- You can end isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation).
- You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you should continue to isolate for a full 10 days. Avoid people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease, and nursing homes and other high-risk settings, until after at least 10 days.
- If you continue to have fever or your other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, you should wait to end your isolation until you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved. Continue to wear a well-fitting mask. Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions.
- Do not travel during your 5-day isolation period. After you end isolation, avoid travel until a full 10 days after your first day of symptoms. If you must travel on days 6-10, wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during the 10 days.
- Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask, such as restaurants and some gyms, and avoid eating around others at home and at work until a full 10 days after your first day of symptoms.
If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test1 towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation). If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10. Follow additional recommendations for masking and restricting travel as described above.
1As noted in the labeling for authorized over-the counter antigen testsexternal icon: Negative results should be treated as presumptive. Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions, including infection control decisions. To improve results, antigen tests should be used twice over a three-day period with at least 24 hours and no more than 48 hours between tests.
Note that these recommendations on ending isolation do not apply to people with severe COVID-19 or with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised). See section below for recommendations for when to end isolation for these groups.
Ending isolation for people who tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms
If you test positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days. Day 0 is the day of your positive viral test (based on the date you were tested) and day 1 is the first full day after the specimen was collected for your positive test. You can leave isolation after 5 full days.
- If you continue to have no symptoms, you can end isolation after at least 5 days.
- You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10 (day 6 through day 10). If you are unable to wear a mask when around others, you should continue to isolate for 10 days. Avoid people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease, and nursing homes and other high-risk settings, until after at least 10 days.
- If you develop symptoms after testing positive, your 5-day isolation period should start over. Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Follow the recommendations above for ending isolation for people who had COVID-19 and had symptoms.
- Do not travel during your 5-day isolation period. After you end isolation, avoid travel until 10 days after the day of your positive test. If you must travel on days 6-10, wear a well-fitting mask when you are around others for the entire duration of travel. If you are unable to wear a mask, you should not travel during the 10 days after your positive test.
- Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask, such as restaurants and some gyms, and avoid eating around others at home and at work until 10 days after the day of your positive test.
If an individual has access to a test and wants to test, the best approach is to use an antigen test1 towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Collect the test sample only if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation). If your test result is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. If your test result is negative, you can end isolation, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10. Follow additional recommendations for masking and restricting travel as described above.
1As noted in the labeling for authorized over-the counter antigen testsexternal icon: Negative results should be treated as presumptive. Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions, including infection control decisions. To improve results, antigen tests should be used twice over a three-day period with at least 24 hours and no more than 48 hours between tests.
Note that these recommendations on ending isolation do not apply to people with severe COVID-19 or with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised). See section below for recommendations for when to end isolation for these groups.
Ending isolation for people who were severely ill with COVID-19 or have a weakened immune system (immunocompromised)
People who are severely ill with COVID-19 (including those who were hospitalized or required intensive care or ventilation support) and people with compromised immune systems might need to isolate at home longer. They may also require testing with a viral test to determine when they can be around others. CDC recommends an isolation period of at least 10 and up to 20 days for people who were severely ill with COVID-19 and for people with weakened immune systems. Consult with your healthcare provider about when you can resume being around other people.
People who are immunocompromised should talk to their healthcare provider about the potential for reduced immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines and the need to continue to follow current prevention measures (including wearing a well-fitting mask, staying 6 feet apart from others they don’t live with, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces) to protect themselves against COVID-19 until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider. Close contacts of immunocompromised people – including household members – should also be encouraged to receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses to help protect these people.
Please view the CDC’s recommendations for isolation for more information.
If you have been exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19
The CDC guidelines allow you the flexibility to attend class or work, but the following actions are required.
- You may attend class or work, but you must wear a well-fitting mask around others at all times.
- Students may continue to reside in their on-campus housing, but they and their roommate(s) should wear masks when in the same space, including when sleeping.
- You may utilize the on-campus dining services; however, you must use the grab-and-go options.
- You should not go to places where you cannot wear a mask, such as restaurants and gyms, until after Day 10.
It is strongly recommended that you test on Day 5 or later. There is a nationwide shortage of rapid test kits, so we ask you not test before day 5.
Please view the CDC’s recommendations for COVID-19 exposure for more information.
If you have any questions regarding the above information, please email covidresponse@simpson.edu.
Last updated August 19, 2022