Covid-19 protocols have shifted over time as the virus has evolved. Currently, Covid-19 is being treated as any other illness by the medical community. This is a significant shift and represents an important turning point in how individuals and medical providers respond to Covid-19. The following information provides details for handling cases of Covid-19 on campus and in the classroom.
- There is no requirement for those testing positive, or for employees who become aware of a positive case, to call or report a positive case to the Health Center at Auraria. In response to changing guidance from public-health agencies, the Health Center at Auraria will no longer conduct contact tracing on campus.
- However, faculty and staff members should contact the Health Center if they encounter five or more Covid-19-positive students in the same class or five or more Covid-19-positive employees in the same work environment within a two-week period. In this case, call the Health Center at 303-615-9999 and request a call back from the medical director. The Health Center will work closely with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment in determining whether any intervention is necessary.
- Students and employees who are returning to campus after any type of respiratory illness should wear a mask while on campus until all symptoms are fully resolved.
- Students and employees should report any absences to their instructor(s) and/or supervisor, as is routinely expected for all absences due to an illness. Students may return to class without a doctor’s note, according to the guidelines in Items 5 and 6 below.
- Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 should contact their medical provider for consultation if desired or if medically necessary.
- Anyone who receives a positive test result should isolate for a minimum of five days. Isolation means withdrawing from all contact with others and isolating alone to prevent the spread of the disease. If after five days symptoms are resolving and there has been no fever for 24 hours, it is safe to resume normal activities on Day Six. However, a mask should be worn during reengagement with others on days six through 10 to ensure maximum safety for the campus community.
- If after Day Five symptoms still prevail without positive signs of resolution and/or a fever persists, then isolation should continue until there is no fever for 24 hours and symptoms are noticeably resolving. A mask should be worn for five days after reengagement commences to ensure maximum safety for the campus community.
- Consider therapeutic treatments through your primary-care physician or through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The Health Center at Auraria continues to offer Covid-19 testing. To schedule a vaccine appointment, call 303-615-9997.
The Health Center at Auraria will offer flu shots and the new Omicron-specific Covid-19 booster shots when approved and available for distribution. Additional details will be forthcoming.
Follow all important public health updates at msudenver.edu/covid.