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Quarantine and Isolation

Isolation separates ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help stop the transmission of certain diseases. 

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill through close contact or other means.

Close contact is defined by the CDC as: 

  • Being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. 
  • Providing care in a non-healthcare setting to someone who is sick with COVID-19. 
  • Direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them) 
  • Sharing eating or drinking utensils. 
  • A person with COVID-19 sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on the other person. 

  • People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19—excluding people who have had COVID-19 within the past three months or who have been fully vaccinated for a minimum of 14 days. 
  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three months and develop new symptoms of COVID-19 if no other cause can be identified for their symptoms. 
  • Anyone who is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test due to symptoms or close contact exposure. 
  • Fully vaccinated students are not required to quarantine after exposure if the following criteria are met: 
    • Fully vaccinated (14 days after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or 14 days after Johnson and Johnson/Janssen). 
    • While not required to quarantine, vaccinated individuals must still: 
      • Monitor for symptoms for 14 days. 
      • Follow all other guidance including face coverings, hand washing, and social distancing. 
      • Immediately self-isolate if any symptoms develop and report to [email protected] or 919-530-3219 option 2 for employees.

Employees 

Symptomatic faculty and staff will be quarantined until all of the following apply: 

  • It has been at least 10 days since symptoms began. 
  • You have not had a fever or used fever-reducing medication for 24 hours   
  • Other symptoms have improved (such as coughing and shortness of breath). 

If you have a positive test but do not develop symptoms, you will remain in isolation until 10 days have passed since the date of your first positive COVID-19 test. 

It is critical that all employees remember to report COVID symptoms, isolation or quarantine to the NCCU COVID-19 line at 919-530-3219 option 2. 

Students 

Students who are identified as a close contact of a person who tests positive for or exhibits signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are immediately quarantined for 14 days. Fully vaccinated students are not required to quarantine unless symptomatic. Students are notified by COVID Team or Student Health when they are cleared to return to campus activities and/or their assigned residence hall.  

Residential students who need isolation/quarantine are housed in a designated, on-campus residential facility.  Residential students may request to return home for their quarantine and isolation period, if possible.  Students residing in quarantine/isolation space receive food deliveries, supplies, daily welfare and health checks and symptom monitoring. Non-residential students will be sent to quarantine and isolate themselves in their own homes. The Office of Student Accessibility Services notifies instructors when students will not be present in class and helps arrange for online coursework.  

Should students break their quarantine or isolation or otherwise fail to comply with quarantine/isolation directives, they will be subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct. 

Visitors 

It is the policy of NCCU that all persons who come on campus, including visitors, contractor, and vendors, will follow the policies set forth to protect the health and safety of all, including the following: 

  • All visitors to campus must complete and submit an online health survey each day prior to coming on campus.  It is the responsibility of the campus “host” to ensure that they have received a copy of the email granting the visitor access to campus buildings.  
  • Face coverings are required in all NCCU buildings and in all outdoor settings where distancing is not feasible.  
  • Practice good hand hygiene while on campus.