Quarantine Following Close Contact

Students and employees will need to test after an exposure to COVID-19 and those with symptoms will need to quarantine.

How Quarantine Works

Students and employees are required to report if they are identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19.

• Employee or Student will receive a Health-e-Message that:
  • Explains testing requirements and may require a 10-Day quarantine period, if symptomatic.
  • Provides advice for notifying supervisor/instructor(s) if they cannot come to campus, as well as return-to-work requirements

Testing and Quarantine Instructions

Explains how symptomatic close contacts need to quarantine following an exposure to COVID-19.

Close contacts and scenarios

A "close contact" is someone who was within 6 feet of a person infected with COVID-19, for at least 15 minutes cumulative over a 24-hour period, within the past ten days.

These are the most common COVID-19 scenarios and explain when/how people get notified and required to isolate/quarantine, while others can continue accessing campus.

•  Scenario 1: No close contacts

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  Sam (purple) was in Olson Hall but never spent 15 minutes near anyone.
   

  Sam must report their COVID-19 diagnosis to UC Davis and thankfully there are no other Close Contacts that Sam should notify.

  1. Sam will receive an email from Health E-Messaging with instructions that include, isolating for 5-10 days, notifying their supervisor and remaining off campus (unless Sam lives on campus or is seeking medical treatment).
  2. UC Davis issues a Worksite Exposure Report notice that Olson Hall was exposed to COVID-19, which goes out to everyone who completed the Daily Symptom Survey that day. 

   

•  Scenario 2: Multiple close contacts

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  Sam (purple) was in a conference room in Tupper Hall in Close Contact with two people.
  
  Sam should notify their close contacts.

   

  Green is a Close Contact and has NO symptoms

  Green's Daily Symptom Survey badge color is green, regardless of their vaccination status, and they can access campus facilities.

  Green should follow Testing Recommendations for Close Contacts.

  Red is a Close Contact and has symptoms.

  Red's Daily Symptom Survey badge color is red, regardless of their vaccination status and they cannot access campus facilities.

  Red should follow Instructions for Home Quarantine and Health Monitoring.

   

•  Scenario 3: COVID, Close Contacts and Quarantine at Home

• 
   

  

   

  Sam (purple) has Close Contacts at home.

  
  Sam should notify their close contacts.

   

  Green lives with Sam, but is NOT a Close Contact

  Regardless of vaccination status, Green may continue accessing campus facilities and their Daily Symptom Survey badge color is green.

  Green should monitor their symptoms and stay current on testing.

  Blue lives with Sam and is a Close Contact

  As long as Blue remains asymptomatic, regardless of vaccination status, they can continue to access campus facilities and their Daily Symptom Survey badge color is green.

  Blue should follow Testing Recommendations for Close Contacts.

  Red lives with Sam, is symptomatic, and a Close Contact

  Red cannot access campus facilities and their Daily Symptom Survey badge color is Red. 

  Red should follow Instructions for Home Quarantine and Health Monitoring.

   

Special Quarantine and Isolation Guidance

For Students

• With limited remote options, students will likely miss classes during any required quarantine period. Impacted students should contact their faculty to alert them of their situation and coordinate regarding coursework. If students experience academic challenges due to the impact of quarantine, they should contact their academic advisor. 

For Supervisors

• When an employee is exposed to COVID-19 and reports their close contact to UC Davis, they will be provided guidance for notifying their supervisor  about any quarantine requirements, as well as return-to-work requirements. Supervisors should not send any further communication regarding the work restriction to anyone else, but may communicate needed adjustments to workload and schedule, if the work restriction affects business process needs.
• If an employee is identified as a close contact and chooses not to (or cannot) complete testing requirements for close contacts, they must maintain 6 feet of physical distancing from others in the workplace, for 14 days following an exposure. 

For Travelers

• UC Davis employees and students on personal trips should follow the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance regarding quarantining after travel. Travelers on university business should refer to the Global Affairs Travel Announcement page for current guidelines and procedures. Also according to CDPH guidance, fully vaccinated individuals should follow CDC travel guidance, and are not required to test or quarantine before or after travel unless they have symptoms concerning for COVID-19 disease.

Sample Language for Notifying Supervisors
 

• Employee to Supervisor: Sample language about quarantine

• I have been notified through UC Davis Contact Tracing that I need to quarantine for up to 10 full days during which time I cannot access campus facilities.  

  I am following Testing and Quarantine Instructions.

  Before I return to using campus facilities, I will provide you with an approved Daily Symptom Survey result, and you may request a medical release from my healthcare provider.

  To protect my privacy, I was also advised to remind you about specific supervisor guidance regarding communicating this information with others.