12
April
2021
|
16:19 PM
America/Chicago

Questions About Quarantine and Isolation

Greetings UHD Community,

The University of Houston-Downtown's Department of Emergency Management has received many questions about when persons with COVID-19 symptoms, positive diagnosis or exposure should end quarantine or isolation.To that end, UHD monitors the latest guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and are addressed in these questions and answers below.

I am under self-isolation because I have had a positive test result or a diagnosis of COVID-19 and have exhibited Coronavirus Symptoms. When should I discontinue quarantine/isolation?

  • At least 24 hours must pass since your last fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and there is an improvement in symptoms; and,
  • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

What if I have been under self-isolation because I have lab confirmed COVID-19 and have not exhibited Coronavirus Symptoms?

Ten (10) days must have passed since the date of your first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test (assuming you have not subsequently developed symptoms since testing positive)

When should I end self-quarantine/isolation because of potential exposure and I have exhibited Coronavirus Symptoms?

  • At least 24 hours must pass since your last fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and there is an improvement in symptoms; and,
  • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

What if I am under self-quarantine because of potential exposure to someone with lab-confirmed or diagnosed COVID-19 AND I have NOT exhibited Coronavirus Symptoms?

  • At least 10 days must pass since the beginning of self-quarantine (the date you had close contact), no symptoms have appeared, and you have had no further close contact with that individual or anyone else with COVID-19; or
  • At least 7 days must pass since the beginning of self-quarantine, no symptoms have appeared, and you have had a negative COVID PCR test done no sooner than 5 days after starting the self-quarantine.
  • If you live with someone with COVID-19 and have not been able to avoid continuous close contact with them, at least 10 days must pass since the person with COVID-19 has completed their self-isolation
  • If you live with someone with COVID-19 and have avoided continued contact with that household member, but you have had close contact with another household member who has COVID-19, at least 10 days must pass since your last close contact with this additional household member.

What if I have tested positive in the past three months?

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered and you do not currently have symptoms of COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine.If I am fully vaccinated, am I required to report exposure, or should I quarantine following exposure to a person who is COVID positive?For persons that are fully vaccinated, you are not required to report exposure or to quarantine following exposure to a person who is COVID positive if all three of the following conditions are met:

  • You are fully vaccinated (More than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or more than 2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
  • It has not been longer than 3 months from the time you received the last dose in the series
  • You have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure

Return from International Travel

Requirements for self-quarantine includes international students who are traveling to the U.S. for spring classes. Faculty, staff, and students returning from international travel, university-sanctioned or personal, are required to complete one of the following upon return to the United States:

  • Self-quarantine for 10 days or
  • Get tested 3-5 days after travel and stay home for 7 days after travel.
    • Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.
    • If your test is positive, stay home and follow the COVID-19 Diagnosis protocols.
  • Regardless of whether you get tested or not, you should avoid being around high-risk individuals for 14 days upon returning from international travel.

What should I do before returning to campus?

Written approval is required before any UHD community member may return to campus after self-quarantine or self-isolation. You must submit a Request to Return to Campus Form before coming back to campus.The health and safety of our faculty, students and staff is our top priority. Be well and stay safe!

 

Department of Emergency Management
University of Houston-Downtown

 

About the University of Houston-Downtown

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.

U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.