Skip to main content
Santa Clara University
Prepared SCU: COVID-19 and Campus Updates

Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines

  1. Home
  2. Prepared SCU: COVID-19 and Campus Updates
  3. Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines

Last updated on January 23, 2024

Isolation Protocols 

  • If you experience  COVID-19 symptoms, please mask up right away and take a rapid antigen test.
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, you must report your positive test result here and isolate yourself for a minimum of 24 hours.  Do not attend in-person work or class during this period.
  • Continue isolation until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
  • When you have been fever free for 24 hours and your symptoms are mild and improving, you must continue to wear a mask through Day 10 unless, after ending isolation, you have two negative antigen tests at least a day apart without a positive test in between. Masks are especially important, because most people are infectious 5-10 days after symptoms begin.  

You should notify people that you were in close contact with by calling, texting, or emailing them, or notify them anonymously through the Tell Your Contacts website. 

Quarantine guidelines for close contact with a positive case

  • If exposed to COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine. 
  • If you experience  COVID-19 symptoms,  test and mask up immediately.  
  • If you do not have symptoms, test 3-5 days after exposure. 
  • Mask indoors when around individuals who are at a higher risk for severe infection. 
  • Remember, if you test negative on a rapid antigen test while experiencing symptoms, you should test again a day or two later.

Here’s what to expect when a student tests positive for COVID-19 while living in on-campus housing*. 

*On-campus housing includes students with a housing contract through SCU. It does not include students in privately-owned off-campus housing.

Step 1: The student must report their positive test as soon as possible to the university by completing this SURVEY immediately.

Step 2: The student is contacted by a member of the SCU COVID Support Team to provide guidance for isolating in place and offer support, contacts, and resources. Isolation in University Housing will operate with an isolate-in-place model.

Step 3: The student is expected to stay in isolation in their residence hall and avoid physical contact with others until their isolation period is complete. Students or their roommates are also welcome to return home during this isolation period, if they can do so safely. The duration of isolation will be determined by how the students symptoms are progressing. 

Seeking Treatment for COVID-19

COVID-19 treatments are available! Talk with your primary care provider, an urgent care center, or a free telehealth provider today by visiting www.sesamecare.com/covidca or calling (833) 686-5051. 

Contacts

  • COVID Support: 408-554-5331
  • Cowell Health: 408-554-4501
  • Campus Safety: 408-554-4441
  • Housing Operations: 408-554-4900
  • Medical Emergency: 911