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COVID-19 Response FAQs

 

Whom do I contact with COVID related questions or needs?

From 8:30am-4:30pm (Monday-Friday) please contact the Health Services office at 864-644-5131. After 4:30pm or on the weekend please call the COVID On-Call number at 864-724-9292.

Are masks required while indoors?

As of 8/9/21, SWU will move to adopting a universal masking policy while indoors until at least the first two weeks of classes have been completed. The exceptions for wearing masks would be for a medical condition verified by a physician, when you are by yourself, while actively eating or drinking and when you are in your room with just your roommate or suitemates. We will continue to monitor the spread over the next several weeks as well as weekly throughout the semester to determine when we can safely move to a mask optional status. This will be determined by the spread on our campus, the number of new cases in the community, the number of available hospital beds locally as well as the vaccination numbers for our SWU community to determine when masks need to be worn. If the cases are high we will all wear masks regardless of vaccination status and if the cases are low, we may make a move to masks as optional status.

Are vaccinations recommended or required?

As it stands now, Southern Wesleyan University will not be requiring the vaccine for Fall of 2021, however we are highly recommending it. Once you have received both doses of the vaccine please send a copy of your vaccination card via email to or look for the red vaccination card upload form on mySWU.

We will follow the new CDC guidelines that say vaccinated individuals will NOT be required to quarantine if they are negative, but will need to take a PCR test 3-5 days after an exposure even if you don’t have symptoms. If you are positive you will need to isolate for 10 days or until your test result is negative. The quarantining and isolating guidelines for those who are unvaccinated will remain the same as they have been per CDC guidelines.

What is the difference between quarantining and isolation?

Quarantining will be required for students who have been directly exposed to a person who has tested positive for COVID (symptomatic or asymptomatic). This will be defined as a period of 7 days from the date of exposure to the COVID positive individual if you have a negative test on day 5. Students facing quarantine will be strongly encouraged to return home or relocate off campus for the duration of their quarantine. If the student chooses to stay in their room/apartment they will not be permitted to leave their room for any reason without permission from and coordination through SWU Student Life Staff. Students will monitor their health daily with a symptoms checklist provided by SWU. If you choose not to take a COVID-19 test than you will be required to quarantine for the full 14 days from your exposure.

Isolation will be required for students who have tested positive for COVID or who are showing symptoms of COVID. Isolation means students must completely isolate from people and pets. Students facing isolation will be strongly encouraged to return home or relocated off-campus for the duration of their isolation. Isolated students will be separated from roommates if they choose to isolate on SWU’s campus and will be assigned a room in Childs Hall or Apartments. Isolation lasts for 10 days after the first symptom and requires the student to be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.

Do I have to quarantine if I am vaccinated and exposed to a person who is positive for COVID?

Not unless you start to show symptoms. CDC currently recommends that a vaccinated individual be tested for COVID 3-5 days after their exposure. Also, you should mask at all times and monitor for any symptoms for 14 days following your exposure. If you develop symptoms you should be tested immediately and will be required to quarantine.

How is it determined if a student must quarantine or isolate?

A student will be required to isolate if they show COVID symptoms or have tested positive for COVID. A student will be required to quarantine if they have been within 6 feet of a COVID positive or COVID symptomatic person for more than 15 minutes (with or without a mask).

What happens if I choose to not quarantine or isolate after being required to by SWU staff?

If a student does not cooperate with the expectations of quarantine or isolation as defined above the student will be removed from campus immediately. This is for the protection of our larger residential community. Please be aware we only have 30 beds on campus to house those who are positive or symptomatic and awaiting test results and so we will be asking those who are close enough to campus to return home if they are in one of those two categories.

What happens if my roommate is COVID positive or shows symptoms and suspects they may have COVID?

If one roommate in the room or apartment shows COVID symptoms or tests positive for COVID all roommates of the student must quarantine either off campus or in their room for 7 days from the date of exposure to the COVID positive individual if you have a negative test on day 5.

What if I am a Commuter and I live in a household with someone COVID positive or shows symptoms and suspects they may have COVID?

If a person in your household shows COVID symptoms or tests positive you must quarantine off campus. Your quarantine will extend 17 days from the date your household contact first showed symptoms or tested positive (if asymptomatic).

What happens if I get COVID or am exposed directly to someone who has COVID?

You will isolate (defined above) if you are COVID positive and will quarantine if you are exposed directly (defined above).

Where do I get tested for COVID?

DHEC is currently offering free testing at the SWU softball field Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 3:00 p.m.
http://honumg.info/Wesleyan

There is also free testing at Nettles Park in Clemson 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. M-F (102 Nettles Park Road, Clemson, SC).
https://www.clemson.edu/covid-19/testing/community.html

Where will I be allowed to stay until I am tested or while I am waiting on the test result?

You will be strongly encouraged to return home or relocate off campus. If you choose to stay on campus you must quarantine in your room, or isolate in a designated room on campus if you are symptomatic, until the test results are determined.

What if I cannot afford to be tested or cannot find a location?

There are free testing sites listed above for COVID testing being conducted for reasons other than athletic practice or competition is the responsibility of the student. If the student cannot complete a test for any reason, they are still required to complete required 10-day isolation (symptomatic) or a required 14-day quarantine (asymptomatic and have been directly exposed to someone tested positive for COVID).

If I was in contact with someone who is COVID positive, but test negative myself, can I stop quarantining?

You may cease quarantining after a period of 7 days from the date of exposure to the COVID positive individual if you have a negative test on day 5 if you are not actively living with the person (a household contact for Commuters).

How do I continue my classes and who do I contact for online class (SWU Live) if I am quarantined or isolated?

Students will coordinate the transition to SWU Live (online viewing/attendance of class) with your academic advisor.

Who brings me food during on campus quarantine or isolation?

Food will be brought to your door from the cafeteria 3 times each day if you are in isolation. If you are in quarantine, there will be a time and location provided for you to go and pick up your food and then return to your room.

Who does my laundry during on campus quarantine or isolation?

Laundry service will be done by the students who are quarantined during established “quarantine-only” laundry hours. These hours will be posted on each laundry room. Students who are in isolation will have their laundry done on a case by case basis. This will be coordinated by our Student Care Team.

Who takes me to the hospital or doctor if I need to go during isolation or quarantine?

If you are unable to drive yourself for medical attention an ambulance will be called. SWU will work with Bowers EMS service and ambulance calls will be coordinated through SWU Health Services. This will be at the cost of the student.

When I am told I have been exposed how soon do I have to quarantine?

You must immediately quarantine in your room or off campus upon receiving communication that you have been exposed to someone with COVID.

What documentation is required of me while quarantining?

You will be required to complete a symptoms checklist provided by SWU nurse, Lori Herron.

If I’ve tested positive for COVID and completed the required isolation do I still have to wear a mask?

Yes!

If I’ve tested positive for COVID earlier this year do I still have to quarantine if I am exposed?

It depends. If you have had a positive test for COVID in the last 90 days please email that result to Nurse Herron ( ) so that we do not have to quarantine you if you are exposed on campus during that timeframe. If your positive test for COVID exceeds the 90 day timeframe then you will need to complete quarantine according to CDC guidelines.