Quarantine and Isolation

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you  need to isolate, regardless of vaccination status. This means that you should stay home and isolate from other people for at least 5 full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or date of positive test). Your isolation guidance may be different based on your health or where you work and live.

If you are severely ill with COVID-19 or who are immunocompromised, you may need to isolate for a longer period of time. CDC guidance recommends isolating for a period of at least 10 and up to 20 days AND consult with a healthcare provider before ending isolation.

If you tested positive using an at-home antigen test, you may report your test results here: covidrapidtests.colorado.gov.

Create an account, then select test type “At-home antigen - self reported” to report your positive test result. If you are unable to report your positive result on the website, you can also report your positive results to the contact tracing team.

Self-isolation means you are avoiding situations where you could infect other people. You will need to self-isolate if you:

• Exhibit COVID-19 symptoms
• Test positive for COVID-19

During self-isolation you should:

• Stay in your room or at home
• Avoid rideshare and public transportation
• Cover coughs and sneezes with your sleeve, elbow, or tissue
• Wash laundry and dishes using hot water
• Monitor yourself for symptoms  
• Do NOT go to class or work
• Do NOT go to public events, meetings, or other group activities
• Do NOT have other come to your home for social visits

If you have access to a test, you should use an antigen test on day 5 of the isolation period (or day 7 for healthcare workers). You should only take a test if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved. 

If your test is positive, you should continue to isolate until day 10. There may be some exceptions - you may call or email the contact tracing team for a consultation. If your test is negative, you can end isolation, but should continue to wear a mask around others at home or in public until day 10.

 

If one of your household members tests positive for COVID-19, you may need to quarantine (stay home). The duration of your quarantine depends on your vaccination status.

You do not need to quarantine if:

• You have received your booster,
• It has been less than 6 months after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna or less than 2 months after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, or
• You tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days.

You should wear a mask around others for 10 days and get tested 5 days after last exposure, or immediately if symptoms arise.

If you do not meet the criteria above, you need to quarantine at home for 5 days after exposure and continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. You should get tested on day 5 or immediately if symptoms develop.

If you have been in close contact (six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24-hour period) and do not know whether you have been infected, you may need to quarantine. It depends on your vaccination status.

For 10 days after exposure, you should continue to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, wear a mask, practice physical distancing, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and avoid contact with high risk individuals.

No. Contacts of a close contact would not need to quarantine.

If you aren’t sure what to do, please contact the Public Health Office.

CU Boulder does not require testing for an employee to come back to work or for a student to attend class in person. However, before you return, you should meet the criteria to end isolation or quarantine.

Do NOT travel if:

• You are currently sick
• Your isolation/quarantine period has not ended
• You are waiting for results of a COVID-19 test

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you should avoid travel for a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date of your positive test (if you had no symptoms). If you must travel after day 5, wear a mask when around others for the entire duration of travel.

If you had close contact with a person who has COVID-19, you should get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact and make sure your test result is negative and you do not have any symptoms. If you don’t get tested, delay travel until a full 10 days after your last close contact.

PCR tests provided by Medical Services are ISO certified.

You should not go to public places where you would remove your mask (such as restaurants and gyms) until 10 days has passed from:

• If you have COVID-19, symptom onset or test day if you did not have symptoms
• If in quarantine, last exposure date

If your symptoms are improving, you will likely feel better and notice a decrease in their severity (for example, you may notice that you feel less congested as time goes on). Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery. You can end isolation even if you haven’t regained your sense of smell and/or taste.

If your symptoms are getting worse, continue to isolate and contact a medical professional. Students can contact Medical Services 24/7 at 303-492-5101. Faculty and staff should contact their healthcare provider.

If your symptoms are severe (trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest), call 911 or go to the hospital.

The campus is currently mask-optional. There are some locations, such as medical facilities, that may have additional requirements.

Please contact your department HR liaison or email leave@colorado.edu about potential options.

Visit the COVID-19 HR leave guidance webpage for current options or email leave@colorado.edu.

Resources may vary depending on the county an individual lives in. Please feel free to email ContactTracing@colorado.edu with specific resource questions.

There are a few things you can do to prevent the spread of several viruses, including COVID-19:

• Wear a mask
• Practice physical distancing whenever possible
• Get vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Don’t share food and drinks
• Clean and disinfect share surfaces and frequently-touched objects
• Keep your immune system healthy by getting enough sleep, reducing stress, eating nutritious foods, and exercising
• Avoid close contact with anyone who cold or flu-like symptoms
• Stay home if you are sick

If your roommate tests positive, you will want to minimize contact with your roommate while they are in isolation. If you aren’t sure whether you should quarantine or have questions on next steps for you, please email contacttracing@colorado.edu or call 303-735-0017.