Quarantine means staying in a specific designated location (i.e., your apartment or room) away from others, for the purpose of observing and monitoring your health status for the potential development of symptoms. When you are in quarantine you cannot attend school or work in person or leave the house to run errands or go grocery shopping. Quarantine is also critical in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others in our community. The Vermont Department of Health describes the kinds of activities that are and are not permissible under quarantine here.
For our purposes we are using two types of quarantine—arrival quarantine and exposure quarantine.
- Arrival quarantine applies to those students who have to quarantine when they arrive on campus or who travel during the semester to counties in states with higher rates of COVID-19. Find out if you need to quarantine when you arrive or return to campus.
- Exposure quarantine applies to students who are identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.
If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 you quarantine because you may have been infected with the virus that causes this illness. If you stay away from others after learning you were exposed you won't run the risk of spreading the virus to someone else if it turns out you are infected.
If you’ve been exposed you will temporarily stay in a separate residential hall. Do not leave your quarantine location for any non-essential reason, including class, work, shopping, or to use public transportation. Please connect and communicate with family and friends by phone or computer. You can leave your room to go to the bathroom, but you need to wear a mask and wipe down areas you used to disinfect the bathroom after each use. Dining Services will provide three meals a day, in addition to bottled beverages and non-perishable snacks, that will be deducted from your meal plan. More information on dining is available here.
You will need to monitor your symptoms daily and remain in quarantine. On or after seven days, you will get tested and remain in quarantine until you receive negative test results. They typically take 36-28 hours to arrive.
A nurse from Student Health Services will call to check in with you about symptoms and offer support regularly. Student Health Services will also communicate with the dean of your school or college to let them know you will miss any in-person classes while you are quarantined, but we will not discuss the specifics of your situation with your professors. (See our confidentiality policy here.)
If you experience any symptoms, please call Student Health Services 24/7. You can leave your room to seek medical care but must wear a mask to do so. Make sure you call your provider before arriving in person.
If you need to quarantine due to travel or exposure you will be expected to generally stay in your bedroom. Do not leave your quarantine location for any non-essential reason, including class, work, shopping, or to use public transportation. Please connect and communicate with family and friends by phone or computer. You can leave your bedroom to go to the bathroom, but you need to wear a mask and wipe down areas you used to disinfect the bathroom after each use.
If you are quaranting due to exposure you will need to monitor your symptoms and take your temperature twice a day. A nurse from Student Health Services will call to check in with you about symptoms and offer support. Student Health Services will also communicate with the dean of your school or college to let them know you will miss any in-person classes while you are quarantined, but we will not discuss the specifics of your situation with your professors. (See our privacy policy here).
If you experience any symptoms, please call Student Health Services 24/7. You can leave your room to seek medical care but must wear a mask to do so. Make sure you call your provider before arriving in person.
You can get tested on or after seven days of quarantine. If the test is negative you can end your quarantine.
The biggest difference between quarantining on- and off-campus is that if you live off campus your roommates or housemates will be expected to be your support system and help make sure you have food, hydrating beverages, and any other necessities. If your roommate or housemate is quarantined you should maintain physical distance.