What if I have to Isolate or Quarantine?

The university is following current guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health on  COVID-19 Isolation, Quarantine and Outbreak Guidelines for Colleges and Universities. The process for quarantining or isolating while living in Student Housing is outlined in the Department of Student Housing Guide to Isolation and Quarantine Process.

The university is committed to supporting students in quarantine or isolation. More information is outlined in this letter about Student Affairs Support for Student Quarantine & Isolation.

For additional information about quarantine and isolation decisions related to a positive case in housing facilities, see this flow chart.

Please note that as of Feb. 23, 2021, in alignment with the Mississippi State Department of Health, the university updated it’s quarantine guidance for fully vaccinated persons after exposure to COVID-19 infected individuals as follows: Persons who are fully vaccinated (≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine), are within 3 months of completing vaccine at time of exposure and who remain asymptomatic are not required to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure.

According to the Mississippi State Department of Health:

Isolation refers to the time period that an infected patient with COVID-19 must spend alone, away from others, to prevent the transmission of disease. The period of isolation is 10 days from the onset of symptoms (or the date of testing for those who are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis). Students and staff may return to work or school after 10 days of isolation if they meet the following criteria:

• It has been 10 days past the onset of symptoms (or date of test if they were asymptomatic);
• Have been fever free for at least 24 hours; and
• Have improvement of other symptoms.

Quarantine keeps you away from others if you may have been exposed to COVID-19. Close contact with someone who has COVID-19 indicates the need for quarantine at home. If you are a household member of someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must also quarantine at home.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) continues to strongly encourage a 14-day quarantine period for individuals who are exposed to a person infected with COVID-19. However, there are acceptable options for reduced quarantine:

• • Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring, OR,
  • If testing is available, then quarantine can end after Day 7 if an RT-PCR diagnostic specimen is negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. The specimen may be collected and tested within 48 hours before the time of planned quarantine discontinuation, but quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than after Day 7.

Please note that as of Feb. 23, 2021, in alignment with the Mississippi State Department of Health, the university updated it’s quarantine guidance for fully vaccinated persons after exposure to COVID-19 infected individuals as follows: Persons who are fully vaccinated (≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine), are within 3 months of completing vaccine at time of exposure and who remain asymptomatic are not required to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure.

Should students in quarantine or isolation go to a face-to-face class?

Students in quarantine or isolation should not attend a face-to-face class until the quarantine or isolation period is complete. Students should continue to attend remote and online courses.

Students should contact their instructors for face-to-face courses to inform them that they are in isolation or quarantine and unable to attend the face-to-face class.

COVID-19 safety protocols hold the highest priority, and faculty have designed attendance guidelines for students that do not penalize students for adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. Course attendance policies for face-to-face, hybrid, remote, and online allow for absences necessary for isolation, quarantine, or other COVID-19 related absences. Faculty will be flexible with assignment due dates when students have COVID-19-related absences in all courses, regardless of delivery mode.

The Keep Learning site provides advice, resources, and points of contact for students to assist in their remote learning experience.