Pandemic Response Planning

Reasons to Quarantine

1. You have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and you are not fully vaccinated, including a recommended booster, if eligible (close contact = someone you live with or have been within 6 feet of for 15 minutes or more, and/or other high-risk close contact, such as coughing or sneezing).

Reasons to Isolate

1. If you have tested positive for COVID-19.
2. If you have not been tested for COVID-19, or test results are pending, and you have symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever >100F (37.8C), cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste, or smell.

NPU Resources During Quarantine/Isolation:

1. Telehealth meetings with Health Services via Microsoft Teams.
2. Disability Access Office will help you continue your coursework during quarantine or isolation and help coordinate with professors when you are unable to complete work on time due to illness or other issues.
3. Counseling Support Services for mental health concerns.
4. Cleaning supplies to keep your campus living area clean.
5. Food will still be available to you if you have a meal plan, in quarantine or isolation. Residential students who are not on the meal plan can opt-in for Aramark meals for a small cost ($10 for 2 meals/day, $15 for 3 meals/day).

General Ways to Stay Healthy at this Time

1. Eat regular, healthy meals and get at least 8 hours of sleep.
2. Find a way to keep active, even if it’s in your room. Consider streamed exercise classes through Helwig Recreation Center, YouTube, or Amazon Prime.
3. Open your windows and get fresh air when you can.
4. Stay in contact with friends and family via phone or Facetime/Skype/What’s App/etc.
5. Connect with Counseling Support Services for drop-in support or regular sessions.
6. Do not use alcohol, nicotine, or recreational drugs.
7. If you have any concerns, contact Health Services at (773) 244-4897 or healthservices@northpark.edu.
   • Business hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   • If on-campus and assistance is needed after business hours, please call the Area Coordinator on duty at (773) 244-4979.

If symptoms are severe and urgent assistance is needed, call 911 for transportation to the ER (then if you are on campus, call Security at (773) 244-5600 to let them know 911 was called). Some reasons to call 911 with COVID-19 may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

Quarantine Procedures

1. Please sign the “Consent to Disclose Pertinent Health Information to Support Students in Isolation or Quarantine” so that departments on campus who will be supporting you during your need to quarantine can be informed of your diagnosis of COVID-19 and your need for support and resources at this time.
2. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever of 100F [37.78C] or higher, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or vomiting.
   • Use a digital oral thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, please let Health Services or your Area Coordinator know.
   • If taking fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, please take your temperature before taking a new dose.
3. If during quarantine you develop a fever (100°F/37.78°C or higher), cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, congestion, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or vomiting, you should:
   • Remain in your room unless urgent medical care is required (if required, call 911, and then, if on campus, call campus security at 773-244-5600).
   • Notify Health Services during business hours (Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) by calling 773-244-4897 or emailing healthservices@northpark.edu.
   • Residential students: for support after business hours, you may call the Area Coordinator On-Duty at 773-244-4979.
4. Stay home and avoid contact with others.
   • Do not physically go to work or school for your entire quarantine period.
     • Discuss your quarantine status with your employer before returning to work.
     • Discuss your need for quarantine with your professors. If any issues arise, you can reach out to the NPU Disability Access Office at for additional support.
   • When applicable, stay more than 6 feet away from roommates and wear a facial covering whenever you are not in your room, as well as disinfect after yourself in the bathroom and kitchen.
   • The only acceptable reason to leave your room, other than in the case of health care or an emergency, is to use the bathroom/kitchen or pick up your Aramark delivered meals if you are on campus. Return to your room as soon as you have picked up your food.
   • Do not walk around campus. Do not go to Helwig Recreation Center, Brandel Library, or other campus buildings. Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares.
   • You will not be allowed any visitors during quarantine or isolation. Do not go into any other campus room or residence during quarantine.
5. ALWAYS keep your distance from others (about 6 feet, or 2 meters) and wear a mask when you must leave your room.
6. Students who demonstrate a pattern of disregarding these quarantine rules will be held accountable the same way they are for other conduct guidelines in the Student Handbook.

For Residential Students:

7. If you have a meal plan, you must pick up your delivered food at a designated time and location which will be communicated to you. If you do not have a meal plan and are on campus, you may opt-in for a small charge to receive meals from Aramark. You can also leave your room to pick up any food you ordered off campus, but getting the food should be the only stop, and you must wear a mask and keep 6 feet from others. You may also order food for delivery, but it must be contactless and make the trip as short as possible. Return to your space immediately after picking up your food.
8. If you need maintenance assistance in your room, complete a help desk ticket and inform them that you are in a quarantine or isolation room. If work needs to be done inside your bedroom, physical plant staff will wear a mask upon entering your room and you will wear a mask and wait in an area in your room or apartment that allows a 6-foot distance from the staff member.
9. Wear a mask when walking to and from the laundry room and while in the laundry room and always maintain a 6ft distance from others. Contact your RA or Area Coordinator with any questions.
10. Whenever you need to go to use the bathroom in the dorms, please follow the procedure outlined below:
    • Wear a facial covering to walk to the bathroom.
    • If possible, please check to make sure the bathroom is empty before entering.
    • Use the spray bottle with cleaning solution and a paper towel to clean where you sat on the toilet. Get a second paper towel to clean the sink where you washed your hands.
11. Whenever you need to go to the bathroom in a campus apartment, please follow the procedure outlined below:
    • Do not enter the bathroom if it is occupied.
    • Use cleaning solution and a paper towel to clean wear you sat on the toilet. Get a second paper towel to clean the sink where you washed your hands.
12. If you have garbage that needs to be removed, complete a help desk ticket and inform them that you are in a quarantine or isolation space.

Isolation Procedures

1. Avoid contact with others. You are now considered to be in isolation and will likely be moved to a separate isolation space on campus.
   • Residential students may consider returning home for the duration of isolation (isolation lasts for at least 5 days from the day your symptoms started, or from the day you were tested for COVID-19 if asymptomatic).
2. If you have not already, please sign the “Consent to Disclose Pertinent Health Information to Support Students in Isolation or Quarantine” form so that departments on campus who will be supporting you during your need to isolate can be informed of your diagnosis of COVID-19 and your need for support and resources during isolation.
3. Stay home and avoid contact with others.
   • Do not physically go to work or school for your entire isolation period.
     • Discuss your isolation status with your employer before returning to work.
     • Discuss your need for isolation with your If any issues arise, you can reach out to the NPU Disability Access Office for additional support.
   • The only acceptable reason to leave your room, other than in the case of health care or an emergency, is to use the bathroom or pick up your delivered food, from Aramark or otherwise. Return to your room as soon as you have picked up your food.
4. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever of 100F [37.78C] or higher, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, congestion, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or vomiting.
   • Use the digital oral thermometer you were given with your Wellness Welcome Kit. If you do not have a thermometer, please let Health Services or your Area Coordinator know.
   • If taking fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, please take your temperature just before taking a new dose.

For Residential Students:

5. A member of the Covid Care Team, or a designee, will call you when your isolation apartment is ready and will provide you with directions on how to get to your isolation apartment on campus. An Area Coordinator will meet you at the apartment to drop off the key and answer any questions you have. Please put a mask on and make this interaction as brief as possible.
6. If you have not already, please sign the “Consent to Disclose Pertinent Health Information to Support Students in Isolation or Quarantine” form so that departments on campus who will be supporting you during your need to isolate can be informed of your diagnosis of COVID-19 and your need for support and resources during isolation.
7. Please see the packing list below to ensure you have all necessary supplies for at least 5 days of isolation.
8. Remember that food will be provided to you if you have a meal plan, but you are welcome to bring any food from your dorm or apartment as well. If you do not have a meal plan, you can opt-in for Aramark meals for a small cost. You will have a refrigerator and some cooking supplies in your isolation apartment. During isolation, you may have food delivered but it must be contactless delivery, and you must wear a mask while retrieving your food, maintain 6 feet between anyone you encounter, and make the trip from the isolation space to the food and back as short as possible.
9. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever of 100F [37.78C] or higher, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, congestion, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or vomiting.
   • Use a digital oral thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, please let Health Services or your Area Coordinator know.
   • If taking fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, please take your temperature just before taking a new dose.
   • Do not walk around campus. Do not go to Helwig Recreation Center, Brandel Library, or other campus buildings. Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares.
   • You will not be allowed any visitors during isolation. Do not go into any other isolation apartments.
10. Maintenance will be done in your apartment only if it is urgently needed. If work needs to be done, physical plant staff will wear a mask upon entering your apartment and you will wear a mask and wait in separate room of the apartment. Complete a help desk ticket if maintenance is needed.
11. Access to laundry services will be provided if needed, but it is preferable that students bring enough clothing to last throughout the isolation period.
12. If you are sharing your isolation apartment with another person with the same diagnosis, please follow the procedure outlined below when using the bathroom:
    • Do not enter the bathroom if it is occupied by the other person staying in the isolation apartment.
    • Wash your hands after you have finished using the bathroom.
    • Use the spray bottle with cleaning solution and a paper towel to clean wear you sat on the toilet. Get a second paper towel to clean the sink where you washed your hands.
    • Wash your hands again before leaving the bathroom.
13. If you have garbage that needs to be removed, complete a help desk ticket and inform them that you are in a quarantine or isolation space.
14. Students who demonstrate a pattern of disregarding these isolation rules will be held accountable the same way they are for other conduct guidelines in the Student Handbook.

Packing List when Moving to Isolation Apartment

• Face mask
• Digital thermometer
• 2- to 3-week supply of any medications taken regularly
• Clothing for at least 10 days of isolation
• Bedding (pillow, sheets, comforter)
• Towels
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and other toiletries
• Computer, textbooks, and any other supplies needed to do your schoolwork
• Chargers for all electronics
• Laundry detergent

If symptoms are severe and urgent assistance is needed, call 911 for transportation to the ER (then, call Security at 773- 244-5600 to let them know 911 was called). Some reasons to call 911 with COVID-19 may include (but not limited to) the following:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face