Q: What are quarantine and isolation, and what is the difference?

Quarantine: Keeping someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. Individuals in quarantine should stay home for 14 days, separate themselves from others, monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. You may leave your home to get grab-and-go food and eat at home. For more from the CDC on quarantine, go here . Isolate/Isolation: Separating people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 as well as those with no symptoms). Individuals with active cases are asked to isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms begin and 24 hours after their fever has broken, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with the improvement of other symptoms. Individuals in isolation must not leave their home except for emergencies. They should monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. For more from the CDC on isolation, go here . A handout on quarantine and isolation is also available.

Question 1

What happens if I test positive for COVID-19?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

Dedicated nurse case managers from the Protect Purdue Health Center will provide guidance and help coordinate next steps for individuals who test positive for COVID-19. Positive individuals will be required to self-isolate and be on campus or participate in public activity for any reason until they receive medical clearance from the Protect Purdue Health Center. Contact tracers will identify and, when necessary, contact individuals who have been in high-risk close contact with someone who has tested positive. Academic case managers will be assigned to students who test positive to help ensure they don’t fall behind academically.

The case manager will work with the individual through the entire process to ensure a safe return to work or the classroom.

All positive tests are reported to the CDC by the Department of Health or the laboratory processing the test. To protect your personal health information, please do not email or call, or post on social media your test results.

The case manager will work with the individual through the entire process to ensure a safe return to work or the classroom.

All positive tests are reported to the CDC by the Department of Health or the laboratory processing the test. To protect your personal health information, please do not email or call, or post on social media your test results.

Question 2

Who is eligible to utilize PPHC?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

All West Lafayette faculty, staff and students — as well as family members of faculty and staff directly affiliated with the West Lafayette campus — can utilize PPHC at no cost.

Question 3

What happens if my roommate or coworker tests positive for COVID-19?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

If a student or employee has tested positive, they cannot attend classes or go to work until cleared to do so by the Protect Purdue Health Center. Having a coworker test positive does not automatically mean that you should be tested – although you can be tested if you choose to.

A contact tracing team will assess all contacts and determine whether the exposure was low risk or high risk (defined as more than 15 minutes within 6 feet, especially indoors without using PPE). Low-risk contacts are not required to test for COVID-19; however, they may choose to be tested. High-risk contacts may be asked to test. If the person who tested positive was tested off-campus, the Protect Purdue Health Center is not notified. The county health department will be responsible for contact tracing.

Question 4

Can I go to the Center for Healthy Living (CHL) or PUSH with my COVID-19-related symptoms? Will they share my information with the PPHC and assign me a nurse case manager?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

No. If you have COVID-19-related symptoms, please contact the PPHC. The nurse case manager will walk you through the next steps. PPHC is working with the PUSH and CHL to coordinate care on the West Lafayette campus.

Question 5

Do I have to be tested when a nurse case manager recommends it?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

As part of the Protect Purdue Pledge, students, faculty and staff are expected to follow the directions provided by the case manager from the Protect Purdue Health Center, including any testing, contact tracing and quarantine or isolation instructions. Refusing to be tested or quarantined would be inconsistent with the Protect Purdue Pledge and will impact an individual’s ability to remain on campus.

Question 6

Can I seek treatment from my own physician or preferred medical facility? If my physician processed the test, can they share my test results with the PPHC?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

We are asking any student, faculty or staff member tested outside of the PPHC to inform the PPHC in order to support the Protect Purdue Pledge.

Question 7

Will PPHC provide treatment if I test positive?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

If an individual tests positive, PPHC nurse case managers will continue to monitor the individual while in isolation. If it is determined that further healthcare is necessary, PPHC will help coordinate care for the individual. Get more information about quarantine and isolation.

Question 8

If a student, faculty or staff member is identified as being in contact with someone who tested positive, can they refuse a test or refuse to be quarantined and continue on campus?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

We expect everyone to work with the PPHC to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 and to protect the health of the entire campus community. Refusing to be tested or quarantined would be inconsistent with the Protect Purdue Pledge and will impact an individual’s ability to remain on campus.

Question 9

What are quarantine and isolation, and what is the difference?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

Quarantine: Keeping someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. Individuals in quarantine should stay home for 14 days, separate themselves from others, monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. You may leave your home to get grab-and-go food and eat at home. For more from the CDC on quarantine, go here.

Isolate/Isolation: Separating people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 as well as those with no symptoms). Individuals with active cases are asked to isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms begin and 24 hours after their fever has broken, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with the improvement of other symptoms. Individuals in isolation must not leave their home except for emergencies. They should monitor their health and follow directions from the Protect Purdue Health Center. For more from the CDC on isolation, go here.

A handout on quarantine and isolation is also available.

Question 10

Is there a cost associated with the PPHC?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

No. Testing and case management associated with PPHC is free for students, employees and family members of faculty and staff directly affiliated with the West Lafayette campus.

Question 11

Do I have to use the PPHC for COVID-19-related concerns, including testing?

Rain Gu · Accepted Answer

Yes. Faculty, staff and students should work through the PPHC.

FAQ

Protect Purdue Health Center