Quarantine & Isolation Glossary
There are a number of words used within and outside of the DU community that refer to ways your contact with others is restricted related to COVID-19 to support the health and safety of the entire community. Below are definitions of the relevant terms as we use them.
Isolation: Isolation refers to what is required if you are positive or presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Isolation requires no contact with others, unless they are also positive or have been positive in the prior 90 days. Isolation lasts for 10 days from test date or symptom onset, unless you are fever free for 24-hours and your symptoms are improving at the end of 10-days. If you require medication to control fever, or symptoms are escalating or stable (versus getting better), your isolation period will be extended until you are fever-free for 24 hours without medication and your symptoms are improving.
Post-exposure Quarantine: When you have been exposed to someone positive or presumed-positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, you are required to quarantine. Exposure means you were within 6-feet of the person for 15 minutes or more cumulatively across a 24-hour period (with or without a mask), in the 48 hours before their test date or symptom onset. If you are exposed, the default quarantine period is 14-days, with daily symptom monitoring and logging. If you are asymptomatic, you are eligible for release after 10 days (on day 11) but you must continue to monitor your symptoms for the full 14-days and return to quarantine if symptoms emerge. If you are asymptomatic and receive a negative nasal swab RT-PCR COVID-19 test within 48-hours of release, you are eligible for release after 7 days (on day 8). You will still be required to log symptoms daily for 14 days from exposure and to return to quarantine if symptoms develop.
10-Day Return to Campus Quarantine: At the start of winter quarter, everyone is required to log a 10-day quarantine using the quarantine daily log. You are also required to complete a nasal swab RT-PCR in this time window. If for any reason you are unable to quarantine, please delay your campus return until you are. If you are an on-campus resident, you will be allowed to move-in, but will be required to quarantine in your room until your negative test result is received and may be required to submit to additional testing. You will be able to order meals and will be expected to pick them up at designated locations and times.
7-Day Quarantine following Travel: Travel during the winter quarter is strongly discouraged. However, if you need to travel anywhere outside of Colorado, you will be required to quarantine off-campus for 7 days, logging your quarantine in the Quarantine Daily Log. You are also required to provide a negative COVID-19 test before return. You may simply make an appointment at the Carepod, by logging into myhealth.du.edu.
Location Restriction: If you are a DU student found to be in serious violation of COVID policies on or off campus, your campus access will be deactivated until you and everyone in the group who was part of the violation tests negative for the virus that causes COVID-19. If you are an on-campus resident, you will be required to quarantine in your room during this time. You will be able order and pick up meals at designated locations and times.