Contact Tracing

The University of Denver Contact Tracing Team provides real time case investigation, disease surveillance and monitoring, outbreak monitoring and health informatics. While the primary objective of our Contact Tracing team is to investigate COVID-19 on the DU Campus, we have demonstrated an ability to provide a wide range of case investigation and disease surveillance services for any communicable disease. Contact Tracing partners with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment on outbreak management and mitigation, with COVID and all other communicable diseases.

Contact Tracing is activated as part of the University Crisis Response Team upon every positive COVID-19 test. Our tracing team is able to conduct a complete case investigation including the identification of all close contacts and exposures in between 2-8 hours.

Remember to report all positive COVID-19 tests by emailing reportcovid@du.edu.

Isolation & Quarantine

Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Isolation: separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

Quarantine: separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

How to Isolate

Isolating requires you to avoid other people completely, even when you are practicing social distancing. You should not leave the location where you are isolating for anything other than medical appointments. If you live with others, you should stay in your own room as much as possible and be sure to wear a mask when you need to access common areas like the kitchen. More information is available here.

 

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Contact Tracing sets the length of isolation and quarantine in accordance with the Positive Test or Presumed Positive Response Protocol. Our isolation and quarantine lengths are based on one’s viral load, or contagiousness. We developed these protocols in partnership with our health partner National Jewish Health, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. Our timelines sometimes differ from that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is because the University is a congregate care setting and unique considerations have to be taken to prevent the spread of illness.

On-campus residential students will be given instruction for isolation or quarantine by the Housing Protocol Coordinator.

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