Protocols for COVID-19 Symptoms and Diagnoses

To Our Faculty and Staff:

As the university’s return-to-campus process continues, we have received some common inquiries regarding the university’s protocols in those instances when an individual shows COVID-19-like symptoms or tests positive for the illness.

Below we provide an outline of standard practices. Some already may be familiar from earlier communications, but we also are including them here as reminders. First, though, we want to reiterate a few fundamental points regarding mitigating risks:

• Case Western Reserve requires all individuals on campus to wear masks at all times except when in an enclosed space alone. This mandate also applies when outdoors, per university policy—and the state of Ohio’s mandate for Level 3 counties.
• The university also requires all individuals on campus to adhere to physical distancing requirements (e.g. maintain 6 feet between individuals), frequently wash or sanitize hands, and regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces.
• Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19—no matter how mild—should stay away from campus and should contact University Health Services for guidance about returning to work.

Individuals who work on campus (paid or unpaid—i.e. including students) and have COVID-19 symptoms should:

• Stay away from campus or, if on campus, depart immediately
• Contact University Health Services (UHS) at 216.368.2450 or healthservice@case.edu
• If a UHS provider is not immediately available, leave a message and also contact personal health providers  
• Notify their supervisors (or principal investigators, PIs) that they are not coming to campus—or, if already here, leaving campus—for medical reasons

UHS staff will:

• Ask about the nature and timing of specific symptoms
• Ask with whom the individual has been in close contact at Case Western Reserve (close contact is determined by a combination of proximity, time in proximity, and environment (e.g. indoors or outdoors). This step also is part of the "contact tracing" process
• Ask about potential exposure to others with COVID-19 symptoms or positive tests
• Provide guidance regarding next steps. These may include recommendations for testing, ongoing monitoring of symptoms, and/or quarantine (i.e. isolating from others, including within the home)
• Update Human Resources regarding the report and provide guidance regarding notifications

HR Staff will:

• Inform supervisor (or PI) that the individual will not be on campus and whether the individual is able to complete work from home. If the individual is not considered able to work from home, the supervisor (or PI) shall not communicate with the individual until HR indicates it is appropriate to do so.
• If UHS recommends, communicate with individuals at the university who may have been in close contact with the person with symptoms. Depending on circumstances, guidance may involve encouraging self-monitoring for symptoms, quarantine, and/or directly contacting UHS.
• Those who do not receive notifications have been determined not to be at risk of infection.

Individuals who work on campus and have tested positive for COVID-19 should:

• Not come to campus or, if on campus, depart immediately
• Contact University Health Services (UHS) at 216.368.2450 or healthservice@case.edu
• If a UHS provider is not immediately available, leave a message and also contact personal health providers  
• Notify their supervisors that they are not coming to campus or that they are leaving campus for medical reasons

UHS staff will:
If they have not already done so because of prior report of symptoms…

• Ask about the nature and timing of specific symptoms
• Ask with whom the individual has been in close contact at Case Western Reserve (close contact is determined by a combination of proximity, time in proximity, and environment (e.g. indoors or outdoors)
• Ask about potential exposure to others with COVID-19 symptoms or positive tests

And:

• Provide guidance regarding next steps. These will include recommendations for isolating from others within the home, ongoing monitoring of symptoms, and other aspects of care.
• Check in daily regarding symptoms
• Notify the appropriate public health agency (city or county)
• Update Human Resources regarding the report and provide guidance regarding notifications

HR Staff will:

• Inform supervisor (or PI) that the individual will not be on campus for medical reasons and explain that the supervisor (or PI) shall not communicate with the individual until HR indicates it is appropriate to do so.
• If UHS recommends, communicate with individuals at the university who may have been in close contact with the person with symptoms. Depending on circumstances, guidance may involve encouraging self-monitoring for symptoms, quarantine and/or directly contacting UHS
• Those who do not receive notifications have been determined not to be at risk of infection.

Climbing COVID-19 case numbers in Ohio and across the country have increased concerns among many. Our single best approach to reducing risk is to wear masks and follow all other university health guidance. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available, and appreciate your cooperation in keeping our campus as healthy as possible.

Carolyn Gregory
Vice President for Human Resources

Sara Lee, MD
Executive Director of University Health & Counseling Services