As of January 2024:
Recommendations for people who test positive:
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- Stay home until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
- Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days* after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date.
- Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days*. Higher-risk individuals include the elderly, those who live in congregate care facilities, those who have immunocompromising conditions, and that put them at higher risk for serious illness.
- Seek Treatment. If you have symptoms, particularly if you are at higher risk for severe COVID-19, speak with a healthcare provider as soon as you test positive. You may be eligible for antiviral medicines or other treatments for COVID-19. COVID-19 antiviral medicines work best if taken as soon as possible, and within 5-7 days from when symptoms start.
- Call 1-833-422-4255 if you are unable to contact a healthcare provider, or use the treatment options to find one.
- No reporting to the GWC Student Health Center is needed.
- Students are responsible for informing their professor(s) of any absence, and notifying anyone of possible exposure.
- Staff and faculty may contact HR. Incident Reports (IRs) are not required.
*The potential infectious period is 2 days before the date of symptoms began or the positive test date (if no symptoms) through Day 10. (Day 0 is the symptom onset date or positive test date).
Recommendations for close contacts of cases:
- If you have new COVID-19 symptoms, you should test and mask right away.
- If you do not have symptoms, and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and would benefit from treatment, you should test within 5 days.
- If you do not have symptoms and have contact with people who are at higher risk for severe infection, you should mask indoors when around such people for 10 days. Consider testing within 5 days after the last exposure date (Day 0) and before contact with higher-risk people. For further details, see CDPH COVID-19 testing guidance.
"Close Contact" means the following:
- In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such as homes, clinic waiting rooms, airplanes, etc.), close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) during a confirmed case's infectious period.
- In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses, large retail stores, manufacturing, or food processing facilities), close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the confirmed case's infectious period.
Spaces that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls (e.g., offices, suites, rooms, waiting areas, bathrooms, or break or eating areas that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls) must be considered distinct indoor airspaces.
Other Recommendations:
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- For guidance on isolation and quarantine from California Department of Public Health (CDPH), please click here.
- For the OC Health Officer’s Orders and Recommendations via the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA), please click here.
Masking:
As noted above, those who test positive should mask indoors when around others during the full 10 days following symptom onset date (or positive test date if no symptoms). However, confirmed cases may remove their mask sooner than 10 full days after two sequential negative antigen tests at least one day apart.
If test results are positive, the person may still be infectious, and should continue wearing a mask and wait at least one day before taking another test up to Day 10.
All persons wearing masks should optimize mask fit and filtration, ideally through use of a respirator (N95, KN95, KF94). If a respirator is not available, a surgical mask may be used. See When and Why to Wear a Mask for more information.
Testing:
Enrolled students who have paid their health fee may contact the Student Health Center (SHC) for a Rapid Antigen Test performed by a medical professional. Call 714-895-8379 to make an appointment. Free home COVID testing kits are also available at the Student Health Center to distribute to students, staff or faculty on a drop-in basis.
This is general information provided as a resource for symptomatic people looking for testing. We are not affiliated with any of the following resources.
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Vaccinations:
For COVID-19 vaccination appointments and resources, visit:
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Treatment:
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Additional Resources:
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- Nurse Advice Lines: Check your health insurance card for a Nurse Advice Line telephone number. You may also call the GWC Student Health Center at 714-895-8379.
- International Students with Aetna Insurance can call the 24-hour Health Line at 1-800-556-1555.
- Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) Covid Hotline: 714-834-2000 Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm.
WHEN TO SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION (9-1-1)
If you develop any of these emergency warning signs for COVID-19, CALL 911:
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- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
If you call 911 for a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS DURING COVID-19
