Student Health Services

Symptoms of COVID-19 infection include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, headache, body aches, loss of smell/taste, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and skin changes.

Anyone can become infected with COVID-19. If you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or have recently traveled to an area of widespread community transmission, you may be at an increased risk.

• Stay home if you’re not feeling well.
• Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
• Wear a mask while in crowded environments.
• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is right for you.

These are important terms and concepts used by medical professionals:

• Close contact means being within six feet of someone for at least 15 minutes OR having direct contact with infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on).
• Physical distancing (social distancing) is for everyone. It means keeping people farther apart to prevent the virus from spreading in communities.
• Isolation is for people who have the virus. It means keeping them separated from people who don’t have it.

Students testing positive for COVID-19 must isolate at their primary place of residence and fill out the WCU COVID-19 Notification form.

If you are in isolation, you may not attend classes in person or be in places where others are present unless it is an emergency or to seek medical care. Fill out the WCU COVID-19 Notification form and contact your professors to find out how they want you to keep up with your coursework.

If you test positive for COVID-19, apply a mask and fill out the WCU COVID-19 Notification form. Notify any potential people that you may exposed for two days prior to becoming symptomatic/testing positive.

On-campus residents are expected to isolate in their primary residence off-campus. If unable to return to your primary residence, you must isolate in place. Isolating in place requires you to remain in your room with the exception of using the bathroom, seeking medical care, or in the event of an emergency. Anytime you need to leave your room, a mask must be worn, including going to the bathroom (masks are to be removed only during showering). Disinfectant wipes should be used to wipe down common high touch surfaces in your room and after using the bathroom to maintain a clean community environment.

While isolating in place, you are not allowed to participate in any activities outside of your isolation, including visiting others rooms.

According to the CDC you no longer need to quarantine for exposure to COVID-19. However, wear a high-quality mask (N95) as soon as you find out you were exposed starting from day 1. Day 1 is the first full day after exposure through day 10. Get tested at least 5 full days after your last exposure.

The reason to test for COVID is to determine if you are positive (and therefore infectious to others) while remaining without symptoms. Students who would like to be tested for COVID-19 can test using an at-home test or scheduling an appointment with Student Health Center at 610-436-2509.

Commercial insurance companies may cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests that can be purchased at local retail stores or pharmacies. Find additional testing sites at Chester County’s COVID-19 testing information website.

NOTE: The best time to get tested for COVID-19 after an exposure is 4-7 days after the exposure occurred. It is important to know that a negative test cannot tell you for certain if you are or will become infected. A negative test DOES NOT mean you will not develop infection and become positive following exposure. If you are determined to be a close contact, wear a well-fitted mask for 10 days.

There are vaccines available to help build immunity and prevent serious illness. The FDA has authorized antiviral medication to help treat and reduce symptoms of COVID-19 in people that are more likely to be hospitalized. Student Health Services does not stock antiviral medications for COVID-19, but they are available from local pharmacies with a prescription.

If you are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, use vaccines.gov to find a location near you. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) resource Vaccines for COVID-19.

At this time, students should assume that some restrictions may be in place. Students living on campus will receive an email communication if, at any point, additional safety protocols are necessary, based on CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines.

On-campus residents are expected to isolate in their primary residence off-campus. If unable to return to your primary residence, you must isolate in place. All positive students must fill out the WCU COVID-19 Notification Form.

Apply a well-fitted mask, preferably KN-95 or N-95. Test 5 days after your roommate tested positive. Day 0 is the day you were exposed. Day 1 is the first full day after exposure. Continue to wear a well-fitted mask through 10 days after being exposed.

Try to limit time in room while your positive roommate is in isolation. Utilize other public spaces like common rooms, Library, etc more frequently while wearing your mask. While in room, all roommates should be wearing a well-fitted mask. If possible, create additional distance between roommates (i.e., sleep in opposite directions (head to toe), have COVID-19 positive roommate sleep on bottom bunk).

Masks should be worn as soon as a roommate tests positive for COVID-19.

An individual with COVID-19 is spreading the virus up to 2 days prior to becoming symptomatic and testing positive. Continue to use good hand hygiene and limit time in room while roommate is isolating in place. Perform hand hygiene and disinfect high touch surfaces more frequently. Try to limit the amount of time spent in the room while your roommate is isolating. Masks are to be worn in the classroom and in common areas. Test for COVID-19 on Day 5 after being exposed. Day 0 is the day you were exposed. Day 1 is the first full day after exposure. Continue wearing a mask through Day 10.

You can order food using your meal plan via Grub Hub at applicable locations. Designate a person to pick up your food and drop it off to you. A "Sick Kit" will be delivered by Residence Life & Housing or available from the Front Desk. The "Sick Kit" will contain Meal Plan Vouchers. Vouchers must be filled out with your name and WCU ID Number. Vouchers can be brought to the Commons by a person you designate to pick up your meal. A prepared meal will be provided to them in a disposable container to be brought and delivered to you. No meals may be eaten in a dining facility during your isolation period.

Meal vouchers will be deducted from your meal plan.

If you are within the 10-day window of testing positive, or have been exposed, masking is required. Masking is also required when you or your roommate is isolating in place.

Masking is required when visiting Student Health Services and the Counseling Center per CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines for health care facilities.

When meeting with a professor or staff in their office, the professor or staff member may at their discretion require you to wear a mask, which the university will supply.

Beyond these exceptions, there is no mask requirement for the general WCU population. The University will communicate changes to the masking guidelines, which all students agreed to follow in the Student Community Agreement.

Dispensers with surgical masks will continue to be found in each WCU building. These dispensers have been improved to make mask retrieval easier and increased quantities of masks will be given to our building managers on a regular basis. We will also make a limited number of KN95 masks (or their equivalents) available in our buildings. These masks can be found in classrooms, academic department suites, and in each College’s or School’s dean’s office. Masks are available at the front desk of the residence halls.

In the case of an outbreak, we will work with the PA Department of Health and Chester County Health Department to implement response protocols as required.

Students who would like to be tested for COVID-19 can test using an at-home test or scheduling an appointment with Student Health Center at 610-436-2509.

Commercial insurance companies may cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests that can be purchased at local retail stores or pharmacies. Find additional testing sites at Chester County’s COVID-19 testing information website.

NOTE: The best timing to get tested for COVID-19 after an exposure is 4-7 days after the exposure occurred. It is important to know that a negative test cannot tell you for certain if you are or will become infected. A negative test DOES NOT mean you will not develop infection and become positive following exposure. If you have been exposed, wear a well-fitted mask for 10 days.

If you receive a positive test result, you must isolate yourself from others. The University recommends that you also submit the positive test results using the WCU COVID-19 Notification Form. A Health and Wellness Team member will respond and assist you with the next steps. You may also contact Student Health Services for guidance on medical care and to learn how to protect others from being exposed.

Refer to the COVID 19 Workflow for necessary recommendations.

Asymptomatic (no symptoms) & Positive Antigen

• Asymptomatic students with positive results on antigen (rapid) tests and no known exposure must isolate.
• Fill out the WCU COVID-19 Notification Form.  A Health and Wellness team member will respond regarding your next steps.
• Students who receive a negative PCR confirmatory test will be released from isolation by the Health & Wellness team member.

The COVID-19 vaccine is not required, but highly recommended. Students are encouraged to consult Student Health Services, their private medical provider, or local department of health when making decisions about COVID-19 vaccination. While we will continue to study this issue, at this time State System universities do not have the legal authority to mandate COVID vaccines for students. Should there be a change in the law authorizing us to mandate COVID vaccines, we would reevaluate our position.

Individuals interested in receiving the vaccine or boosters may use Vaccines.gov to find a location near them.

After consultation with the Chester County Health Department, WCU will be transitioning to Isolation in Place for on-campus residents that test positive for COVID-19 and are unable to return to their primary residence starting Spring 2023 semester. This is a practice that is frequently in place on college campuses and other communal living environments, including schools in the PASSHE system.

Planning for the possible scenario of getting COVID-19 will help reduce any feelings of panic if it occurs. It can feel helpful to have specific information and items prepared in advance – just in case.

Information to have ready:

• Create a physical and virtual emergency contact list for each person in your living space. Include the names and contact information of important people, such as family members and friends.
• Create a physical and virtual list of your healthcare facilities and providers so you have a plan of who to contact and where you can go to seek help. Know where the closest hospital is and make a plan for how you will get there.

Write down the phone number and digital contact information for Student Health Services and/or your local primary care provider. Also keep this information in a digital space that’s easy to access, such as your phone.

• If you live off-campus, create a plan with those you live with about how you will use your space if someone is sick and in isolation. Consider deciding on a room or space that can be used for isolation, designating a separate bathroom (if available), and making these spaces comfortable. Also, talk about how those who are not in isolation will continue everyday preventive actions, including cleaning shared surfaces.

Items to have ready:

• Make a ready-to-go healthcare kit in case you need to quickly seek emergency medical care. Your kit should include a physical list of the “Information to have ready,” important identification and health insurance cards, any health-related notes (e.g., allergies, prescription medications), in addition to a few essentials (e.g., a toothbrush, water bottle, phone charger, and snacks).
• Aim to have several weeks of any prescription medication.
• Plan to have several weeks of medication to help relieve COVID-19 symptoms, including cough medicine and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Also have a thermometer to help monitor your symptoms.
• There’s no need to overload purchasing food or cleaning supplies but consider having a few extra non-perishable food items and hygiene supplies in case you cannot go to the store.
• Additionally, you can request to receive free COVID-19 test at COVID.gov/tests. These are shipped via USPS and can take several weeks to receive. Private commercial insurance may cover or reimburse for the purchase of at-home tests to have on hand.