Self-Isolation
- Definition: Someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
- Length of Isolation: A person that has tested positive would need to self-isolate for 10 days from the sign of the first symptom. If the individual is asymptomatic, the person must isolate 10 days from the test date.
Quarantine
- Definition: Someone who has been in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes throughout the course of 24 hours) with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Infectious Period: That close contact would be 48 hours prior to their first symptoms or positive test date through their isolation period.
- Example: If you are a roommate of someone and have both been in the same room overnight during the infectious period, you would quarantine.
- Length of Quarantine: A person that has been in close contact with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19 would need to quarantine for 10 days from the sign of the first symptom. If the individual is asymptomatic, the person must isolate 10 days from the test date.
Quasi-Quarantine
- Definition: Someone that has been around someone that has tested positive for COVID-19, yet through contact tracing, is not considered a close contact.
- Precautionary: In this situation, the CDC would not identify this person as a close contact, but at Mount Mercy (in partnership with Linn County Public Health), we encourage this person tested to ensure they are negative. If negative, they could continue their activities without an additional quarantine period. If positive, refer to the self-isolation guidelines above.
- Examples: Currently, if you are a suitemate of someone in Andreas Hall, but not a roommate and have not been in close contact, we would quasi-quarantine you until you receive your test result. Or, if you are on an athletic team and been at practice with someone who has tested positive, yet after contact tracing it has been determined you have not been a close contact or spreading sweat/other droplets, you would quasi-quarantine and get tested to determine next steps.
- Length of Quasi-Quarantine: This person would quarantine where they are at, get tested the following day, attend classes, and other activities remotely until they receive a test result. Depending on the test result, the individual will no longer be required to quasi-quarantine or will begin self-isolation.
For information from Linn County Public Health, please see the Linn County COVID-19 Dashboard.
All data are provisional and subject to change.