What if I test positive for or have COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms?
When to test | Self Care | Medical Support | When to Stay Home vs. Return to Class | Masking| Absences from Class | Meals | Returning to Physical Activity
When to test
Testing is recommended if symptoms develop to better inform your care and to protect those around you. Rapid Flu and COVID-19 testing is available at Health Services with a provider appointment. There are additional options for COVID-19 testing.
MEDICAL SUPPORT
If you have , including diabetes or moderate to severe asthma, please reach out to your primary care provider or to Health Services as soon as possible to speak with a provider about a medication called Paxlovid that could help prevent complications from Covid-19 or Tamiflu (or similar) for flu.
If you have any questions or concerns about your symptoms, please submit an to Health Services with a brief explanation of your symptoms. A triage nurse will call you back the same day during business hours until 4:30pm. If you have any severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, and need immediate medical attention, please call Campus Safety at 518-580-5566 if you are on campus or 911 if you are off campus.
when to stay home vs. return to class
Updated recommends that everyone with a respiratory illness (including COVID-19) stay home while they are sick. You can return to regular activities once:
1) You have been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications and
2) Your symptoms are improving, meaning that you are feeling well enough to return to regular activities
Masking
Once you resume regular activities (like returning to class), it is important that you continue to wear a mask around others while indoors for another full five days. Additional precautions to protect others include frequent hand washing, good ventilation and maintaining distance from others.
For more information see the on Preventing Spread of Respiratory Illnesses.
Absences from class
If you are sick and need to miss class, notify your faculty members before missing class and develop a plan for how to make-up the missed time. The college will not be notifying faculty members about absences related to COVID-19, or any other type of illness.
Meals
If you are sick/feverish, there is a process for taking meals out of the dining hall. You must read and complete this form then bring to the Dining Hall. You can also give your ID to a friend, who can bring the completed to-go request form to Dining Services and bring your meal back to you.
Returning to physical activity
After any illness, you should return to more intense physical activity gradually. Begin with a shorter, less intense activity like a long walk and then progress every 24 hours as tolerated (ex: light jog then faster/longer run). If you have any questions or concerns, schedule an appointment in Health Services.