Responding to Positive COVID-19 Cases on Campus

Notification to Student/Employee Who Tested Positive 

• Students will be notified by the Public Health Team if they test positive for COVID-19. Students will be given instruction to follow, including how to safely isolate, what to bring in their Go Bag, and how to prepare to move into isolation.  
• Employees who are in the on-campus testing program will be notified by the Public Health Team if they test positive for COVID-19. Employee should follow all instructions from the Public Health Team and Talent & Inclusion

• It is very important to ensure that WPI has your updated phone number, and that you answer any calls from a WPI phone number (508-831-XXXX).

• All students and employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate according to CDC guidelines. Students will be cleared from isolation by Health Services; employees will and not return to campus until they have met WPI’s isolation and quarantine protocols and have been cleared to return.
• Those that test positive for COVID-19 should speak with the testing coordinator about when to resume routine testing.

Updated 8/19/21

Notification to Close Contacts

• If you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19, refer to the updated Close Contact Guidelines so you know what to do.
• WPI will work with students and employees who tested positive to identify close contacts for contact tracing purposes.

• A CDC-defined close contact is someone who is living in the same household as a person who tested positive for COVID-19 or caring for a person who tested positive for COVID-19, or has been within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a cumulative time period of 15 minutes or more (even if everyone is wearing a face covering) over a 24 hour period, or has come into direct contact with secretions from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by a medical professional or a public health official.

• A close contact is not someone who has been in the same classroom or office space with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 while following safety protocols for face coverings and 6 foot distancing, being in front of someone in a socially distanced line, or passing someone in the hallway while wearing a face covering.

• WPI will notify any students or employees who may be close contacts with an individual on campus who has tested positive.  If you are not notified by WPI or the local Board of Health, you are not considered a close contact.

• It is very important to ensure that WPI has your updated phone number, and that you answer any calls from a WPI phone number (508-831-XXXX).
• Local Boards of Health will use their local phone numbers to contact you or you may be contact by the MA COVID Team and your phone will show a call from “MA COVID Team.”  It is very important answer any calls from these numbers.

• Students and employees who are identified as close contacts may need to quarantine, depending on their vaccination status. Details are here.

• Students identified as close contacts will be notified by the Public Health Team about the protocols for quarantine.  Students will be cleared from quarantine by the Public Health Team. 
• Employees identified as close contacts should follow the steps outlined by the Public Health team, Talent & Inclusion, and public health officials.  Employees must follow WPI’s isolation and quarantine protocols and be cleared for a return to work.

Cleaning & Disinfecting

• WPI will activate its Deep Cleaning Team from Environmental Health & Safety and the Facilities Office.

• Environmental Health & Safety may follow up with the student or employee who tested positive to assess areas on campus where the individual might have been, such as offices, residence hall floors, labs, classrooms, dining facilities, and public space. 

• The Deep Cleaning Team follows specific cleaning and disinfecting protocols and wears appropriate PPE.  

Affected areas may be closed for a period of time while the cleaning and disinfecting process occurs.Students and employees affected by such a closure will be notified either directly or by posted signs.

• The Deep Cleaning Team frequently cleans other high-use areas of campus.  Their presence does not indicate that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 was in the area and should not cause any undue concern.