Responding to Positive COVID-19 Cases on Campus

Notification to Student/Employee Who Tested Positive (Updated 10/20/20)

Students will be notified by the Testing Coordinator or Student Health Services if they test positive for COVID-19.  Students will be given instruction to follow, including when to complete a follow-up assessment, what to bring in their Go Bag, and how to prepare to move into isolation. 

• Employees will be notified by the Testing Coordinator if they test positive for COVID-19.  Employee should follow all instructions from the Testing Coordinator 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 student 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 Return to Work Protocols.
• Those that test positive for COVID-19 should speak with the testing coordinator about when to resume routine testing.

Notification to Close Contacts

• 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.

• All students and employees who are identified as close contacts will be required to quarantine according to CDC guidelines.

• Students identified as close contacts will be notified by the Isolation/Quarantine Coordinator about the protocols for quarantine.  Students will be cleared from quarantine by the Isolation/Quarantine Coordinator on the 15^th day after their exposure to a person who tested positive if they have not developed symptoms and they have tested negative for COVID-19.
• Employees identified as close contacts should follow the steps outlined by the Testing Coordinator, Talent & Inclusion, and public health officials.  Employees must follow WPI’s Return to Work Protocols, based on CDC guidelines, which are found in the Return to Campus Guidelines.

Cleaning & Disinfecting

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

• Environmental Health & Safety will follow up with the student or employee who tested positive to conduct an assessment of 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.