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Quarantine and Isolation

Definitions

Quarantine

Quarantine is a strategy used to prevent transmission of COVID-19 by keeping people who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 apart from others.

Isolation

Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. 

Procedures

Individuals who test positive outside of Pepperdine weekly screening tests (UCLA/SwabSeq) or the Student Health Center should complete the START Form to notify the University of their positive test result. Completing this form initiates the contact tracing process, academic support, and other University processes to assist with managing cases and supporting those currently in isolation. 

Quarantine

In Los Angeles County, if you are a close contact to someone with COVID-19 and you have no symptoms, you are not required to quarantine.*

You are required to:

  • Wear a highly protective mask around others for 10 days
  • Get tested 3-5 days after you were last exposed
    • If your test result is positive, isolate
    • If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, you do not need to test unless you get symptoms
  • Monitor your health for 10 days
    • If symptoms start, stay home and get tested

*If you are a close contact, you may choose to self-quarantine to protect others, even when it is not required.

Note: Day 0 is the day of your last contact (exposure) with the infected person. Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure.

Quarantine FAQs

 What is a close contact?

You are a "close contact" if you shared the same indoor airspace with someone with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period while they were infectious.

Examples of indoor airspaces are homes, waiting rooms, and airplanes. An example of "a total of 15 minutes or more" is being in the same airspace with the person for 5 minutes at least 3 different times in 24 hours.

 What is a highly protective mask?

A highly protective mask is one that fits and filters well. Examples include a well-fitting respirator (N95, KN95, or KF94), a double mask (a cloth mask over a medical mask), a well-fitting medical mask, or a well-fitting, high-filtration cloth (“reusable”) mask with a nose-wire. Well-fitting respirators provide the most protection.

 How do I quarantine?

To prevent you from spreading COVID-19, you must restrict activities and limit actions that may put you in contact with others.

  • Stay home. Do not go to work, school, or public areas. Only leave your place of quarantine to get medical care and do not allow non-essential visitors.
  • Separate yourself from others in your home. If you need to be in the same room as other household members:
    • Wear a highly protective mask such as a well-fitting respirator (N95, KN95, or KF94) or a double mask (cloth mask over a medical mask)
    • Keep 6 feet away. If you have to share a room, try setting up the room so that you can stay 6 feet apart, if possible. It is important to stay away from people who are at higher risk of serious illness.
    • Bring as much fresh air into your home as possible. If it is safe to do so, open windows and use fans to blow air out or use air purifiers to help clear out COVID-19 virus particles. See the CDC's Improving Ventilation in Your Home webpage and the California Department of Public Health's Tips for Reducing COVID-19 Risk Indoors for more information.
    • Use a separate bathroom, if possible. If sharing a bathroom, disinfect after each use, open a window, turn on a fan, and wait 30 minutes before entering after the person with COVID-19 uses it.
  • Do not make or serve food to others, if possible. Be sure to wear a mask and wash your hands often If there is no one else to prepare and serve food.
  • Wash or sanitize your hands regularly.
  • Clean high-touch surfaces routinely (at least once a day), especially if you must share spaces with other household members.

 What if I develop symptoms?

  1. Complete the START Form - COVID‑19 Positive Case/Exposure Notification. Do not complete this form if you have been notified that you are a close contact by University contact tracers or if you do not have symptoms.
  2. Get tested 3-5 days after your last exposure.
  3. Wear a mask when around others inside for 10 days from your last exposure.

Isolation

If you have COVID-19, you must self-isolate regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms.

You must isolate for at least 5 days. How long you have to isolate depends on whether you have symptoms and if you get a negative follow-up viral test on Day 5 or later. If you test on Day 5 or later, it is better to use an antigen test because NAAT/PCR tests are more likely to stay positive after you are no longer infectious.

  Ending Isolation: If you have symptoms and test positive for COVID-19 or if your doctor thinks* that you have COVID-19.

Isolation can end after Day 5 only if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. You have a negative COVID-19 test* that was collected on Day 5 or later, and
  2. You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, and
  3. Your symptoms are improving

-OR-

Isolation can end after Day 10 if you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

If you do have a fever, continue isolation until 24 hours after your fever resolves.

For most people, isolation can end after Day 10* even if follow-up COVID-19 viral tests are still positive. This is because many people continue to test positive even though they are not likely to still be infectious. However, if you have a condition that weakens your immune system or if you were severely ill with COVID-19 you might need to stay home for longer than 10 days. Talk to your doctor about when you can be around other people.

Note: Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed.

If your doctor initially thought your symptoms were due to COVID-19 (and you did not test positive for COVID-19) but they reassessed your diagnosis and decided that you are not infected, you can stop isolating after 24 hours of being fever-free.

*The test must be an FDA-authorized COVID-19 viral test, such as an antigen or NAAT/PCR test. An antigen test is preferred.

  Ending Isolation: If you test positive for COVID-19 and you never develop symptoms.

Isolation can end after Day 5 if:

  1. You have a negative COVID-19 test* collected on Day 5 or later, and
  2. You never got symptoms of COVID-19

-OR-

Isolation can end after Day 10 if:

  • You never got symptoms of COVID-19

For most people, isolation can end after Day 10, even if follow-up COVID-19 viral tests are positive. This is because many people continue to test positive even though they are not likely to still be infectious. However, if you have a condition that weakens your immune system you might need to stay home for longer than 10 days. Talk to your doctor about when you can be around other people.

Note: Day 0 is the day your positive test was taken. Day 1 is the first full day after your positive test was taken.

Important: if you develop symptoms, you must follow the ending isolation instructions for persons with symptoms. Your new Day 0 is the day your symptoms began. See above.

*The test must be an FDA-authorized COVID-19 viral test such as an antigen or NAAT/PCR test. An antigen test is preferred.

Isolation FAQs

 What does isolation involve?

Stay home except to get medical care.

  • Stay home. Do not go to work, school, or public areas. Only leave your place of isolation to get medical care and do not allow non-essential visitors.
  • If you must leave home to get needed medical care, wear a highly protective mask. Drive yourself, if possible. If you cannot drive yourself, sit in the back seat alone, leave the windows down, and you and your driver should wear a highly protective mask.
  • If someone from outside your household is shopping for you, ask them to leave the food and other supplies at your door, if possible. Pick them up after the person has left.

Separate yourself from others in your home.

  • Wear a highly protective mask (N95, KN95, or KF94) or double mask (cloth mask over a medical mask) if you need to be in the same room as other household members.
  • Bring as much fresh air into your home as possible. Open windows and use fans to blow air out or use air purifiers to help clear out COVID-19 virus particles. See the CDC Improving Ventilation in Your Home webpage and the California Department of Public Health’s Tips for Reducing COVID-19 Risk Indoors for more information.
  • Keep 6 feet away. If you have to share a room, try setting up the room so that you can stay 6 feet apart, if possible. It is important to stay away from people who are at higher risk of serious illness.
  • Use a separate bathroom. If this is not possible, disinfect the bathroom after use. If sharing a bathroom, open a window or turn on a fan and wait 30 minutes after the person with COVID-19 uses it.

Cover your coughs and sneezes.

  • Throw used tissues in a lined trash can after each use. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after you cough or sneeze.

Avoid sharing food or personal household items.

  • Do not prepare or serve food to others, if possible. Be sure to wear a mask and wash your hands often if there is no one else to prepare and serve food.
  • Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, or eating utensils with other people in your home.
  • Make sure to wash your dishes, drinking glasses, and eating utensils with soap and water after each use.

Clean your hands often.

  • Wash your hands often, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; before eating or preparing food; and after touching your mask. Use soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • If soap and water are unavailable, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub hands together for 30 seconds until they feel dry. Use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.

Clean and disinfect all “high-touch” surfaces every day.

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces (e.g., counters, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones) routinely (at least once a day), especially if you must share spaces with other household members. Remove personal items from common areas and avoid sharing items.
  • Clean and disinfect any surfaces that may have body fluids on them.
  • Use household cleaning and disinfectant sprays or wipes. Be sure to follow the product label instructions.

 What do I need to do after I complete isolation?

Complete the EXIT Form upon completion of this time period. Additionally, this same form can be used to notify the University you have left isolation early if you meet the requirements.

 What kind of care and support is available during isolation?

The University will coordinate the appropriate level of care to address student health needs, dependent on medical condition and student preference. Services available include medical check-in and treatment, food delivery, Student Care Team case management, assistance with academic arrangements, telehealth counseling and spiritual counseling, and other reasonable requests.

For questions, please contact the COVID-19 Information Line at covid19info@pepperdine.edu or 310.506.8111.

 When do I need to seek medical care?

Home Care

Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. Here are steps that you can take to help you get better:

  • Rest and drink plenty of fluids.
  • Take over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to reduce fever and pain.

Seeking Medical Care

Stay in touch with your doctor and seek medical care if your symptoms worsen. Medicines are now available to treat people with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for progression to severe COVID-19. For more information, talk to your doctor.

Call 911 if there are emergency warning signs:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pressure or pain in the chest
  • Bluish lips or face
  • Confused or hard to wake
  • Other serious symptoms

People with emergency warning signs should call 911. If it is not urgent, call your doctor before visiting. You may be able to get advice by phone.