Message to Students Leaving Campus

As the outbreak of COVID-19 on campus has affected our ability to continue our educational mission on site, many of you are leaving campus. Please read the important information below provided by the NC Department of Health and Human Services as you prepare to leave campus:

Students Returning Home Should Self-Quarantine for 14 Day

• As a critical step to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect your family, friends and community, public health officials are directing students departing from campus and students who have already returned home to quarantine for 14 days from receipt of this email.
• A 14-day quarantine will not be required for students approved with an exception to remain on campus as each person will be tested prior to moving to a new campus room.

Important Information Regarding COVID-19 testing

• NC DHHS suggests you get tested if you:
  • Have any symptoms of COVID-1.
  • Are identified by a contact tracer as a close contact of someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. This may be someone calling or texting from the ECU Contract Tracing or the local health department.
  • Live in a residence — on or off-campus — that has been identified with a cluster.
  • Think you may have been exposed regardless of where you live.
• Testing is available on-campus and in the local community at the following locations:
  • Student Health Services — please call 252-328-6841 to schedule an appointment and complete a screening.
  • Pitt County Health Department — visit the health department’s website for information about current testing sites and schedules.
• If you left campus without being tested, get tested as soon as possible once you are home. Find a testing location in your area.
• If you test positive at home or at an off-campus site, report that result to Student Health by submitting a COVID-19 Self Reporting Form through PiratePort. Reporting your result to the University and local public health will help identify and support other people who may have been exposed and take action to protect the community.

What to do after you’ve been tested

• Students must isolate while they wait for their test results. This means you must stay home and follow the guidance below (See “What to do when you are in quarantine and isolation”).
• If you test positive, you must remain in isolation until you can answer yes to the following questions:
  • Has it been 10 days from when symptoms started; or if you didn’t have symptoms since you the day of positive test?
  • Are you fever free, without taking fever reducing medications, for at least 24 hours?
  • Have your symptoms improved for at least 24 hours?
• You will be contacted by Student Health with isolation instructions if you are an on-campus resident; this may include relocation to dedicated isolation space on- or off-campus.
• You will be contacted to determine who are your close contacts. Your information remains private and is not shared. By letting people know when they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 they will receive support and tools to monitor symptoms and slow the spread of the virus. It is imperative that you answer the call.
• If you test negative during your quarantine period, you must still self-quarantine for a full 14 days after departing from the location of high transmission This is because you can still become infected up to 14 days after your last exposure to someone who is infected.

What to do when you are in quarantine or isolation

• Stay in your home or residence as much as possible.
• Limit time outside your residence to essential activities only, such as to get medical care, or to get take-out meals if no one is available to bring them to you.
• If you have to leave your home or residence, ALWAYS wear a face covering.
• Do not use public transportation, ride shares or taxis. If you are leaving campus to go home, arrange private transportation.

Inside your home:

• • Separate yourself from others in your home or residence, especially people who are at higher risk of serious illness.
  • Stay in a one room and away from other people in your home as much as possible.
  • Use a separate bathroom, if available.
  • Do not prepare or serve food to others.
  • Do not allow visitors into your home.
  • Wear a cloth face covering or mask over your nose and mouth if you are in a room with others.
  • Others should wear a cloth face covering over their nose and mouth or mask if they need to enter the room.
  • Do not share household items such as dishes, cups, utensils, towels, bedding with other people. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water.
  • Clean and disinfect all “high-touch” surfaces daily (including counters, tabletops, doorknobs, faucets, toilets, phones, tv remotes, keys, keyboards), and especially any surfaces that may have body fluids on them. Use household cleaning and disinfectant sprays or wipes, according to the product label instructions.

For additional information, please review our document from Student Health Services, “Assessing Your Risk to Exposure.”

As a reminder, all students must follow basic prevention strategies by practicing the 3 Ws if you leave home: Wear, Wait, Wash.

• Wear a cloth mask over your nose and mouth whenever you are with people who are not in your household.
• Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact. Avoid crowds.
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.

Should you have non-medical questions or concerns, please contact Student Health Services at 252-328-6841 or via email at gotquestions@ecu.edu. Please understand that we are working through a large volume of inquiries at this time. We will do our best to return all emails and calls in a timely manner.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping yourselves, and our communities, safe and well.

Dr. Ron Mitchelson, Interim Chancellor
Dr. Virginia D. Hardy, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Dr. Lanika Wright, Director, Student Health Services