What is the protocol that SPS will follow if someone in the office is COVID-19 positive?
The official University protocol is outlined here. Individuals who test positive should self-report. If you test positive at an NU testing site or through Northwestern Medicine, the University will be notified. After reporting, the following will occur:
- A member of Northwestern’s COVID Response Team will reach out to walk you through next steps. This will include direction regarding your need to self-isolate in accordance with Northwestern and CDC requirements as well as guidance regarding your path to return to work.
- In the event that you receive notification of a positive result prior to hearing from the COVID Response Team, immediately begin to self-isolate pending further guidance and email covidcasemanagement@northwestern.edu. In addition to working with our COVID Response Team, please work directly with your primary care clinical team to notify them of your positive test and to seek direction on any follow-up care.
Contact tracing is also handled by the University’s COVID response team. Protocol is outlined at the link above, but includes:
- Contact tracing will be done in close collaboration with local public health officials. Based on these protocols, confirmed close contacts of individuals that are COVID-19 positive will be included in the University’s COVID Response Team case management process.
- Unvaccinated individuals identified via contact tracing will be asked to quarantine until the recommended CDC clearance timeframe has been met.
- Fully vaccinated individuals or those who have tested positive for COVID -19 in the past 3 months who are identified via contract tracing will not be required to quarantine. Any individuals who are identified via contact tracing who develop symptoms will be asked to test for COVID-19 at specific intervals to rule out the presence of a COVID-19 infection.
If you have questions about this process, please reach out to the covidcasemanagement@northwestern.edu, as these are University-wide policies that SPS is following.