COVID-19 Information

Any student, regardless of vaccination status, who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19, should obtain a home COVID test 5 days after the exposure.  See our Isolation Guidelines for more details.

Stay home and follow Western’s COVID-19 Isolation Guidelines.

Unfortunately, the Student Health Center no longer provides COVID testing for students without symptoms.  You are encouraged to obtain a home test to check your COVID status.

• Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick).
• Return to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
  • Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
  • You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
• Take added precautions for 5 days after returning to your normal activities.  This includes taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, and physical distancing.
• Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.
• If you develop a fever or you start to feel worse after you have gone back to normal activities, stay home and away from others again until, for at least 24 hours, both are true: your symptoms are improving overall, and you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Then take added precautions for the next 5 days.

• NOTE: a COVID test after leaving isolation is not required to return to work or classes on campus.

• Watch for symptoms for 10 days.   If you develop symptoms, get a test, and stay home.
• Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
• Test 5 days after exposure (or sooner if you have symptoms).  If you test positive, isolate and see guidance above
• Take extra precautions for 10 days around people more likely to get very sick.

A close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting from 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19. A person is still considered a close contact even if they were wearing a mask while they were around someone with COVID-19.

If you live in the same house or dorm room and had contact with the positive individual during their infectious period, you are considered a close contact.

Yes!  College students residing on or off campus may request free testing kits. Students with shared housing addresses (residence halls, apartment buildings, group housing) should each enter their unique room or apartment number, and/or letter A, B, C, D, etc. along with their street address on the ordering form (or via phone).

Most COVID-19 home test kits have received expiration extensions from the FDA. To see if your COVID19 Test Kit has an expiration extension, see the List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests.

If you have a disability, you can call the Disability Information & Access Line (DIAL) at 1-888-677-1199 for assistance ordering tests and accessing other COVID-19 services.