Guidance for Symptoms, Positive Cases and Exposure

What do I do if I am experiencing COVID-19 symptoms?

Persons with symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection, regardless of vaccination status or previous infection, should test for COVID-19 and isolate until the result is available. In compliance with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidance, the College does not currently require testing for symptomatic individuals, but testing is strongly recommended to prevent the spread of infection.

What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19?

Report: Students, employees, contracted workers, and campus volunteers are required to report their positive COVID-19 infection by completing the appropriate online report form to aid the College in containing the spread of infection and to comply with the LA County Department of Public Health COVID-19 and Acute Respiratory Illness Guidelines for Education Settings and Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards.

Isolate: Students, employees, and contracted workers with confirmed COVID-19 infection are required to self-isolate and follow all LA County isolation instructions regardless of vaccination status, history of infection, or lack of symptoms.

To end isolation early before Day 10, students, employees, and contracted workers diagnosed with COVID-19 are required to:

  • be fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine; AND
  • be asymptomatic or have symptoms that are mild and improving.

Students must submit proof of a negative test result to the Student Health & Wellness Center. Employees and contracted workers are strongly recommended to submit their negative test results to Human Resources.

Inform Close Contacts: The College will notify close contacts about COVID-19 exposure on campus or during college-sponsored activities. Individuals must cooperate with Whittier College's contact tracing efforts.

  • A close contact is anyone with whom you shared the same indoor airspace for at least 15 minutes over 24 hours while you were infectious. Examples of indoor airspaces are classrooms, residence halls or homes, offices, and locker rooms. An example of 'at least 15 minutes'  is being in the same airspace for 5 minutes at 3 different times in a 24-hour period.
  • You are considered infectious (meaning you can spread COVID-19 to others) beginning from 2 days before your symptoms began until you meet the criteria to end isolation. If you test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms, you are considered infectious from 2 days before your test was taken through Day 5.

What do I do if I am exposed to a positive case?

Individuals exposed to a positive case are not required to stay away from others as long as they remain asymptomatic, but they should exercise the following precautions:

  • Wear a well-fitting mask around others, especially indoors, for 10 days after the last date of exposure.
  • Test for COVID 3-5 days after the last date of exposure, noting the following: 
    • If you tested positive for COVID-19 within the prior 30 days, you do not need to be tested unless symptoms develop.
    • If you tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 31-90 days, be sure to use an antigen test.
    • Close contacts who are or live with persons at higher risk for severe illness should test as soon as possible after exposure. If you test negative before Day 3, retest during the 3-5 day window following exposure, with at least 24 hours between the first and second tests.
  • Monitor your health for symptoms for 10 days after the last date of exposure. If symptoms develop, stay away from others and test immediately.