UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With COVID-19 cases once again rising in Pennsylvania and across the country, Penn State is urging its campus communities to continue to take precautions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested for the disease and isolate until they receive their test results. According to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), those who test positive should isolate for at least five days. On day six, individuals who do not have a fever, whose symptoms are resolving and who test negative may leave isolation. Individuals who continue to test positive should isolate for at least 10 days.
“This is a celebratory time of year at Penn State, with gatherings like Movin’ On and festivities around commencement and the end of the academic year. To help keep our community safe and healthy, individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have tested positive for COVID-19 need to refrain from participating in these activities,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones. “I know we all want to be a part of these celebrations, but we must continue to be vigilant and take the appropriate precautions to protect each other.”
CDC guidelines recommend that individuals who have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 and who are not up to date on their vaccinations should quarantine for at least five days and then get tested for COVID-19. They should watch for symptoms for 10 days. Exposed individuals who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine but should wear a mask around others and monitor for symptoms for 10 days. People may choose to mask at any time. Masks are recommended in indoor public transportation settings and may be required in other places by local or state authorities.
Symptomatic employees should stay home from work and are advised to schedule an appointment with their health care provider for testing.
Students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should not go to classes or other activities and seek out symptomatic testing through a University or local health care provider. At University Park, students living on campus or in the local community who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should schedule testing appointments with University Health Services (UHS) via myUHS. Students living on or near other Penn State campuses should seek symptomatic testing via their campus’ health services or a local provider.
Asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff at University Park is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May 13 at the Employee and Student Test Center at 101 North Atherton Street. Operated in partnership with Vault Health, the testing site offers rapid testing and a limited number of PCR tests. On-site parking is available but limited.
At other Penn State campuses, student tests will continue to be distributed by the student health center or designated office. Students can check online to learn how to obtain and complete a test on their campus. Students are no longer able to order PCR tests online via Vault Health and are encouraged to use test kits they previously ordered.
As a reminder, free, at-home rapid tests provided by the U.S. government are available to be ordered online at covidtests.gov and locations for vaccine may be found at vaccines.gov.