Healthy at SKCTC

Student Return to Campus Protocols

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has created significant health risks for some populations. In alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Governor of Kentucky and the State Health Department, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) has developed and established safety protocols to assist its colleges in maintaining safe working and learning environments. These protocols outline additional precautions for student, employee, and community safety.

Students and Covid-19

Students must be aware of and work with faculty, staff, and administration during these extraordinary times as required by the KCTCS Code of Student Conduct, Article II, Section 3, Standard 2.4, and the Appendix, entitled Crisis or Emergency Plans, Protocols and Guidance.

NOTE: FOR THE PURPOSES OF KCTCS PROTOCOLS IN THIS DOCUMENT, QUARANTINE MEANS TO STAY OFF-CAMPUS OR OUT OF THE OFFICE FOR THE SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME. While we advise you to follow the CDC guidelines as outlined below, we have no authority over your actions while not on KCTCS property.

Quarantine Protocols due to Exposure

When to Stay Home:

Calculating Quarantine

The date of your exposure is considered day 0. Day 1 is the first full day after your last contact with a person who has had COVID-19. Stay home and away from other people for at least 5 days. Learn why CDC updated guidance for the general public.

IF YOU:
Were exposed to COVID-19 and are NOT up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, Quarantine for at least 5 days

Stay home
Stay home and quarantine for at least 5 full days.

Wear a well-fitting mask if you must be around others in your home.

Get tested
Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

After quarantine

Watch for symptoms
Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others.

Take precautions until day 10

IF YOU:
Were exposed to COVID-19 and are up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations

No quarantine
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.

Get tested
Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Watch for symptoms
Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others.
Take precautions until day 10

Wear a well-fitting mask
Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a well-fitting mask.

IF YOU
were exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (you tested positive using a viral test)

No quarantine
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms.

Watch for symptoms
Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others.

Calculating Isolation

Day 0 is your first day of symptoms or a positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected. If you have COVID-19 or have symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days.

IF YOU:
Tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms, regardless of vaccination status

Stay home for at least 5 days

Stay home for 5 days and isolate from others in your home.

Wear a well-fitting mask if you must be around others in your home.

Ending isolation if you had symptoms
End isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving.

Ending isolation if you did NOT have symptoms
End isolation after at least 5 full days after your positive test.

Wear a well-fitting mask
Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask.

Accommodating Health Department Guidance

Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine

After day 10 without testing
After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later from exposure date)

Monitoring and Reporting Symptoms

Anyone experiencing the following symptoms must stay away from Campus:
Fever of 100.4F or higher
Chills or Sweating (regardless of actual temperature rating)
New Cough
Difficulty Breathing
Sore Throat
Muscle aches, body aches
Stomach upset or vomiting and diarrhea
Loss of taste or smell
Link to current CDC list of symptoms

Students who experience any of the symptoms outlined above, should seek a COVID-19 test if possible. While awaiting test results and/or if instructed to self- isolate, students must:

Contact your instructor(s) immediately to report that you are experiencing COVID-19
Contact a health department official or other healthcare provider

If you experience these symptoms due to another condition or illness, such as allergies, food poisoning, etc. and symptoms subside without treatment within 24 hours, you may choose to return to class/campus. (“Treatment” does not include over-the-counter pain medication, antacids, etc. or medicine regularly taken as prescribed by your healthcare provider.)
You will need to complete the self-certification form by selecting the first option.

Stay off campus until it has been 10 days since symptoms first appeared, it has been 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and COVID –19 symptoms have improved.

NOTE: People who are severely ill and/or hospitalized with COVID-19 or have a severely weakened immune system may need to stay home between 10 and 20 days after symptoms first appeared. Consult your healthcare provider for more

Return to Campus

Before returning to campus, students must complete and submit one of the following acceptable documents to their instructor(s) and the College’s Healthy at Work Officer:

Complete the Self-Certification Form (pdf) - This form may include an electronic signature and must be sent by the student using their kctcs.edu email account
- Have quarantined for 10 days (unless reduced by the health department) and have not developed any symptoms
  or,
- Certify that you are no longer experiencing symptoms of or similar to COVID-19
  or,
- Certify that it has been 10 days since symptoms first appeared and 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and COVID-19 symptoms have improved
Doctor's Certification verifying that the student sought medical attention and is not experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19; or
Local Health Department Documentation indicating the student tested positive and was given an end date for self-isolation period

Return to Class

Instructors are not obligated to provide an opportunity for completing makeup assignments unless students submit one of the appropriate documents as described above. Faculty will work with administration to ensure students will have a safe, productive, and appropriate return to classrooms.

In summary

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they shall follow their health department isolation order.
If a student is exposed to COVID-19, they shall quarantine for 10 days from the date of last exposure unless they have been fully vaccinated or directed otherwise by the health department.
If a student has symptoms, the student shall quarantine until symptoms resolve plus 24 hours (minimum of 10 days) or until released by their physician.