General Safety and Health
Continued Education, Continued Safety and Committed Community
HCU is grateful to God that the safety and health measures implemented over the course of the pandemic supported a low rate of COVID infection on campus in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021 semesters. Safety guidelines will continue to be used and students are encouraged to attend their classes fully.
Because of the health concerns of many Huskies and their extended networks of friends and family, we ask that you continue to commit to the following actions for the protection and wellbeing of others:
Self-monitor — Be aware of symptoms such as a temperature, cough, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
Take Precautions —To maximize protection and prevent possibly spreading to others, we recommend the following:
- Full vaccination and booster if possible
- Wearing masks indoors and when in close quarters (even if fully vaccinated)
- Getting tested if you are feeling sick, experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, or may have been exposed to someone that has tested positive
- Socially distancing where possible and washing/sanitizing your hands, devices and/or personal spaces often
Cooperate Gracefully — Please be gracious and compliant in following these guidelines at all times.
See expectations of students for more details.
Reporting Positive COVID-19 Testing
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please follow the steps below:
1. Self-Quarantine Immediately (Off-Campus)
Residential Students
If you are living on campus, it is expected that you will remove yourself from university housing in order to quarantine according to the Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines listed below. Neither HCU nor HCU Residence Life have the capacity to accommodate quarantine spaces on campus. All students testing positive for COVID-19 and needing to quarantine must do so off campus and at their own expense.
Students are not permitted to attend on-campus classes or any on-campus activities in person during their quarantine time frame. Arrangements should be made with corresponding professors for course work completion and progression by the student.
For more information concerning housing status during quarantine time frames, please contact: Justin Bedford, Director of Residence Life at jbedford@hbu.edu.
Commuter Students
If you are commuting to campus, it is expected that you quarantine off campus for the required timeframe according to the Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines listed below.
Students are not permitted to attend on-campus classes or on-campus activities in person during their quarantine time frame. Arrangements should be made with corresponding professors for course work completion and progression by the student.
2. Email Student Life to Report Your Positive Testing
3. Complete the Needed Information Sent by Student Life Regarding Your Status
4. Connect with Your Instructors
It is the student’s responsibility to connect with their instructors to work out appropriate and reasonable assistance with maintaining course work during self-quarantine. If extended or more extenuating circumstances or accommodations are needed, students are encouraged to connect with the Testing & Student Accommodations office: 504@hbu.edu.
5. Return to Campus
Students should follow the Quarantine and Isolation guidelines below to determine when they are no longer required to isolate/quarantine off campus.
For more information about these steps, please contact Student Life at studentlife@hbu.edu or Mon’Sher Spencer, Director of Student Life at mspencer@hbu.edu.
COVID Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines
View this information in a flow-chart.
What to do if you have close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
You do not need to quarantine if you have close contact to someone with COVID-19 and:
- You have received both the recommended vaccination and booster shots, and
- You have a viral test confirmation of a case of COVID-19 within the last 90 days.
Neither apply to me, what should I do if I have had close contact to someone with COVID-19?
- Stay at home for five days, wearing a mask around others at home when possible.
a. If you develop symptoms, get tested immediately for COVID-19.
b. If you do not develop symptoms, ideally get tested after the five days of close contact exposure. If your test is negative, you no longer need to quarantine, but should continue to wear a mask around others until ten days following close contact.
c. If you are unable to be tested, but remain symptom free, you no longer need to quarantine, but should continue to wear a mask around others until ten days following the close contact.
d. You should avoid areas where you are unable to mask (restaurants, gyms, etc.) until ten days following the close contact.
What to do if you test positive for COVID-19
I tested positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms.
- Stay at home and isolate (stay alone in a “sick room” of your home if possible) for five days following your first full day of symptoms.
a. If you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication (ex. ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, and aspirin) and your other symptoms are improving, you may end isolation after five days have passed since your symptoms began. You should continue to wear a mask when in public for an additional five days, until a total of ten days since the onset of your symptoms have passed.
b. If your fever persists, or your symptoms have not improved, you must continue to isolate until you meet the criteria above. If it has been less than ten days since the onset of your symptoms when you have met the criteria and end isolation, please wear a mask until the tenth day. Immunocompromised individuals should seek additional direction from their healthcare provider about ending isolation.
I tested positive for COVID-19, and have no symptoms.
- Stay at home and isolate (stay alone in a “sick room” of your home if possible) for five days following your positive test result for COVID-19.
a. If you develop no symptoms, you may end isolation but should continue to wear a mask until ten days since receiving your positive test have passed.
b. If you do develop symptoms, your isolation clock resets, and you should follow the protocol outlined above for people testing positive for COVID-19 with symptoms. The first full day of having symptoms is now day 1 for your isolation clock.
c. You should avoid areas where you are unable to mask (restaurants, gyms, etc.) until ten days following close contact.
Last Updated January 12, 2022