COVID-19 Exposure and Reporting Scenarios

This guidance is for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and individuals in close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Updated January  29, 2024

Students, employees, and authorized visitors should email COVIDreporting@marin.edu to report a positive test for COVID-19.
Include M00#, name, telephone number, email, date(s), and location(s) you visited campus, time of symptom onset, date of the positive test, and date of the COVID test.
CLOSE CONTACT
  • In indoor spaces of 400,000 or fewer cubic feet per floor (such as homes, clinic waiting rooms, airplanes, etc.), close contact is defined as sharing the same indoor airspace  for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) during a confirmed case's infectious period.
  • In large indoor spaces greater than 400,000 cubic feet per floor (such as open-floor-plan offices, warehouses, large retail stores, manufacturing, or food processing facilities), close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the confirmed case's infectious period.
  • Spaces that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls (e.g., offices, suites, rooms, waiting areas, bathrooms, or break or eating areas that are separated by floor-to-ceiling walls) must be considered distinct indoor airspaces.

For assistance determining cubic feet email COVIDReporting@marin.edu

Infectious Period
  • For COVID-19 cases with symptoms, it is a minimum of 24 hours from the day of symptom onset. COVID-19 cases may return if 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and their symptoms are mild and improving. 
  • For COVID-19 cases with no symptoms, there is no infectious period for the purpose of isolation or exclusion. If symptoms develop, the criteria above will apply. 
ISOLATION

Separates those infected with a contagious disease from people who are not infected.

QUARANTINE

Separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease in case they become infected. Exposed individuals may develop symptoms, while some become infected with a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

Detailed guidance on each of the following scenarios is in the COVID-19 Exposure and Reporting Procedure.

DISCLAIMER: These scenarios represent some of the most common COVID-19 related situations; however, each case is different and may not be exactly the same as your situation. Please contact your instructor or supervisor if you have questions about what to do. 

SCENARIO 1
Student/Employee is sick with mild cold/flu symptoms NOT consistent with COVID-19.

WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHEN CAN I RETURN TO CAMPUS?
  • Stay home until the illness resolves.
  • Any illness that prevents a student or employee from attending class or working should be communicated to the instructor or supervisor.
  • You may return to campus after being fever-free without the use of fever-reducing meds for at least 24 hours.

 

SCENARIO 2
All persons with COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status or previous infection, and whether on campus or not, should: 

WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHEN CAN I RETURN TO CAMPUS?
  • Call 9-1-1 if symptoms are life threatening. 
  • ​Immediately self-isolate and consider testing: If the first test comes back negative but symptoms are still present, continue isolating away from campus until symptoms resolve and consider retesting in 1-2 days.
  • For symptomatic persons who have tested positive within the previous 90 days, using an antigen test is preferred. 
  • Continue to self-isolate if test result is positive, follow recommended actions in Scenario 3, and contact your healthcare provider about available treatments, especially if symptoms are severe or you are at high risk for serious disease.
  • Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
  • Mask when around other people indoors for the 10 days after you become sick or test positive.
  • If test comes back positive, refer to Scenario 3.

 

SCENARIO 3
Individual tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, AND individual has been on campus within 14 days.

WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHEN CAN I RETURN TO CAMPUS?
  • Call 9-1-1 if you have symptoms that are life threatening.
  • Email COVIDreporting@marin.edu
  • Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
  • Individuals should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, since symptoms began or the date of their first positive test. Especially in indoor settings. You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date. 
  • An individual may return to campus at the conclusion of their infectious period. 
  • If fever is present, isolation should be continued until 24 hours after fever resolves AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.
  • If symptoms, other than fever, are not resolving, continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving.

 

SCENARIO 4
Asymptomatic individuals (regardless of vaccination status) has a close contact test positive for COVID-19 or is quarantined.

WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHEN CAN I RETURN TO CAMPUS?
  • If you do not have symptoms, and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and would benefit from treatment, you should test within 5 days. 
  • Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
  • If symptoms develop, test and stay home (see Scenario 2), AND 
  • If test result is positive, follow isolation recommendations above (Scenario 3). 
  • You do not need to quarantine away from campus. Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days (from date of last exposure to COVID-19 positive individual), especially in indoor settings.

 

SCENARIO 5
College closure — According to CDPH, College of Marin campuses would be required to close if at least 4% of the student body and staff are diagnosed with COVID-19 within a 14-day period.

HOW WILL I KNOW? WHEN CAN I RETURN TO CAMPUS?
  • All students and employees will be notified through MyCOM Portal/ DL.STAFF email, and the closure info will be posted to the marin.edu home page and College social media accounts.
  • Campus reopening information will be sent through email, and the closure info will be posted to the marin.edu home page and College social media accounts.