COVID-19 Information
Colorado College employs a public health framework for COVID-19 and other communicable disease decision-making that is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in consultation with the El Paso County Public Health Department. We continue to monitor COVID-19 metrics and will reassess our protocols as needed to protect health and safety on campus.
Health
If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home and away from others. If you must interact with others, wear a mask.
Students should contact the Student Health Center at (719) 389-6384 or use the online scheduling system to make an appointment with a provider who will help with tests and treatment.
Employees should contact their healthcare provider to determine what tests and treatment are appropriate. They should also contact their supervisor.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
If you receive a positive test result, you must isolate (see the "Isolation" section below). If your test is negative, please stay home until your symptoms subside or you have confirmation that your symptoms were due to a non-communicable condition.
If you are showing emergency warning signs or any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you, call 911 and seek emergency medical care immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds
COVID-19 vaccines are an effective tool to prevent severe disease, and CC will continue encouraging students, staff, and faculty to receive their COVID-19 primary series and all recommended boosters.
- COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death, and the CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines.
- Getting vaccinated is the best way to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
- If you would like to finish your initial series or receive a booster, find a COVID-19 vaccine location near you.
We understand that this situation is causing anxiety for many people. There are numerous resources on campus for support and assistance, including the Counseling Center, Chaplain's Office, Employee Assistance Plan, the Butler Center, the Advising Hub, and the Wellness Resource Center.
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Mitigation and campus protocols
Mask-wearing is optional on the CC campus.
All may choose to wear a mask at any time, for any reason. Properly fitted N95 or KN95 masks are an effective tool for preventing COVID-19 transmission, especially in conjunction with vaccination. You are expected to wear a mask:
- When interacting with others if you are feeling unwell, including with COVID-like symptoms
- Throughout any isolation period
Additionally, those who are not fully vaccinated/not up to date with vaccinations are encouraged to wear a mask in public indoor spaces, in accordance with CDC guidance.
Public events are college-sponsored, on-campus events that are open to the general public. Mask-wearing at events is optional. Visitors must not come to campus if they are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days, or have otherwise been instructed to quarantine or isolate.
Hand hygiene is an important component reducing the spread of many communicable illnesses, including COVID-19, flu, and colds.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Hand sanitizer is available throughout campus.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Always cover coughs and sneezes.
- If you are wearing a mask, you can cough or sneeze into your mask. Put on a new, clean mask as soon as possible and wash your hands.
- If you are not wearing a mask:
- Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
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Testing and quarantine
Anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested as soon as possible, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection.
- Students experiencing symptoms can pick up self-test kits from the Wellness Resource Center, Loomis, Mathias, South or Hybl while supplies last. Because there are a lot of similarities between the symptoms of COVID-19 and other illnesses like flu, strep throat, and the common cold, students who are experiencing symptoms but test negative on an at-home rapid test should schedule an appointment with the Student Health Center for more accurate or appropriate testing.
- Employees experiencing symptoms can pick up self-test kits from the Wellness Resource Center (inside of the Student Health and Wellbeing building next to Robson Arena) while supplies last.
- Students can schedule an appointment at the Student Health Center by calling (719) 389-6384; appropriate testing will be ordered and completed through this appointment.
- Employees should contact their healthcare provider to determine what tests and treatment are appropriate.
- If you are experiencing symptoms and test negative for COVID-19, you should mask and re-test one to two days after your first test, unless your medical provider can identify another cause for those symptoms.
- Students who test positive for COVID-19 outside of the Student Health Center (e.g., on an at-home COVID-19 rapid test or at another healthcare facility or pharmacy) should report their positive result using our self report form.
Asymptomatic testing for students will be conducted on campus in specific circumstances.
- Post-exposure testing: If you have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19, you should get tested five to seven days after exposure. Students can pick up self-test kits at the Wellness Resource Center, Loomis, Mathias, South, or Hybl while supplies last. (Note that you should wear a mask in public and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after a known exposure.)
- Testing for high risk individuals: If you are unvaccinated/not fully vaccinated and have taken part in activities that put you at a higher risk for COVID-19 (i.e., being in a social situation where you could not physically distance such as travel or being in a crowded or poorly ventilated indoor setting), asymptomatic testing may be conducted on campus.
- Pre-travel testing: Students who need pre-travel testing as required by the carrier or destination can receive that testing through the Student Health Center; employees should contact their medical providers or local testing clinics.
- Students who test positive for COVID-19 outside of the Student Health Center (e.g., on an at-home COVID-19 rapid test or at another healthcare facility or pharmacy) should report their positive result using our self report form.
Asymptomatic testing (self-test kits) for employees can be picked up outside of the Wellness Resource Center (in the Student Health and Wellbeing building next to Robson Arena) while supplies last.
- Free tests are available through most local health departments; tests also are available for purchase in pharmacies and retail stores.
- Staff and faculty enrolled in the college’s healthcare plan will rely on Cigna for COVID-19 testing and care.
CC follows CDC guidance on exposure. Regardless of vaccination status:
- Wear a mask around others for 10 days
- Test on day five, if possible
- If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home, and contact covidisolation@snoopxxx.com.
- Remain in isolation for five full days (day zero is the day symptoms were first experienced or when a positive test was received).
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Students who test positive for COVID-19 will isolate in place in their current housing assignment.
- If you are a student in a multi-occupancy room, wear a well-fitting N95 mask at all times except when sleeping through day 10 (N95 masks are available at the Mathias, South, and Loomis front desks).
- Students should stay home and in their room except to pick up food, use the restroom, or spend time outside away from others.
- If you test positive (students and employees), you should notify all appropriate individuals of your upcoming absences, which may include professors, supervisors, coaches, colleagues, and Residential Experience staff.
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- Students, after five full days of isolation, you can leave isolation IF symptoms have improved AND you have gone 24 hours without fever or without the use of fever-reducing medication. During this time, you are still expected to wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go places where or engage in activities in which you are unable to wear a mask.
- Employees, follow CDC isolation guidance: Complete at least five full days of isolation at home. You may end isolation after day five IF you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) AND your symptoms are improving. You should continue to wear a high-quality (N95 or KN95), well-fitting mask for another five days whenever you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go places where or engage in activities in which you are unable to wear a mask.
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