COVID-19 Exposure Guidelines

Vaccination Status

The Centers for Disease control urges everyone to remain up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations.  The College of Southern Maryland asks all students and employees to keep their records in Castlebranch updated.

The CDC has updated its guidance for people who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines to make it consistent with those people who are up to date. The information below reflects those updates.

COVID-19 Positive Diagnosis

If you have a positive COVID test, regardless of vaccination status:

• Stay home for at least 5 days and wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others. Use the following guidelines to determine when to end your isolation and return to CSM:
  • If you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.

• If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.
• If your illness was moderate or severe, or if you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.
• If your COVID-19 symptoms worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.

• Upon return to CSM, continue to wear a high-quality mask through day 10.

COVID-19 Exposure

If you were exposed to someone with COVID, take the following action regardless of your vaccination status:  

• Wear a high-quality mask around others in all areas for 10 days.
• Test on day 6. If your results are positive, follow the guidance listed above.

COVID-19 Suspected

If you are sick and suspect you have COVID-19, but do not have test results, you should stay home and isolate from others.

• If your results are positive, follow the guidance listed above.
• If your results are negative, you can end your isolation and return to CSM if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication and are well enough to resume your duties.