As the La Salle University community prepares for an in-person experience during the Spring 2021 semester, it is important for students and employees to know what to do if they experience COVID-19-like symptoms, and to be aware of the testing strategy involved in the University’s return to campus.

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and more.

As outlined in #ExplorersReturn, the University’s return-to-campus plan, there are a few steps that are to be followed by any member of the La Salle community who maintains a campus presence, in the event that they test positive for COVID-19, have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and/or are showing any of the symptoms:

Self-monitoring

An important step in staying healthy is daily self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms. For those who plan on working, living, or learning on campus, there’s an online tool from the University—the Daily COVID Check-In—to help you self-monitor your symptoms each day.

Take your temperature each morning before leaving home. (Bring a thermometer with you to campus, if you are a residential student.) If your temperature is or exceeds 100.4° F/ 38° C, do not enter campus or leave your residence. Contact your health care provider. The same rule applies if someone with whom you live is experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms—stay home.

Testing

Upon returning to campus in January, every student (undergraduate, graduate, and evening) and employee who plans to live, learn, and/or work on campus will be required to take a COVID-19 entry test. Testing will be provided by the University at no cost.

In addition, the University will administer weekly surveillance testing of a sample of asymptomatic individuals throughout the semester. Any member of our community maintaining a campus presence is eligible for surveillance testing.

Students who experience COVID-19 symptoms will be directed to symptomatic testing on campus. Employees who are symptomatic or have been exposed to an individual who has tested positive will be directed to access testing through their personal health care provider.

Further testing details and instructions will be provided closer to the start of the spring semester.

Contact tracing on campus

Ahead of the spring semester, the University increased staffing and hours of operation for its contact tracing program. With the hire of six full-time employees, the program will be staffed seven days a week.

What happens if I test positive?

If a student or employee who lives, learns, or works on campus tests positive, they must immediately complete a COVID-19 disclosure form. Once the form is completed and submitted, the student or employee will be contacted by a case investigator who is employed by the University.

Additional guidance

Students can refer additional questions to the La Salle Student Health Center (via email at covid19@lasalle.edu or by phone at 215-951-1565). Faculty and staff can refer questions to the Office of Human Resources (via email at hr@lasalle.edu or by phone at 215- 951-1013).

More information

Consult the #ExplorersReturn plan to learn more about self-monitoring, physical distancing, signs and symptoms, testing, expectations for students and employees, La Salle’s quarantine and isolation policies, and more.

—Patrick Berkery