COVID-19 Guidelines

Effective January 19, 2022

Lamar State College Orange has developed the following COVID Guidelines to assist with reporting, self-quarantining, and returning to campus following exposure to COVID-19 or testing positive for COVID-19.

Reporting

In order to protect our Gator community, if a student, faculty member, or staff member has COVID-19 symptoms, has tested positive for COVID-19, or has been exposed to COVID-19, they should complete the Coronavirus Reporting Form and notify the COVID-19 Coordinator, Patty Collins (409.882.3922), and their instructor or immediate supervisor.

Quarantining

Per CDC guidelines, if you have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 and you are in one of the following groups, you will not be required to quarantine:

You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (you tested positive using a viral test).

You are strongly encouraged to wear a well-fitting mask (per CDC guidance) around others for 10 days from the date of your last close contact with someone with COVID-19. The CDC recommends you get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you test positive or develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should follow the self-quarantine guidelines below.

Per CDC guidelines, if you have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, you will be required to quarantine for at least 5 full days if you are in one of the following groups:

You are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. This includes people who are not vaccinated.

Everyone who has presumed (symptoms associated with COVID-19) or confirmed COVID-19 will be required to self-quarantine for at least 5 full days.

General 5-day Self-Quarantine Guidelines

Individuals who have symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or who have been exposed to COVID-19 and are not exempt from self-quarantining (as described above), should follow these self-quarantine guidelines:

Stay home (or at another location approved by the local health department) and refrain from going to school, work, public areas, or any public gathering. If you need medical care, call your health care provider.
Postpone all non-essential medical appointments until you are out of self-quarantine.
Separate (isolate) yourself from other people and animals in your home.
If you develop symptoms or if your symptoms worsen, call your health care provider BEFORE seeking in-person care.
Postpone any travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, coordinate with your local health department. If you travel and become ill, you may not be able to return home.
Wash hands often, practice good hygiene, and social distance from family members in the same household.
Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are in self-quarantine.

General Self-Monitoring Guidelines

Individuals who are exempt from self-quarantine as defined by CDC but were exposed to an individual with COVID-19 should follow these self-monitoring guidelines and use the daily self-assessment tools provided on the website:

Take temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever.
Watch for cough or trouble breathing.
Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit activities in public.
Keep distance from others, preferably 6 feet or more.
If symptoms develop, get tested for COVID-19 immediately.

LSCO Students Under 5-day Self-Quarantine

Students should inform their professors of their self-quarantine status as quickly as possible and work with their professors to determine options for completing their assignments while in self-quarantine.

LSCO Employees Under 5-day Self-Quarantine

Employees who have been required to quarantine

Employees who are asymptomatic - If your position allows it, AND your supervisor agrees to remote work, employees will be allowed to work up to 5 hours per day (25 hours per week) remotely. Employees will be required to use 3 hours per day (15 hours per week) of their personal time to complete their 8-hour work day (40-hour work week). The following guidelines must be followed prior to a supervisor’s approval of remote work:
- The employee is to outline/list each of the tasks/activities that he/she will be completing remotely,
- Indicate how long each task is expected to take, and
- Disclose the date(s) that he/she will complete the tasks.
- The Remote Work Time Sheet is to then be reviewed by the employee’s immediate supervisor so that the supervisor has an accurate understanding of how many hours, if any, the employee is eligible to work remotely.

Once the supervisor has approved the time sheet, the employee is required to maintain it, documenting the actual remote hours worked. The time sheet should be turned into the employee’s supervisor upon return from self-quarantine or when requested.

Employees who are symptomatic – Employees should take personal leave during the time that they are ill and showing symptoms. If the symptoms improve, your position allows it, AND your supervisor agrees to remote work, you will be allowed to work up to 5 hours per day (25 hours per week) remotely. Employees will be required to use 3 hours per day (15 hours per week) of their personal time to complete their 8-hour work day (40-hour work week). The following guidelines must be followed prior to a supervisor’s approval of remote work:
- The employee is to outline/list each of the tasks/activities that he/she will be completing remotely,
- Indicate how long each task is expected to take, and
- Disclose the date(s) that he/she will complete the tasks.
- The remote time worksheet is to then be reviewed by the employee’s immediate supervisor so that the supervisor has an accurate understanding of how many hours, if any, the employee is eligible to work remotely.

Faculty who are instructed to self-quarantine will work with their Dean and the Provost/Executive Vice President to determine how students’ needs will be met during the faculty member’s recovery and/or quarantine period.

Employees who are placed on self-quarantine a second time will not be allowed to work remotely and must use their personal time during the self-quarantine. Any exception to this must be approved by the immediate supervisor and the Executive Director or the Vice President who oversees the employee.

Ineligible Conditions for Remote Work

If your position does NOT allow it, or if your supervisor disagrees to remote work, you will be required to take personal leave.
Employees who are caring for someone who has been exposed to, have symptoms of, or tested positive with COVID-19 will be required to take personal leave.
Employees who have school age children at home without a child care provider will be required to take personal leave.

Returning to Campus from Self-Quarantine

Before being allowed to return to campus following self-quarantine, all LSCO faculty, staff, or students must receive written notice from LSCO’s COVID Coordinator, Patty Collins, or her designee. Anyone under self-quarantine will be provided a Request to Return to Campus Following Self-Quarantine Form. Based on the responses to the questionnaire, the person may be directed to a health care provider before being approved to return to campus.

Self-quarantined faculty, staff, or students who have tested positive or had symptoms associated with COVID-19, are not allowed back on campus until all three of the following criteria are met:

at least 5 full days have passed since they were exposed, their first symptoms appeared, or the date the specimen was collected for their test;
they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medications); and
their symptoms have significantly improved.

If a student, faculty, or staff member is under a licensed health care practitioner’s care and has a return-to-work document, LSCO will comply with the return-to-work date issued by the licensed health care practitioner unless it indicates a return-to-work date that does not comply with LSCO’s minimum 5-day quarantine.