Employees who submit to testing are required to report a positive test result. Results are reported to the Secure Assessment for FSU Exposure Response (SAFER) Team via the Daily Wellness App (or COVID19@fsu.edu) and the Office of Human Resources. Additionally, any employee who is aware they have known close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive is required to immediately notify SAFER. These notifications are vital to the University's ability to respond to any workplace exposure concerns and mitigate the risk of workplace-related spread of COVID-19. Employees and managers should also contact HR if additional guidance is required or for special circumstances that need to be addressed immediately. For faculty, contact Rebecca Peterson at rpeterson@fsu.edu; for staff, contact Tracey Pearson at tvpearson@fsu.edu.

Do not wait for University provided testing if you have come in contact with or cared for a person diagnosed with COVID-19 or if you have experienced any COVID-19 related symptoms. Please seek the immediate attention of a primary care provider for evaluation, testing, and possible medical treatment. Additionally, employees who are ill for any reason should inform their supervisor and isolate themselves at home. Employees who first experience symptoms in the workplace should notify their supervisor and leave the worksite immediately. Employees who believe they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as outlined by the CDC should consult with their health care provider on any recommended testing.  Employees should adhere to the following guidance:

Positive Cases – Return to Work Guidance
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for five days from the positive test result. The date the positive test is taken counts as day zero. If no symptoms have occurred (asymptomatic) by day five, or if their symptoms are resolving including being fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever reducing medicine, the individual may return to work with a mask on day six. Individuals must wear a mask around others for five additional days if reporting to work on campus or continue to quarantine/isolate at home until day ten.

If fever is not resolved or no improvement in symptoms on day five, individuals should continue to self-isolate until symptoms are improving and fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicine.

Close Contact Exposures Guidance
No Quarantine Required

Individuals are not required to quarantine if they meet the following conditions and have no symptoms:

• Completed the primary vaccine series for Pfizer or Moderna within the previous six months
• Completed the J&J vaccine within the past two months
• Individuals who have completed full series and have received a booster

Individuals who are up to date with vaccinations are not required to quarantine after close contact exposure unless they have symptoms. However, they should wear a mask indoors and while around others for 10 days. It is also recommended to take a COVID test on day five. 

Quarantine Required
Individuals must quarantine if they meet the following conditions:

• Vaccinated with both doses of Pfizer or Moderna more than six months ago and have not received booster shot
• Vaccinated with J&J over two months ago and not received booster shot
• Have never received a COVID-19 vaccine

If individuals are considered unvaccinated according to the criteria above, they are required to isolate for five days from exposure. They should continue to wear a mask for an additional five days. It is also recommended to take a COVID test on day five.

Symptomatic
If symptoms develop, get a test immediately and isolate at home. Follow the above guidance based on your vaccination status.

Employees that are ill for reasons not related to COVID-19, such as the common cold or influenza, should stay home and isolate until at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicines, or after symptoms have improved (at least 4-5 days after flu symptoms started) in accordance with CDC guidance.

If the employee is tested and diagnosed with COVID-19, the below procedures on Employees Not Clear to Return to Campus will apply.

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 cannot return to campus until cleared by the SAFER team per HR policy. They must complete the Daily Wellness App or email COVID19@fsu.edu. SAFER will contact these employees to provide the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about self-isolation. Employees may use their available leave during the isolation or quarantine period.

Positive Cases – Return to Work Guidance
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate for five days from the positive test result. The date the positive test is taken counts as day zero. If no symptoms have occurred (asymptomatic) by day five, or if their symptoms are resolving including being fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicine, the individual may return to work with a mask on day six. Individuals must wear a mask around others for five additional days if reporting to work on campus or continue to quarantine/isolate at home until day ten.

If fever is not resolved or no improvement in symptoms on day five, individuals should continue to self-isolate until symptoms are improving and fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicine.

Close Contact Exposures Guidance
No Quarantine Required

Individuals are not required to quarantine if they meet the following conditions and have no symptoms:

• Completed the primary vaccine series for Pfizer or Moderna within the previous six months
• Completed the J&J vaccine within the past two months
• Individuals who have completed full series and have received a booster

Individuals who are up to date with vaccinations are not required to quarantine after close contact exposure unless they have symptoms. However, they should wear a mask indoors and while around others for 10 days. It is also recommended to take a COVID test on day five. 

Quarantine Required
Individuals must quarantine if they meet the following conditions:

• Vaccinated with both doses of Pfizer or Moderna more than six months ago and have not received booster shot
• Vaccinated with J&J over two months ago and not received booster shot
• Have never received a COVID-19 vaccine

If individuals are considered unvaccinated according to the criteria above, they are required to isolate for five days from exposure. They should continue to wear a mask for an additional five days. It is also recommended to take a COVID test on day five.

Symptomatic
If symptoms develop, get a test immediately and isolate at home. Follow the above guidance based on your vaccination status.

EXCEPTION: In rare cases when people are severely ill and require hospitalization or have immunosuppression, a longer isolation period may be necessary. These are to be decided in close consultation with your treating physician.

Employees who work in healthcare facilities that are owned/operated by FSU will be required to demonstrate two negative tests that are obtained at least 24 hours apart before they are allowed to return to patient care activities based on CDC recommendations.

Employees will not be required to complete follow-up testing to be cleared to return to campus after a positive COVID-19 result. However, in some cases, a primary care physician may recommend additional testing.  An employee may also opt to complete testing for clearance to return to campus rather than providing a note from their health care provider as outlined above. Visit the Leon County Vaccine and Testing Site Finder for information on testing sites in the area.

There may be other situations where follow-up testing is also appropriate, such as known workplace exposures. In these cases, the employee should coordinate with HR to schedule additional testing.

The University will safeguard COVID-19 information and all health-related information of students and employees in accordance with applicable federal law (including FERPA and HIPAA), state law and University policies (including 4-OP-H-12 Information Privacy Policy).

Once HR is notified of an employee’s positive test result or close contact exposure, they will ensure SAFER is notified by advising the employee to report the results to SAFER. Positive test results and close contact exposure can also be reported directly to SAFER via the Daily Wellness App. The employee will be contacted by SAFER to provide a confidential review of close contacts, provide guidance for COVID-19 exposure responses, and an epidemiological assessment of any potential infection on campus. 

According to the CDC, for those that have not tested positive in the past 3 months, close contact is defined as:

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for at least 15 cumulative minutes.
• You live with or provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
• You had direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them).
• You shared eating or drinking utensils.
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.

Return to Campus for Close Contacts

If you have a close contact exposure, you must report the exposure using the Daily Wellness App or the Daily Wellness Check on my.fsu.edu. You will be notified by the app if you are required to quarantine. If you are advised to quarantine, you must do so until notified by the SAFER Team that you are cleared to return to campus activities in accordance with CDC guidelines. The guidelines below are typically what is followed to determine when an employee is cleared to return to work; however, judgment calls will be made in some cases by state and local authorities.

• If fully vaccinated and no symptoms develop (asymptomatic):
  • In general, fully vaccinated individuals who have been in close contact with a positive case and who are not experiencing any symptoms are not required to quarantine. A PCR  test is recommended 3-5 days after exposure even if the individual does not have symptoms. The individual should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 5 days following exposure or until the PCR test is confirmed as negative. We advise that they closely monitor for symptoms for 5 days after exposure. If any symptoms should arise, they should quarantine for 5 days, and we recommend a PCR test.
• If fully vaccinated and symptoms develop at any time in the 14 days:
  • Test recommended immediately due to symptoms.
    • If negative test: Continue quarantine for five days and wear a face covering for 10 days.
    • If positive test: Begin 5 days of isolation. Begin positive case monitoring and return to campus protocol.

Supervisors or employees with questions related to exposure scenarios in the workplace should email HR-COVID19@fsu.edu.