CDC Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines: You should isolate yourself from others when you have COVID-19. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. Visit this CDC page for the latest accepted guidelines on isolation and quarantine.
Students experiencing COVID symptoms should call the EIU Medical Clinic at 217-581-3013 to schedule an appointment. This appointment will likely include a COVID test. If you begin experiencing symptoms outside of the hours of the Medical Clinic (M-F 8 am – 4:30 pm), please self-separate yourself until you are able to contact the Medical Clinic. Students who live on campus can find information regarding services available for self-separating residents and their roommate(s) on the website of Housing and Dining Services.
Students who test for COVID with an outside entity or who test at their residence using a rapid test, are strongly advised to immediately report positive results using the form on the EIU Medical Clinic’s website.
In order for the EIU Medical Clinic to send may send academic notices to faculty for COVID-related illnesses, it is imperative for symptomatic students to see a provider at the EIU Medical Clinic as soon as they experience symptoms or, if testing outside of EIU, to immediately use the reporting form on the Medical Clinic’s website to share positive results from an outside entity.
Students should also consult their course syllabi for further guidance on communication with professors regarding absences and missed academic work.
Students who live in University Housing and test positive for COVID will be temporarily moved to on-campus isolation housing if they cannot return home. Students who live off-campus and test positive for COVID must isolate off campus.
Employees:
Effective August 15, 2022 employees who test positive for COVID are no longer required to report their test results to the University. They are, however, required to isolate in accordance with current CDC guidelines. As with any illness, employees should communicate with their supervisor about absence.
To prevent the spread of COVID, employees experiencing COVID symptoms should stay home and isolate until they are able to be tested for COVID.
Masking
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Masking remains optional in most campus settings unless you have tested positive for COVID or been exposed to COVID per CDC guidelines. Masking remains mandatory in EIU’s Medical Clinic.
Offices, Office Hours, & Learning Spaces: Faculty and other employees may request and expect masks to be worn in their assigned personal office spaces, as well as labs, studios, or other learning environments where 6 feet physical distancing for the instructor or employee may be impractical. When appropriate, faculty and staff may also choose to meet in a conference room or other available space that is more physically distanced than an individual office, if appropriate. Employees should work with their supervisor, as needed.
As a mask-optional campus, the facial covering decisions and practices of all members of the campus community will be respected.
Testing
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As of July 12, 2022, weekly surveillance testing is no longer a requirement for any students or employees (with the exception of those employees who work in campus medical facilities).
Free rapid COVID tests are available across campus. Please note that these rapid tests are intended to be picked up by healthy individuals who would simply like to have a test in their residence. Tests should not be picked up at these locations by symptomatic individuals. Symptomatic students should schedule an appointment with a medical provider in the Medical Clinic immediately.
Free rapid COVID tests are available for pick up at:
EIU Medical Clinic Human Services Building, Monday-Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
Office of Student Accountability and Support Martin Luther King, Jr. University Union, Monday-Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
Booth Library Monday-Thursday: 8 am - Midnight, Friday: 8 am - 5 pm, Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm, Sunday: Noon-Midnight
Symptomatic students should call the EIU Medical Clinic at 217-581-3013 to schedule an appointment with a medical provider. This appointment will likely include a COVID test. If you begin experiencing symptoms outside of the hours of the Medical Clinic (M-F 8 am – 4:30 pm), please self-separate yourself until you are able to contact the Medical Clinic.
Symptomatic employees are expected to test as soon as possible and follow the guidance of the CDC. Testing is widely available across our community, and employees are also encouraged to use at-home rapid tests. To prevent the spread of COVID, employees experiencing COVID symptoms should stay home and isolate until they are able to be tested for COVID.
Vaccination
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To best protect yourself and our community we continue to urge you to be fully vaccinated. This includes receiving booster vaccines as you are eligible. To learn which COVID vaccines are in stock near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
Although students and employees are not required to report their vaccination status to the University, students may report their vaccination status if they choose to.
Student COVID vaccination information may be submitted to Health and Counseling Services the following ways:
Mail via USPS to EIU Health and Counseling Services, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920
Drop off in person at the EIU Medical Clinic (Human Services Building in the South Quad)
COVID-19 Paid Leave
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PLEASE NOTE: COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave is available for employees who meet the listed requirements and were on leave during the 2021-2022 academic year (August 23, 2021 - July 27, 2022).
For additional information, visit the Benefits page.
Additional questions may be submitted at covid19info@eiu.edu. The University will make every attempt to answer them as quickly and responsibly as possible.