Health and Safety Precautions
DWU highly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.
The DWU Response Team and administrators will monitor the status of COVID-19 on campus as well as in the community of Mitchell. Updated guidance from the CDC, SD Department of Health and local health care partners will be used to make changes to these guidelines as the situation warrants.
DWU Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines
If you experience any COVID-19 symptoms:
- STAY HOME or in your dorm room
- Email the DWU Response Team
- Email professors, coach or your work supervisor to report you are ill
- If symptoms persist, contact campus health. Call (605) 995-2957 or email the DWU Response Team and more guidance will be given
Positive COIVD test – Vaccinated or Unvaccinated
- 5 days of isolation required– only leave isolation when symptoms (if any) have improved, and you are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. Report symptoms update daily to DWU Response Team for guidance.
- If fever/symptoms persist isolation will be extended by the DWU Response Team.
- After you leave isolation 5 additional days of strict mask use in all public spaces after testing positive for COVID
What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19 regardless of your vaccination status
After Being Exposed to COVID-19
START PRECAUTIONS
Immediately
Wear a mask while continuing daily activity as soon as you find out you were exposed
Start counting from Day 1
- Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19
- Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure
CONTINUE PRECAUTIONS 10 Full Days
You can still develop COVID-19 up to 10 days after you have been exposed
Take Precautions
Wear a high-quality mask any time you are around other inside your home or indoors in public spaces.
- Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask
- Take extra precautions if you will be around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19
Monitor for COVID symptoms for 10 days and report new or worsening symptom to the DWU Response Team
- fever (100.4°F or greater)
- chills
- cough
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
- body aches
- sore throat
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- congestion or runny nose
- new loos of taste or smell
If you develop symptoms isolate immediately in your dorm room or off campus housing, use over the counter medications as needed for your symptoms.
- Get tested with the onset of symptoms or on day 5 after exposure.
- Stay home until you know the result
- If your test result is positive, follow the isolation guidelines above
- Test on day 5 after exposure even if you don’t develop symptoms
Negative COVID test on day 5
- Continue daily activities taking precautions (mask and monitor) through day 10
- Wear a high-quality mask when around others at home and indoors in public