As COVID-19 variants continue to spread, UNMC is committed to following best practices to keep our students and employees safe. UNMC will follow CDC guidelines for health care facilities issued Dec. 23, regarding isolation and quarantine after a positive test or exposure. These guidelines differ from those the CDC issued on Dec. 27 for the public.
"As an academic health center, UNMC continues to set the standard for the community and act in the best interests of the public, in particular the patients who are seen by our students, faculty and staff members," said Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. "The latest variant, omicron, is capable of extremely rapid spread, and we must do all we can to reduce its impact for all of those who depend upon us. We will continue to carefully monitor regional spread and adjust our policy accordingly."
Note that the following recommendations refer to COVID PCR tests performed in a UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, University of Nebraska-Lincoln or community laboratory facility, and not a home test kit.
After exposure to COVID-19 but with no symptoms:
- Quarantine is not required for UNMC students and employees who are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot; these individuals should receive a PCR test on day two and another within days five-to-seven from date of exposure or as soon as they learn of exposure.
- A 10-day quarantine is required for those who are unvaccinated and those who are vaccinated but have not received boosters (even within 90 days of prior infection). Quarantine may be shortened to seven days only with a documented negative PCR test at least 48 hours before returning to campus.
After exposure to COVID-19 and/or experiencing COVID-like symptoms:
- Stay home and seek medical attention if you have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or have COVID-19 symptoms. It also is recommended that students contact the Student Health clinic serving their campus and employees contact Employee Health at 402-552-3563 and their supervisor for guidance on returning safely to campus.
After a positive test for COVID-19:
- A 10-day isolation is required for all, regardless of vaccination status. This may be shortened to seven days only for those with no or mild and improving symptoms and a negative PCR test at least 48 hours before returning to campus.
Please continue to follow these best practices for staying safe and protecting others as the pandemic continues:
- Get a booster. Review eligibility here. Document your booster in the medical center’s Health Tracking System (faculty/staff) or My Records (students).
- Get a Flu Vaccination. Document your influenza vaccination in the medical center’s Health Tracking System (faculty/staff) or My Records (students).
- Wear a mask. Masking is required inside all buildings on campus all the time, regardless of the size of the group, unless alone in an enclosed private office or a library study room. Masks also are required when working in shared offices or cubicles. CDC guidance on effective masks and reuse strategies should be followed. Always use a N-95 or KN-95 respirator where/when required, and replace your cloth masks with the multilayer disposable masks.
- Maintain social distancing when eating indoors on campus, regardless of vaccination status. Minimize time when eating in shared spaces, and re-mask as soon as you are done.
- Self-monitor and acknowledge — through use of the self-screening tool 1-Check UNMC app — that you do not have signs and/or symptoms of COVID-19 before coming to campus each day.
- Stay home if you start to experience symptoms of any infection, whether COVID-19 or another viral infection, and get tested.
Find campus testing locations.
To locate community testing, contact your physician or local health department. More information about testing is available from the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services or the Nebraska COVID-19 Information Line, 531-249-1873 or 833-998-2275.
Nebraska Medicine is administering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters at pharmacy and clinic locations. For more information or to schedule a dose, visit NebraskaMed.com/vaccine. Boosters also are available at retail pharmacies across the state, as well as local health departments and medical providers. To find a location visit vaccines.gov.
Campus leaders continue to weigh the possibility of requiring vaccine boosters to help reduce transmissibility and ensure the safety of faculty, students and staff, as well as the community and the continuity of our academic, clinical and research operations. The policy may be revised in the future based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria and scientific data.
Questions about COVID-19 boosters? Email healthsecurity@unmc.edu; a multidisciplinary team is available with the latest information.