Student Return to Campus Protocols

For any student experiencing symptoms or being tested for COVID-19, please notify Amy Gass and copy Gateway's Healthy at Work officer, Jamie Younger. 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) has created significant health risks for some populations. In alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Governor of Kentucky and the State Health Department, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) has developed and established safety protocols to assist its colleges in maintaining safe working and learning environments. These protocols outline additional precautions for student, employee, and community safety. 

Students and Covid-19

Students must be aware of and work with faculty, staff, and administration during these extraordinary times as required by the KCTCS Code of Student Conduct, Article II, Section 3, Standard 2.4, and the Appendix, entitled Crisis or Emergency Plans, Protocols and Guidance.

Possible Exposure

• Anyone who has been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, must quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure unless released from the health department after a reduced quarantine.
  • Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
  • Those who meet the following criteria are exempt from this requirement;
    • Was infected with COVID-19 within last 3 month, and
    • Has recovered and does not have symptoms, or
    • Was fully vaccinated (received final dose at least two weeks prior to exposure) and show no symptoms

Monitoring and Reporting Symptoms

Anyone experiencing the following symptoms must stay away from Campus:

• Fever of 100.4F or higher
• Chills or Sweating (regardless of actual temperature rating)
• New Cough
• Difficulty Breathing
• Sore Throat
• Muscle aches, body aches
• Stomach upset or vomiting and diarrhea
• Loss of taste or smell
• Or other symptoms as reported by the CDC

Students who experience any of the symptoms outlined above, should seek a COVID-19 test if possible. While awaiting test results and/or if instructed to self-isolate or quarantine, students must:

• Contact your instructor(s) immediately to report that you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Contact a health department official or other healthcare provider
  • If you experience these symptoms due to another condition or illness, such as allergies, food poisoning, etc, and symptoms subside without treatment within 24 hours, you may choose to return to class/campus. ("Treatment" does not include over-the-counter pain medication, antacids, etc. or medicine regularly taken as prescribed by your healthcare provider.)
  • You will need to complete the self-certification form by selecting the first option.
• Stay off campus until it has been 10 days since symptoms first appeared, it has been 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and COVID-19 symptoms has improved.
  • Note: People who are severely ill and/or hospitalized with COVID-19 or have a severely weakened immune system may need to stay home between 10 and 20 days after symptoms first appeared. Consult your healthcare provider for more guidance.

Return to Campus

Before returning to campus, students must complete and submit one of the following acceptable documents to their instructor(s) and the College’s Healthy at Work Officer:

• Complete the Self-Certification Form (pdf) - This form may include an electronic signature and must be sent by the student using their kctcs.edu email account
  
  • Have quarantined for 14 days (unless reduced by the health department) and have not developed any symptoms 
    or,
  • Certify that you are no longer experiencing symptoms of or similar to COVID-19
    or,
  • Certify that it has been 10 days since symptoms first appeared and 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and COVID-19 symptoms have improved
• Doctor's Certification verifying that the student sought medical attention and is not experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19; or
• Local Health Department Documentation indicating the student tested positive and was given an end date for self-isolation period

Return to Class

Instructors are not obligated to provide an opportunity for completing makeup assignments unless students submit one of the appropriate documents as described above. Faculty will work with administration to ensure students will have a safe, productive, and appropriate return to classrooms. 

In summary

• If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they shall follow their health department isolation order.
• If a student is exposed to COVID-19, they shall quarantine for 14 days from the date of last exposure unless they have been fully vaccinated or directed otherwise by the health department.
• If a student has symptoms, the student shall quarantine until symptoms resolve plus 24 hours (minimum of 10 days) or until released by their physician.