WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Aug. 15, 2022 — WLU urges the campus community to be diligent in healthy habits to avoid illness. Good hand hygiene, cough etiquette, good nutrition, exercise, and adequate sleep are all essential to maintain wellness. In addition, please see the following COVID-19 guidelines for Fall 2022:
Masking
WLU will continue to be mask-optional for the fall semester. Professors may request that masks are worn as a safety precaution in classrooms as they deem fit. Students enrolled in the Health Sciences, such as dental hygiene, laboratory science, nursing, physician assistant studies and WLU’s speech and behavioral health clinics must follow the mask rule of each Health Science program.
Students who have health conditions which cause them to be immunocompromised may receive an N95 mask in Student Health Services.
Vaccinations
COVID-19 vaccinations are a critical part of West Liberty University’s response to the pandemic. Up-to-date vaccination is strongly recommended to the WLU campus community. FREE COVID vaccines are given at the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department (1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling) from 9-11 am and 1-3 pm MondayFriday.
COVID Testing
Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, should be tested. COVID testing is available for students in Student Health Services or at Doctors Urgent Care. Free home tests are available at the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department and at area pharmacies.
COVID Positive-What if students have a positive COVID test?
- Continue to report new positive COVID test results using the COVID Reporting Form
- Upload a copy of the positive test result to the student health portal. (Students using home tests, should be sure to take a picture of the home test kit showing the positive result, and include their name, birthdate, and date of test before uploading to the student health portal.)
- Inform your professors that you are unable to attend class until cleared by Student Health Services.
- Notify your close contacts. A close contact is someone who was less than 6 feet away from a confirmed COVID positive person (starting 2 days before the COVID positive person started displaying symptoms) for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
- Plan to isolate for a minimum of 5 days from the date symptoms started. In order to be cleared from isolation by Student Health Services, students must be at least 5 days from symptom onset, have had no fever for 24 hours
(without the use of fever-reducing medications) and have improvement of other symptoms.) - Wear a mask for 5 more days.
- Due to limited isolation accommodations on campus, students are encouraged to isolate at home if possible.
Close Contacts-What should student close contacts do?
Regardless of vaccination status, if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you do not have to quarantine. However, you should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
Additional Resources
Students who feel they are experiencing long-term effects from a COVID infection, should follow up with their primary care physician or make an appointment at Student Health Services. Mental health resources are available at the Counseling Center.
Students with academic concerns are encouraged to reach out to their professors and contact the Learning and Student Development Center.
- Continue to report new positive COVID test results using the COVID Reporting Form
- Upload a copy of the positive test result to the student health portal. (Students using home tests, should be sure to take a picture of the home test kit showing the positive result, and include their name, birthdate, and date of test before uploading to the student health portal.
- Inform your professors that you are unable to attend class until cleared by Student Health Services.
- Notify your close contacts. A close contact is someone who was less than 6 feet away from a confirmed COVID positive person (starting 2 days before the COVID positive person started displaying symptoms) for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
- Plan to isolate for a minimum of 5 days from the date symptoms started. In order to be cleared from isolation by Student Health Services, students must be at least 5 days from symptom onset, have no fever for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and have improvement of other symptoms.
- Wear a mask for 5 more days.
- Due to limited isolation accommodations on campus, students are encouraged to isolate at home if possible.
- You need to quarantine for at least 5 days from the date of last close contact.
- Report that you are a Close Contact by using the COVID Reporting Form.
- You should wear a well-fitting mask when around others for 10 days from the date of the last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- If you do not have COVID-19 symptoms, then you should watch for symptoms for 10 days and get tested at least 5 days after the close contact.
- If you test positive on day 5, continue to isolate. Complete the COVID Reporting Form. Upload the positive result to the Student Health Portal.
- If you test negative on day 5, upload the negative result to the student health portal, await clearance from Student Health Services.
- You do not need to quarantine.
- You should get tested at least 5 days after close contact. Watch for symptoms and wear a well-fitting mask while around other people for 10 days from the date of last close contact.
- Regardless of vaccination status, if you develop symptoms, you should isolate and get tested
- If you test positive, continue to isolate. Complete the COVID Reporting Form. Upload the positive test result to the Student Health Portal.
- You do not need to quarantine.
- You should watch for symptoms and wear a well-fitting mask when around others for 10 days.
- Close contacts who had a prior infection in the past 90 days and who have symptoms should isolate immediately and get tested.
- If you test positive, continue to isolate. Complete the COVID Reporting Form. Upload the positive test result to the Student Health Portal.