COVID-19 Updates and Guidance > FAQs > Health, wellness and prevention

Health, wellness and prevention

Contact Tracing

If you have any questions or concerns please email  DePaulCommunityHealth@depaul.edu​. 

If you learn of a confirmed case of COVID-19 or a case of exposure to an individual with COVID-19:
  • ​Report about yourself here​
  • Report about someone else here​​​
Faculty, staff and students can also report a case by calling (773) 325-3300 between 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week.

Please note that the privacy and anonymity of employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those who may be part of a contact tracing investigation will be maintained. 

To learn more about DePaul's reporting process, please visit Newsline​. 

​Contact tracing is a process that local health departments use to control and prevent the spread of diseases, like COVID-19. By identifying and isolating cases, and quarantining close contacts, the spread of COV​ID-19 may be averted in the absence of effective vaccines.

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​A case is someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a medical professional. A person who developed symptoms after being exposed to a case may also be considered a case. ​

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​​

​A close contact is someone who has been in close physical contact with a case, or within six feet for 15 minutes, of an identified case while they were infectious. After being identified as a close contact, a person may be recommended to stay-at-home for 14 days after their last known exposure and monitor any symptoms that arise.  

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​​​

To help monitor the health and safety on campus, and to assist those in our community, a DePaul-specific contact tracing team has been put in place. This team has been trained by Johns Hopkins University on contact tracing, and on DePaul specific protocols and procedures.  

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​​

​If you are an identified case, a contact tracer will interview you to determine the period in which you may have been infectious. You will be asked to identify people who were in physical close contact with you, within six feet for a period of 15 minutes or more, during the time you were potentially infectious. The contact tracer will also assess your basic needs, and current access to medical care and other services during isolation.

If you have been identified by a case as a close contact, a contact tracer will let you know that you may have been exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. The contact tracer will interview you to assess your risk of getting sick and let you know if you should:​
  • Qurantine at home for 14 days since exposure 
  • Monitor any symptoms that arise
The contact tracer will also assess your current access to medical care, testing, other services and basic needs during quarantine.

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have symptoms, you can end home self-isolation when the following three things are met:
  • It’s been at least 24 hours with no fever without using fever-reducing medication
  • Your symptoms improved 
  • It’s been at least 10 days since the symptoms first appeared
If you test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms, you can end home isolation when the following two things are met​:
  • ​At least 10 days have passed since the date of your first positive COVID-19 test
  • You have had no subsequent illness
​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​Quarantine for close contacts lasts for 14 days after a person has been determined to have been exposed to COVID-19. Quarantine becomes isolation if the person later tests positive for COVID-19 or develops symptoms.​

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​You may be contacted several times during the course of your isolation or quarantine to assess your basic needs, and current access to medical care and other services on an ongoing basis.​
​
For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​All personal information provided to a contact tracer is confidential.  The identity of a case is never revealed to a person determined to be a close contact. The identity of a close contact is never revealed to other close contacts.​

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​​

​Supervisors and managers who learn of an employee testing positive for COVID-19, or otherwise diagnosed as a case by a medical provider, are responsible for reporting the case or exposure to COVID-19 to DePaul using Depaul's online report form​ or employees can also self-report their positive results. People can also report a case by calling (773) 325-3300 between 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week.​

They must keep the identity of the case confidential in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ​guidance and not engage in any investigation. 

DePaul’s contact tracing team will conduct any information gathering regarding identifying potential contacts associated with a case. The contact tracing team will notify close contacts that they must self-quarantine. While supervisors and managers may share relevant information on potential close contacts with the contact tracers, they should not reach out to potential contacts.

Visit Newsline for more information on DePaul's contact tracing efforts and reporting process.​ 

​All employees exhibiting symptoms should be directed to stay home when sick, regardless of a COVID-19 diagnosis.​

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​If you tested positive for COVID-19 or otherwise been diagnosed as a case by a medical provider, you may also be contacted by your local health department such as the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) or Cook County Department of Public Health as part of ongoing local contract tracing efforts.

DePaul’s efforts will be focused on contact tracing people on campus and will report clusters, as required, to the CDPH​.

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

​DePaul is responsible for only DePaul-related contact tracing. If you were in contact with a case outside of DePaul's facilities or who is not a member of the DePaul community, then you may be contacted by local public health agencies. ​

​For more information about contact tracing and DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline​. ​

COVID-19 Testing

When the Fall Quarter began, DePaul opted not to adopt widespread COVID-19 testing as a screening mechanism of people who are coming on campus. The university's decision was based on thoroughly reviewing best practices, public health recommendations and science-based research, and consulting with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).

As more becomes known about COVID-19 and testing becomes more available, DePaul is continuing to review additional options for FDA-approved COVID-19 testing for DePaul students, faculty and staff. This includes continuing to work with CDPH to follow its recommendations for frequency and type of testing.

​For more information on COVID-19 testing options, please visit DePaul's Fall 2020 COVID-19 Testing web page​​.​

One option that is available to the DePaul community is a mail-in testing kit. It is free for faculty, staff and students who reside in the U.S. This is a FDA-approved test that detects the virus’s genetic material using a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR).​​ For more information on mail-in testing, please visit Newsline​.​


LabCorp will share the test results directly with the sender approximately two days after they receive the completed test kit.​

For more information, please visit Newsline​.

​DePaul students, faculty and staff living in the U.S. are eligible to request a mail-in kit. ​For more information, visit ​Newsline​. 

​It is free to help break down barriers to testing for students, faculty and staff who may not have other COVID-19 testing options.  

​Please call DePaul's contact tracing team at 773-325-3300, seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for more information. 

Personal Safety Measures

​Adults with small or medium-sized hands require approximately 3 mL, or a little more than half a teaspoon, of sanitizer to effectively disinfect their hands.

Facility Operations calibrated the pumps on the hand sanitizer stations, as closely as possible, to dispense this amount in one full pump. People with larger hands should use a second full pump or a partial second pump to get an adequate amount of sanitizer.

For additional information on DePaul's sanitizer and how to use it, please visit Newsline. 

  1. ​Take one paper towel and hold it in a cup shape in one hand.
  2. Apply one to two pumps of liquid hand sanitizer into the cupped paper towel and fold in the edges to saturate the entire towel without spilling.
  3. Disinfect your keyboard, mouse and your immediate workspace. Apply additional sanitizer to the same paper towel, if there is a need to disinfect a larger surface.
  4. Allow the disinfected work surfaces to air dry before using them.
  5. Spread the paper towel out at the edge of your workspace and allow the alcohol to dry out for several minutes before discarding the paper towel in the trash. Used paper towels are not recyclable and should not be placed into paper recycling bins.
Note: Do not use alcohol-based sanitizer to disinfect musical instruments or fine woodwork. They may cause damage to those surfaces.

For more information on DePaul's on-campus sanitizer, please visit Newsline​. 

Face shields are not an acceptable substitute for a face mask. However, face shields can be used as supplemental protection when worn with a face mask.

For more information face masks, please visit Newsline​. 

University Safety Measures

The university has heavily invested in COVID-19 supplies, response equipment and sanitizing tools to help keep the DePaul community safe while on campus.​ DePaul's efforts include:
  • Reducing the number of people on campus​
  • ​Reducing operational hours and limiting access to campus buildings. This is to allow for additional cleaning and sanitizing, and to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.​
  • Updating restroom and elevator procedures 
  • Improving DePaul's ventilation systems ​
  • Cleaning high-touch surfaces and facilities, such as elevator buttons, classrooms, restrooms, computer labs and handrails, as often as feasible
  • Upgrading the technology equipment in 110 classrooms to facilitate on-site and online learning
  • Installing plexiglass shields and up to 700 sanitizer stations​ across campus
  • Purchasing hospital-grade disinfectants to use if there is a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus
For additional information regarding DePaul's efforts, please visit Newsline.​

​There will be no temperature checks upon entry to DePaul buildings. However, there will be self-screening requirements for visiting campus through the #CampusClear app.

Note: The city of Chicago is implementing temperature checks for its employees and customers near the DePaul Center's south elevator lobby. However, the DePaul community is not required to submit to a temperature check before using designated elevators to access DePaul floors.

In keeping with the state's public health guidelines, the DePaul community is required to wear a face mask over their nose and mouth at all times on DePaul grounds. This includes all indoor and outdoor spaces such as restrooms, benches and common areas, and at all university functions or activities. Face shields are not considered a replacement for a face mask.

For more information on face masks, please visit Newsline​​. 

Reputable, name-brand disinfecting wipes are not readily or reliably available in quantities or appropriate packaging to meet our current needs. However, using a paper towel and an appropriate amount of liquid sanitizer is as effective as a commercial wipe.​

​High traffic areas where physical distancing is difficult or impossible were given plastic shields. This includes front-line reception desks, security desks and intake counters.

Plastic shields were not installed in classrooms and offices because everyone on campus must wear a mask at all times and must follow physical distancing guidelines.

​For those who have forgotten or lost their face mask, disposable paper masks will be available at a limited number of first-floor desk areas near building entrances.

Gloves are not required for most on campus. It is far more important to wash hands frequently and thoroughly, or use hand sanitizer when washing is not possible, and avoid touching one's face.

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If you can’t find an answer that you’re looking for, submit a question to our COVID-19 response team.