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Procedures for Positive Cases of COVID-19

What happens if you test positive?

Students

  • You should self-isolate immediately in accordance with Northwestern requirements, regardless of your vaccination status. You will receive a notification from the COVID-19 Response Team with guidance on next steps.
  • If you are a student living in Northwestern residence halls, you will be moved to separate housing for the period of self-isolation. Northwestern will coordinate cleaning, food service, and other logistics for residential students in self-isolation.
  • If you are a student living off-campus, you will self-isolate at home, following suggested NU guidance. Northwestern does not have isolation facilities for off-campus students.
  • If at any point you require emergency medical attention, call 911 to access the most local emergency services.

Faculty and Staff

  • You should self-isolate­­ immediately and adhere to CDC isolation guidelines.
  • Please work directly with your primary care clinical team to notify them of your positive test and to seek direction on any follow-up care.
  • Address COVID-19 with your supervisor as you would other sick days and do not return to campus until you have ended isolation.
  • If at any point you require emergency medical attention, call 911 to access the most local emergency services.

Visitors

  • If you are a visitor on campus who tests positive, please leave campus immediately and return home to isolate.
  • If at any point you require emergency medical attention, call 911 to access the most local emergency services.

Questions

Northwestern has established a COVID-19 Response Team (CRT) to support students who test positive for COVID-19. The CRT can be reached directly by emailing covidcasemanagement@northwestern.edu. The COVID Response Team email address is staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The CRT becomes aware of a student that is COVID-19 positive in two primary ways:

  • Based on results reporting of a COVID-19 test administered at one of our NU testing sites
  • Based on a student’s mandatory self-reporting of a positive diagnosis identified through other means