Illness Reporting and Contact Tracing

Exposure Alerts

Florida SouthWestern State College is closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation with coronavirus (COVID-19) to plan and prepare for a potential outbreak. We know that you may have questions about how the virus will impact the College. In an effort to foster open communication and transparency, we will continue to monitor the situation, provide updates on any confirmed COVID-19 cases, and update both the employee and student FAQs as information and situations emerge.

Self-reporting and Exposure

What to Do if You Think You've Been Exposed and You Have Recently Been on an FSW Campus or Location

Florida SouthWestern State College is here to support you if you feel ill, test positive for COVID-19, or come in contact with someone who has tested positive. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and you have been on an FSW campus or location in the last week, complete a COVID Reporting Form. This is a crucial first step toward keeping our community safe and limiting the potential spread of the coronavirus.

Feeling Ill?

If you are working or taking classes on campus, complete the Self-Checker on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Seek appropriate medical attention based on your results. If your results indicate that you need testing.


When a Positive Test is Reported (for an individual who has recently been on an FSW campus or location)

Once a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified for an individual who has recently been on an FSW campus or location, FSW’s illness reporting and contact-tracing protocols will be initiated. Steps of the process include:

  • The person reporting a positive test will be asked several questions about recent activities to determine dates and locations of last on-campus activity, and who the individual may have been in contact with in the previous two days.
  • The CDC considers a person to be in an infectious period (able to spread the virus) beginning two days prior to the onset of symptoms through 10 days after symptom onset for mild to moderate cases. Persons with more severe to critical illness or severe immune-compromise likely remain infectious no longer than 20 days after symptom onset.
  • As a part of contact tracing, access to buildings and rooms may be determined using electronic swipe card records, login timestamps or other records such as timesheets. These may also be used to determine who else may have been in contact with the individual reporting their illness.
  • Potentially exposed individuals, including employees and students, will be contacted by the College. Designated contact tracers will ask about any symptoms. Human Resources team members will make the arrangements necessary to facilitate remote working, leave or other support for any employee who is asked to self-isolate as a precautionary measure.

What to do if you have a positive COVID-19 diagnosis but are working or learning remotely and have not been on an FSW campus or location.

Employees

For employees of FSW who are unable to continue working remotely due to illness: notify your supervisor that you are ill and unable to work. Your supervisor (with the support of the Human Resources team, if needed) will work with you to determine next steps.

Students

For students who are unable to continue learning remotely due to illness: notify your instructor(s) that you are ill and unable to complete your assignments. Your instructor(s) will work with you (with the support of the dean of the school and the dean of students, if needed) to support you.