UNC Asheville follows all recommendations published by the Centers for Disease Control and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Specific information about COVID can be found at the CDC and N.C. DHHS websites below. These guidelines include isolation and precaution procedures for individuals with symptoms or who have tested positive for COVID. Guidelines are found here.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
COVID Testing
Health & Counseling offers COVID testing to UNC Asheville students who are experiencing COVID symptoms. Testing should happen as soon as symptoms arise. Students can set up an appointment for testing by calling the Health & Counseling Center at (828) 251-6520. There are 2 types of testing which are available for a cost.
- Self-test with a rapid antigen test: Antigen tests are rapid tests that produce results in 10 – 15 minutes. Positive results are very accurate and reliable.
- Medical evaluation and PCR testing is offered. Time to receive PCR lab results can vary. While awaiting results, you should limit your activities and follow the recommendations of your provider.
General Isolation Guidelines
- Students who test positive should isolate and follow CDC guidelines until they meet the criteria for ending isolation.
- End isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving.
- Take precautions until day 10 – including wearing a well-fitted mask any time you’re around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. Avoid travel and avoid being around people who are high risk.
- Students who participate in educational experiences off-site should communicate with off-site coordinators regarding return to these clinical or practicum experiences. You may be subject to more stringent guidelines in these settings.
- For those students having symptoms, there is no need to repeat tests if you receive a positive result.
If you have tested positive for COVID and recovered, further COVID tests may still show a positive. Testing within 90 days after a positive test is not recommended as patients who have recovered from COVID can continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA for up to 3 months after illness onset. However, they are not likely infectious. Within this 90-day period and beyond, if you develop symptoms again, you should contact your medical provider.
Communicating with Professors
Students who test positive for COVID should proactively communicate with professors that they will be unable to attend class for a period of 5 days after the onset of symptoms and the absence of a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. Students who experience difficulties with this process may contact the Health & Counseling Center (828) 251-6520, Jay Cutspec, Director of Health & Counseling (jcutspec@unca.edu), Megan Pugh, Dean of Students (mpugh1@unca.edu), or Laura Carper, Associate Dean of Students (lcarper@unca.edu) for assistance.