COVID-19: If you are symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19

Updated October 26, 2022

Please review the following table and isolate if applicable:

Individuals with COVID-19 Symptoms – please see specific symptoms and isolation guidance

Isolate until no fever and symptoms improving for 24 hours (48 hours for gastro-intestinal symptoms), regardless of testing results or no testing. Continue to wear a mask for 10 days from symptom onset, and avoid non-essential visits to vulnerable individuals and highest risk settings* for 10 days. Avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (for example, playing a wind instrument in music class or removing your mask for sports or dining out).

 

Isolation for 10 days for hospitalized, immunocompromised and those in highest risk settings remains.
Individuals who test positive but are asymptomatic No longer require isolation if remain asymptomatic. Same recommendation per above to mask and avoid vulnerable individuals and settings for 10 days. Isolate if symptoms develop. Avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (for example, playing a wind instrument in music class or removing your mask for sports or dining out).
Individuals who are close contacts of the symptomatic or positive case No longer require quarantine regardless of vaccination status. Isolate immediately if symptoms develop. Wear a mask for 10 days from last exposure and avoid non-essential visits to vulnerable individuals and settings. Avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask (for example, playing a wind instrument in music class or removing your mask for sports or dining out).

 

  1. If you are living in residence, self-isolate in your room and immediately contact residence staff for further direction and assistance.
  2. Absence reporting:
    1. Faculty, librarians and staff: Ensure that you report your absence to your Manager, Supervisor, Dean, Chair, or Academic Director
    2. Students: Record your absence on ACORN. If you would like advice/assistance related to your absence, please contact your Registrar’s Office. Graduate students should contact their Graduate Coordinator or SGS Student Academic Services.
  3. Notifications/communications: If you are symptomatic, or COVID-19 positive and attend group settings (e.g., childcare, school, in-person work), generally, contacts in those settings (e.g., the classroom cohort) would not be considered close contacts due to the layering of health and safety measures in place in these settings. Therefore, no cohort notification is required. It is highly recommended that individuals complete the provincial health screening tool prior to coming to campus.
    1. Classes do not need to be cancelled and staff do not need to be sent home.
    2. If the instructor/supervisor chooses to communicate about the case, keep the identity of the index case confidential and instead, highlight in the messaging to: continue self-monitoring, recommend the use of the provincial health screening before attending in-person activities on campus, and encourage occupants to use masks. If you require assistance for communications, please contact UofT Occupational Health Clinic (ehs.occhealth@utoronto.ca). Please see sample communication template.
    3. Individuals who have questions about their personal risk factors (e.g. Am I close contact? Should I isolate? What should I do because I live with immunocompromised family or plan to visit a long-term care home, et al) should be directed to the UofT Occupational Health Clinic (ehs.occhealth@utoronto.ca).
  4. Cleaning and disinfection: Transmission from touching surface is not the dominant mode of transmission. However, individuals may disinfect their own areas to the extent feasible (e.g., door knobs, handles etc.) if applicable. Continue to refer to the Tricampus Caretaking COVID-19 Strategy for schedule of on-going enhanced cleaning.

Submission of an online accident/incident report for COVID-19 symptoms is not required unless requested by Occupational Health (OH)/EHS.

*Highest risk setting such as hospitals (including complex continuing care facilities and paramedic services), home and community care workers and congregate living settings with medically and socially vulnerable individuals, including, but not limited to, Long-Term Care, retirement homes, First Nation elder care lodges, group homes, shelters, hospices, correctional institutions, Provincial Demonstration Schools and hospital schools.