The WA DOH for Higher Education and the CDC recommend everyone stay up to date on their COVID-19 Vaccination. Use the CDC’s COVID-19 booster tool to learn when you can get boosters to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.

Vaccination clinics have been offered on campus through a partnership with King County Public Health. Free COVID-19 vaccines in the community can be found at COVID-19 Vaccine | Washington State Department of Health.

The COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required at Highline College.  Students, employees, volunteers and contractors are no longer required to complete the COVID-19 vaccination attestation process.

Students who are in programs that require off-campus activities, such as clinical rotations at healthcare sites, must follow the vaccination and isolation requirements of their programs and assigned facilities. Each program will advise students regarding the requirements.

How to calculate my isolation period.

You can end isolation after 5 days if:

• Your symptoms have improved, AND

• 24 hours have passed since you had a fever or have used fever-reducing medicine

If you have access to an at-home test, you can decrease your likelihood of infecting others by taking a test when you plan to leave isolation.

• If your test is positive, you are likely still contagious. You should continue to isolate and wear a mask and wait 24-48 hours to test again.

• If you test negative on two sequential (back-to-back) tests each taken 24-48 hours apart, you can end isolation and stop wearing a mask before day 10.

• If your symptoms have not improved or you continue to have a fever (or require fever-reducing medications) wait to end your isolation until your symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

 

How to calculate my isolation period.

You should wear a high quality and well-fitting mask when around other people for 5 more days and avoid activities where you cannot wear a mask. You should also avoid being around people who are at high risk during this period.

If you have access to an at-home test, you can decrease your likelihood of infecting others by taking a test when you plan to leave isolation.

• If your test is positive, you are likely still contagious. You should continue to isolate and wear a mask and wait 24-48 hours to test again.

• If you test negative on two sequential (back-to-back) tests each performed 24-48 hours apart, you can end isolation and stop wearing a mask before day 10.

How to calculate when I should get tested and when I can remove my mask.

Wear a high-quality and well-fitting mask when around other people, avoid activities where you cannot wear a mask, and avoid being around people who are high risk for severe disease until 10 full days have passed since your last exposure.

Get tested 3-5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms but had COVID-19 in the past 30 days, testing is not recommended. If you had COVID-19 within the past 30-90 days, use an antigen test (not a PCR test), as PCR results may remain positive even if there is not a new, active infection.

Wear a high-quality and well-fitting mask when around other people, avoid activities where you cannot wear a mask, and avoid being around people who are high risk for severe disease until 10 full days have passed since your last exposure.

Get tested 3-5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.

If you have had COVID-19 in the past 30 days, testing is not recommended. If you had COVID-19 within the past 30-90 days, use an antigen test (not a PCR test), as PCR results may remain positive even if there is not a new, active infection.

If an individual has COVID-19-like symptoms while they are on campus, they are required to immediately leave campus and follow recommendations to get tested. Positive individuals are required to follow isolation guidance. Please use this reference guide to help determine your course of action: DOH “What to do if a person is symptomatic” flowchart.

Yes. Employees and students who tested positive for COVID-19  and have been on campus during the infectious period are asked to complete the Highline College online reporting form. This allows the campus to stay updated on cases and implement additional safety measures as needed. Confidentiality is maintained and your name will not be shared with campus.

When there is an outbreak on campus, close contacts (when identified) will be notified of possible exposure.

An outbreak is defined by the WA DOH as:

• Two or more COVID-19 cases who tested positive by a viral test,

AND

• At least two of those positive cases are symptomatic

OR

At least two of those cases are asymptomatic and test positive within 14 days of each other,

AND

• The cases were epidemiologically linked in the workplace (e.g., case-patients share a work shift or building or benefit from employee-sponsored transportation),

AND

• There is no plausible epidemiological linkage suggesting transmission is more likely to have occurred in another setting (e.g., household) outside of the workplace.

Information for students and employees on COVID-19 cases on campus is located on the COVID-19 Reporting dashboard.

The following notices are also sent out:

• Students and employees are notified of any changes to public health management and COVID-19 response practices on campus via email and website announcements whenever changes are made.

• Outbreaks: students and employees are notified of outbreaks by email and website announcements.

• Employees receive additional notifications following current L&I requirements through email when positive cases are confirmed on campus.

King County Public Health is notified when an outbreak on campus is identified.

An additional notification is sent to L&I within one business day when the outbreak involves 10 or more workers at a workplace or job site with more than 50 workers (this number includes subcontracted workers who were at the same work site as a person who tested positive).

Yes. However, Highline College requires you to wear a face mask and highly recommends you wear a high-level face mask (N95/KN95) inside public buildings on campus. When possible, with continuous exposure at home present, test every 24-48 hours, regardless of your vaccination status. Continue to test five days after the infected person’s isolation period has ended.

Faculty and staff who:

• have a positive COVID-19 test, or a likely case of COVID-19 as determined by a medical professional;

• will miss work because they have responsibility for the care of a family member or dependent with a positive COVID-19 test, or a likely case of COVID-19 as determined by a medical professional;

• and who have exhausted their sick leave balance

will receive up to 5 consecutive days of non-accruing, non-compensable sick leave for each occurrence.

Staff members that are contagious, symptomatic, or otherwise recommended to stay home but still feel well enough to work will be approved for remote work for up to 5 consecutive days.

Notification and clear communication with the staff member’s direct supervisor is required.

Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette

Encourage frequent hand washing and good respiratory etiquette.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, throw used tissues in the trash

• Cough and sneeze into your elbow, not hands, when a tissue is not available

• Frequently wash your hands and utilize hand sanitizing stations, which are provided throughout campus.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Routine cleaning of high touch surfaces will continue. Cleaning will continue in alignment with WA DOH and L&I guidelines.

Face Masks

Face masks are currently optional on campus and individuals have the right to wear or not wear a face mask. Both decisions will be respected. The exception to this option is if King County enters a high  COVID-19 Community Level. If this occurs, face masks may be required inside buildings on campus. An announcement will be sent to campus if a decision is made to require them. If you need a face mask, KN95 and disposable surgical face masks are available upon request at the Public Safety office, located on the first floor of Building 6. Departments can place orders through the PPE request form.

The Highline College COVID-19 Resource and Information webpage provides information in multiple languages. Learn more at CDC.gov.