Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. The virus that causes COVID-19 primarily spreads between people in close contact when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. You might also get the virus if you touch something with the virus on it, and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. 

GET VACCINATED

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.  Find your vaccine at www.zocdoc.com/vaccine or call 312 746 4835. Learn more at www.chi.gov/covidvax. 

What should I do if I test positive?

If you test positive for COVID-19, you most likely have an active COVID-19 infection and can give the virus to others. Isolate and do not come on campus.  

Email campussafety@mccollege.edu right away if you test positive or develop COVID-19 symptoms and provide the following information:

1. Your name
2. Your vaccination status (fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, not vaccinated)
3. The date you tested
4. The last date you were on campus
5. The date your symptoms, if any, started
6. The date you were exposed, if known
7. Circumstances of the exposure, if known

How long should I isolate/quarantine if I test positive?

(Reviewed 2/7/2022)

For students, faculty, or staff with a positive test:

Individuals who tested positive should isolate, meaning stay home and away from others until it has been:

• At least 5 days since their symptoms first appeared (or for asymptomatic individuals, from their test date)

AND

• At least 24 hours with no fever (without using fever-reducing medications) and improved symptoms, whichever is longer.

You can attend on-campus classes on days 6-10 provided you wear a well-fitted mask at all times while indoors and socially distance.

What should I do if I have been exposed?

(reviewed 2/7/2022)

Fully Vaccinated:

Students, staff, and faculty who are fully vaccinated and symptom free do not need to quarantine as long as they continue to wear a well-fitted mask while indoors. It is recommended that you get tested 3-5 days after exposure. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should isolate and be evaluated by a medical provider. Email campussafety@mccollege.edu right away if you test positive or develop symptoms after exposure.

Not Fully Vaccinated:

If you are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine for 5 days from the last day of exposure. You should not go to work or school and should avoid public places during this time. In addition, you should get tested immediately. If that test is negative, get tested again 5-7 days after exposure. Exposure day is considered day zero.

Remember that even if you test negative, you must still complete the full quarantine period. If you test positive, you must stay home for at least 5 days after your test date. Email campussafety@mccollege.edu right away if you test positive or develop symptoms after exposure. You can attend on-campus classes on days 6-10 provided you wear a well-fitted mask at all times while indoors and socially distance.

If you test positive, you must stay home for at least 5 days after your test date. Email campussafety@mccollege.edu right away if you test positive or develop symptoms after exposure.

If you had COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months:

If you had COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months, have recovered and remain without COVID-19 symptoms (for example, cough, shortness of breath) – you do not have to quarantine as long as you wear a mask indoors in public spaces. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should isolate and be evaluated by a medical provider. Email campussafety@mccollege.edu right away if you test positive or develop symptoms after exposure.

What should I do if I have symptoms of COVID-19? 

Testing is required for students, faculty, or staff with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status or if they have a known exposure. Isolate and do not come on campus while waiting for the test result. If a rapid/Ag detection test is negative but there is a high clinical suspicion of COVID-19 (you are symptomatic), confirm with a PCR test, ideally within 2 days of the initial Ag test.  

Even if you test negative, ensure it has been 24-hours with no fever (without fever-reducing medication) and with improved symptoms before returning on campus. 

IL Vaccination Mandate for Colleges 

On August 26th, Governor Pritzker announced that all Illinois higher education students and personnel (among other groups) will be required to receive the coronavirus vaccine.  

Get information on getting vaccinated here: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid19-vaccine/home.html 

Those who do not receive the vaccine due to medical reasons, or a religious exemption must submit weekly negative test to attend on-campus classes or other on-campus activities.

Fully Vaccinated/Partially Vaccinated Individuals:  

1. Scan or take a clear photo of your Vaccination ID that clearly shows your name. 
2. Complete the form to submit the photo of your vaccination ID. You will need to login into OKTA to access the form. Click here to access the form and submit your vaccination ID  
3. Wait for a confirmation email from campussafety@mccollege.edu. This email will confirm that MCC has received your submission and that you are cleared to attend on-campus classes. 
4. Before entering the classroom, have this confirmation email ready on your phone or laptop. 
5. Show this confirmation email to your instructor. If you do not have this confirmation email, you will be asked to go home and marked absent. 

Partially vaccinated students must submit proof of the second dose of the vaccine within 30 days. Campus Safety will send a second confirmation email once a student submits the proof of the second dose of the vaccine. Fully vaccinated students only need to submit their vaccine cards once per program.  

Unvaccinated Individuals:  

If you are opting out from the vaccination due to medical/religious reasons, you will need to submit a negative rest result weekly by Thursday of each week using the same link. 

1. Scan or take a clear photo of your negative covid test result. This result must clearly show your name. At-home covid tests or rapid tests that do not show your name will not be accepted. 
2. Complete the form to submit the photo of your negative covid test result. You will need to login into OKTA to access the form. Click here to access the form and submit your weekly negative test result 
3. Wait for a confirmation email from campussafety@mccollege.edu. This email will confirm that MCC has received your submission and that you are able to attend on-campus classes. You will receive this confirmation email on a weekly basis. 
4. Before entering the classroom, have this confirmation email ready on your phone or laptop. 
5. Show this confirmation email to your instructor. If you do not have this confirmation email, you will be asked to go home and marked absent. 

Are masks required on campuses?

(Updated 2/28/2022)

Beginning Monday, February 28, and until further notice:

• Masks are still required in classrooms, labs, student resource centers, and the library.
• Masks are recommended but optional in all other spaces across campus. Unvaccinated and immunocompromised individuals are advised to continue wearing a well-fitted mask indoors if social distancing is not possible.
• Students attending externship should follow health and safety guidelines in place at their site.

When should I test?  

Anyone, including people who are fully vaccinated, should consider getting tested: 

• If you develop symptoms 
• after an exposure or  
• before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in your household. 

A positive test result means that you have an infection and should avoid indoor gatherings to reduce the risk of spreading disease to someone else. 

A negative test result means that you may not have an infection. Repeating home self-tests with at least 24 hours between tests will increase the confidence that you are not infected. 

Ask your healthcare provider if you need help interpreting your test results. 

Find out more about testing and testing sites here:  

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home/covid-testing.html 

What guidelines should I follow when planning travel?  

All travelers should follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and protocols for  domestic  and  international travel during the COVID -19 pandemic. These guidelines include recommendations to delay travel until travelers are fully vaccinated as well as protocols for travelers who are unvaccinated. Follow the links above for the most current guidelines.  

In addition, under the  Chicago Travel Advisory, unvaccinated travelers should be tested for COVID-19 before and after travel from any state on the advisory list and should quarantine upon arrival in Chicago. For domestic travel, the quarantine and testing recommendations do not apply to fully vaccinated travelers.