Isolation Details for Residential Students

August 30, 2022

Dear students who live on campus,

A recent campus-wide email mentioned changes to SLU’s isolation protocols this semester. This message includes more details about isolation housing for you, our students who live on campus. 

Please review this email carefully, so you know what to expect if you contract COVID-19. You can email pandemic@slu.edu any time with questions. 

What to do if you are infected with COVID-19

If you test positive for COVID-19, contact Student Health (314-977-2323) right away. More details about reporting COVID-19 infection or exposure are available on our COVID-19 web pages.

Don’t leave your living space. A member of the COVID-19 response team will reach out to you with next steps – so be sure to answer your phone. You are required to follow their instructions.

Isolating at home is always preferred

Isolating in the comfort of your home is often more comfortable and feasible for students. Let the COVID team know that you would like to isolate at home, and they will review good isolation practices while at home. 

Some students can “isolate in place”

If you live in a single room and you do not need to use a communal restroom, you will be able to stay in your residence hall space during your isolation period. 

• You need to stay in your room by yourself – no guests. 
• If you share a bathroom, mask up on your way there and try to avoid your suitemates. Avoid other shared living spaces.
• We will share a guide for how to isolate in place that provides resources for you during your isolation period. This includes information about:
• How you can safely spend time outside each day;
• How, where and when to pick up your meals; and 
• Resources available to support your physical, mental, spiritual and academic well-being.

Some students will isolate in Hotel Ignacio

If you have roommates or use a communal restroom, you will be given a room in Hotel Ignacio. These are nice rooms, with king or queen-size beds, wireless internet, television, and mini-fridges.

• We will transport you from your residence hall to Hotel Ignacio. You need to stay in your Ignacio room by yourself – no guests. 
• Our team will share a packing checklist and the Hotel Ignacio isolation guide that will tell you more about:
• How you can safely spend time outside each day; 
• When meals will be delivered to you; and
• Resources available to support your physical, mental, spiritual and academic well-being.

Importance of following isolation protocols 

SLU follows a shortened isolation protocol, with a negative rapid antigen test required to leave isolation. This serves a couple of purposes: 

1. It ensures that when we’re sick, we rest. 
   We know from our own time in school that we can feel pressure to “tough it out” and get back to class, clinicals, or work. But truly: When we’re sick, we should take care of our well-being, first. This is care for self in action.
2. It minimizes the spread of COVID-19 in our community. 
   If we minimize spread, we help protect those among us who are vulnerable to serious illness, and we do our part to keep classes running and campus open. This is care for others in action.

SLU’s COVID-19 isolation protocols are mandatory. Violating our public health guidelines can result in a referral to Student Conduct. Because our collective well-being is a shared value, we expect that such violations will be few and far between. 

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We hope you stay safe and well. If you do hear from one of us this year, we will do our best to make sure you feel cared for and supported. 

Have a great year, Billikens!

COVID-19 Response Team