Office of the Provost

Important COVID-19 Updates: Quarantine

April 11, 2022

Dear Brandeis Community Members,

We are continuing to see a reduction in COVID-19 rates on campus after our mid-semester peak: the measures we took to contain the spread are working. Brandeis’ positivity rate, at around one percent, is at or below statewide rates for the general population and other local college campuses. 

As a result, beginning Tuesday, April 12, we will be revising our guidelines to more closely align with the CDC guidance for quarantine for community members who are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, or recently COVID-recovered with a testing exemption, who are identified as close contacts. Individuals who test positive for COVID, or are not fully vaccinated or in a testing exemption period, must continue to adhere to existing isolation and quarantine policies. 

Our revised practices emphasize making good individual choices, employing common sense, and using what we’ve learned in the past two years to keep ourselves and our community safe.

Summary of policy changes as of Tuesday, April 12

In most cases, individuals identified as a close-contact who are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, or who are recently COVID-recovered with a testing exemption, must “soft quarantine” for 10 days. Should Brandeis experience a surge in cases, or if a high-risk cluster of cases are identified, all close contacts may be required to quarantine per clinical guidance to mitigate COVID spread. Under the revised guidelines, individuals in “soft quarantine” must: 

  • Mask at all times for 10 days when not in their individual residence and when in the presence of others (except to attend to personal hygiene).  Their passport will turn orange for the duration of soft quarantine, which will allow them to access campus facilities, events and activities, unless otherwise posted, while masked.
  • Use takeout for on-campus meals, which may be ordered through the dining Bite app for pickup or delivery, or picked up in lower Usdan or Sherman for takeout only, using the Reusable Container Program. Those in soft quarantine may not eat in any dining room.
  • Monitor for symptoms prior to accessing campus and complete the Daily Health Assessment through their Campus Passport portal. The form must be filled out every day during soft quarantine if accessing campus.
  • Test per the instructions of the Brandeis Case Tracing Program or Occupational Health. Individuals will be informed of their testing schedule via email. 
  • Notify the Health Center or their health care provider immediately if they develop symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. Staff and Faculty should consult with their health care provider.
  • ISOLATE, if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result while in soft quarantine. DO NOT GO TO A TESTING SITE TO RETEST IF POSITIVE; anyone testing positive at home on a rapid test should notify bctp@brandeis.edu.  
Unvaccinated individuals will be required to quarantine in their residence hall room, isolation housing or off-campus location, as advised by Brandeis Case Tracing or Occupational Health.

Masking is a well-documented, simple way to protect yourself from the risk of contracting COVID, and we encourage individuals to make a risk assessment around the activities in which they engage. As always, we will continue to keep a close watch on the data and make adjustments as appropriate.


Sincerely,

Carol A. Fierke, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Stew Uretsky, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Raymond Lu-Ming Ou, Vice President of Student Affairs