Campus Entry Procedures

 

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, report your positive test and do not come to campus.

  • Report your positive test here and receive written email guidance. This form is only for self-reporting positive cases of COVID-19. After completing the form, you will receive instructions in an automated message to your Seattle Colleges email. 
    • Employees are required to notify their supervisors of their positive test and work out the details of work arrangements. 
    • Students are required to email their instructors and work out any arrangements with them. 
    • Safety and Health will no longer notify anyone about your positive report.  We are still required to notify the state it there is an outbreak, but we do not do contact tracing. 
    • When you report your positive test, you must be logged into your Seattle Colleges Office 365. The system operates around your SDC Email ID. If you are not a SDC employee or student, follow your employer or institution's guidance. You may alert exposures through DOH.

If you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19, follow these instructions:

People with any of the following symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore (or scratchy) throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. 

COVID-19 emergency warning signs

 

Steps to take if you have symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19:

  1. If you have symptoms: GET TESTED 
  2. You must report your Positive (+)  COVID-19 Test to Seattle Colleges Here, and receive written email guidance.  
    1. Please stay home for at least 5 days, return on the 6th day if symptoms have resolved and you have been fever free for 24 hours. If you are still sick after the 6th day, talk to your primary care provider for a safe return date. You can speak with HR if you have questions about your absence options (employee). 
  3. Notify your supervisor or teacher. 
  4. And then Report your Positive (+) COVID-19 Test to King County, and use their contact tracing process.
  5. If you would like to notify folks anonymously about a COVID-19 exposure: Tell your close contacts.

OVERALL:

Follow CDC Guidance on isolation. 

Isolate for 5 days after your symptoms began. If you have no symptoms, isolate for 5 days from when the positive (+) test was sampled.

  • Do this no matter what your vaccination status may be.
  • Do this no matter what your COVID-19 test results may be. 

COVID-19 emergency warning signs.
 

When can you return to campus?

If symptoms are still present on day 5, do not exit isolation until symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for 24 hours.

  • Taking medicine to reduce a fever does not count as being fever free.
  • Taking medicine to alleviate symptoms does not count as improved symptoms.

If you have no symptoms on day 5, you may return to campus and must wear a KN95 mask on campus for 5 additional days.

 

  1. COVID-19 Exposure Guidance
     
  2. If you were exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, you are not required to quarantine.
    • This includes if you were exposed at home. You must wear a KN95 mask for 10 days from the exposure date in public or around others on campus.
    • This includes classroom exposures. Students and faculty must wear KN95 masks if they have had exposure in the classroom.
       
  3. If you would like to notify folks anonymously about a COVID-19 exposure: Tell your close contacts.

 

image of a facemask with the text: Masks are optional but encouraged. Choose what works best for you, and please respect the choices of others. The Seattle Colleges logo is at the bottom.

While on Campus

The following requirements are infection control measures implemented to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

KN95 maskNOTE: The colleges and district have added KN95 masks to their supply of masks and will distribute them to support any necessary on-campus interactions during Spring Quarter. Each campus is informing students and employees about where to get one. 

Seattle Colleges follows COVID-19 guidelines established in the governor’s higher education proclamation as well as the state’s higher education guidelines and King County’s Current COVID-19 guidance. Gov. Jay Inslee lifted the indoor mask mandate effective Saturday, March 12, 2022 for many businesses and organizations (schools, child-care facilities, grocery stores, bars, gyms, and others).

Beginning Fall Quarter of 2023, masking, for the most part, will be “optional but encouraged” at Seattle Colleges. This aligns with the state and local public health guidance. At this time, colleges are still required to follow the higher education proclamation and Department of Health guidance. If public health conditions change, community levels increase, or there are future surges or new variants, face covering requirements will be reassessed.

People in our Seattle Colleges community may need or choose to wear—or not wear—a mask for a wide range of reasons. Please respect those who continue to wear masks for their own health, safety, or comfort.

KN95 maskKN95 masks reduce the amount of dust or virus particles a person breathes in by a greater amount than general cloth masks. While many face masks help prevent the spread of the virus from the wearer to others, they provide limited protection to the wearer. A KN95 provides better protection for the wearer than other face masks, while also reducing the spread of the virus from the wearer.

How do I properly use my KN95?

  • If possible, wash or sanitize your hands immediately before and after putting your KN95 on and immediately before and after taking it off when planning to reuse it.
  • Place the mask over your face, with the bottom below your chin and the nosepiece up.
  • Place the straps of the mask over each of your ears.
  • Adjust the metal nose clip using fingers from both hands to mold the clip to the shape of your nose
  • Adjust fit as necessary to reduce air flow around the mask.
  • Certain types of facial hair, like beards, can make mask fitting difficult. Masks that fit well protect you better. To have a better fit, people with beards can shave their beards or trim their beards close to the face.
  • If you wear glasses and find fogging to be a nuisance, wash the lenses with soapy water and shake off the excess before putting on your mask (wipe off nose piece to minimize skin irritation).

How should I care for and store my KN95?
Please DO NOT attempt to wash your KN95. With proper care, your KN95 should be reusable for an extended period of time.
 
To keep your KN95 clean between uses, store your mask in a safe location that other people cannot access and where it will not get wet or be subject to direct sunlight or excessive heat. A dry paper bag works well for storing your KN95.

When should I discard my KN95?
You should replace your KN95 when it:

  • Becomes soiled
  • No longer covers the nose and mouth
  • Has stretched out or damaged ties or straps
  • Cannot stay on the face
  • Has holes or tears in the fabric

A KN95 may be disposed of in the normal trash.

How is a KN95 different from an N95?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not consider a KN95 mask a negative-pressure respirator since it has not been certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Therefore, OSHA does not require a person be “fit tested” to wear a KN95. Since a person is not fit tested for a KN95, they should not use a KN95 in situations where a fit-tested N95 mask is required (for example, in clinical areas or for certain medical procedures).

Why use a KN95 instead of an N95?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that N95s be reserved for use by health care providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What other actions should I take if I wear a KN95?
Even if you wear a KN95, you should still: 

  • Get the COVID-19 vaccine (and booster, if eligible) if you have not already done so. The vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your family, friends, classmates, and co-workers from COVID-19.
  • Stay home if you are sick or have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and contact healthandsafety@seattlecolleges.edu.
  • Practice physical distancing when feasible.
  • Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Note: Information above about the KN95 mask is from the University of Maryland's Department of Environmental Safety.

You are encouraged to continue to maintain at least 3-feet of physical distance where possible.

  • Practice good respiratory etiquette by coughing or sneezing into the inside of your elbow – not your hands. Do not remove your mask to cough or sneeze. Immediately wash or sanitize your hands.
  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and fresh water for at least 20 seconds and avoid touching your face or mask. Wash or sanitize your hands after putting-on, taking-off, or adjusting the face covering. Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating, drinking, smoking, or vaping.
  • If you begin to feel sick on campus, go home and get tested for COVID-19. Report a positive test following the "If you have tested positive for COVID-19 Section" of this website. Do not come to campus if you are sick. 
  • Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with your position roles and responsibilities, as detailed in Seattle Colleges’ District health and safety policies and procedure #209.

All students, faculty, staff, and community members may continue to wear a mask when visiting any of our campuses or locations.

Please respect those who continue to wear masks for their own health, safety, or comfort.

KN95 maskNOTE: The colleges and district are no longer required to supply masks to students or staff. Some college locations may provide masks for optional wear but are not required to supply them. 

 

Personal Reasons to Wear a Mask or Face Covering 

While not required in most indoor settings, face coverings remain an important intervention against respiratory illnesses of all kinds and offer an additional layer of protection. Individuals may choose to wear a face covering if they are in close contact with someone who is at high risk for severe illness (such as a household member) or if they have close contact with young children who are not yet eligible for vaccination.

Some people may choose to wear a mask out of consideration for people who may be at high risk in public settings or if they want to further reduce their own risk for any reason. Please remember that individuals may need to or choose to wear—or not wear—masks for a wide range of reasons. Thank you for respecting those needs and choices.

If you are meeting one-on-one in a closed space or in close-contact with someone who politely asks you to wear a mask while interacting with them, please be respectful of the fact that we all have varying levels comfort at this time.
 

Additional Information

Instructors and Supervisors must plan to be flexible in accommodating for COVID-19 related absenteeism.

  • Send home any visibly ill student or employee who works/studies under your direct report.
  • Students are not to be penalized for COVID-19 related isolation. Instructors are to have a plan, beforehand, on how they will accommodate COVID-19 related absences. 
  • Maintain flexible policies that permit students to stay home to care for a sick family member.
  • Ensure students (and employees) are aware of the accommodations process for those at increased-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 and how to apply. A student handout is available here.

 

  • Faculty, staff, and students are not to be making announcements about someone else’s personal health situation (even if the information is volunteered to you). Communications of that kind are managed by trained and authorized officials, only.
  • Faculty, staff, and students do not have the right to ask for diagnostic information – such as COVID-19 test results – especially if you are in a position of authority. 
  • If instructors want validation on a COVID19 related absence, they can direct the student to obtain and provide a written declaration by following the Positive COVID-19 Reporting Survey. If they have questions, they can email healthandsafety@seattlecolleges.edu 
  • Employee COVID-19 absence related questions can be directed at your Campus Human Resources Director 

We appreciate your patience and diligence in working to keep everyone safe.

Updates for specific campuses may be found by following the respective links:

North: Student Services | COVID-19 Updates

Central: Student Services | COVID-19 Updates

South: Student Services | COVID-19 Updates

Districtwide COVID-19 Updates