EMU COVID-19 Information

EMU Health Services encourages all students, faculty, and staff to obtain the COVID-19 vaccines and stay up to date with the most recent COVID-19 vaccine/booster. Visit Vaccinate Virginia for vaccination sites in the commonwealth.

Masking is always welcome on campus. The last few years have clearly shown that masks dramatically reduce the spread of airborne infections, including COVID-19. Masks will not be provided by EMU. All employees and students are encouraged to bring their own.

Do not attend class, work or gatherings if you are sick. Self-Test if you suspect COVID-19. Refer to the below graphic for prevention strategies as well as what to do when you have symptoms.

Any student or employee who self-tests and tests positive should email healthservices@emu.edu indicating a positive COVID test result.
- Residential students who test positive should plan to remain on campus for their isolation period (stay in assigned room/apartment/suite).
- If the student has a meal plan, they will be given a food voucher that includes dates of isolation. The food voucher will allow for others to get food for the student in the cafeteria and bring it to the students’ room. The student is responsible to ask others to help with meals and should first ask roommates and/or hallmates for help in bringing food to their room - if necessary, CAs or Area Coordinators can assist in facilitating meal delivery.
- The student who tests positive should stay home and away from others (isolate) for five days OR until both of the following are true for at least 24 hours: Symptoms are getting better and the student is fever-free (without meds).
  - Take added precautions (masking, etc.) until symptoms are completely gone.
- The person who tests positive is responsible for contacting people they have been in close contact with for periods of 15 minutes or longer in a 24-hour period and within the past 24 to 48 hours.

Masking is always welcome anywhere at EMU, and the last few years have clearly shown that masks dramatically reduce the spread of airborne infections, including COVID-19.
Do not attend work or gatherings if you are sick. Test if you suspect COVID-19.
Masks will not be provided by EMU. All employees and students are encouraged to bring their own.
Students and Employees are encouraged to visit the VDH website to find free COVID-19 testing sites throughout Virginia. At home tests may also be obtained through participating community libraries (Massanutten Regional Library main branch in Harrisonburg is a participating library - go to the main circulation desk and ask for COVID Tests)

Isolation and Quarantine - Further Details

Isolation: Per Centers for Disease Control (CDC), isolation is five full days away from others. Count the day of the positive test as day zero. Wear a mask for a full ten days after testing positive.

Quarantine: Per CDC, there are no requirements to quarantine when exposed to a person who is positive. If a person knows they have been a close contact to someone who has tested positive, it is recommended that they mask for five days and complete a rapid antigen at home test on day 5 after exposure or if they become symptomatic.

Additional Public information about the virus

EMU's Crisis Management Preparedness Team

The Crisis Management Preparedness Team includes members from across campus; it leads major decision-making on issues related to campus operations. The team works in collaboration with the President, the President’s Cabinet, and the Provost’s Office.