MTSU Response to Coronavirus Disease

MTSU Health Services will offer Moderna vaccination clinics every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and on Friday mornings. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available daily. Vaccinations are available at no cost to students, faculty, and staff.

• All on-campus residents are required to contact MTSU Student Health Services via our online form or phone call if they receive a positive COVID-19 test result, regardless of whether the test is given on or off campus. Once notified, MTSU Student Health Services will follow up with Housing for isolation and quarantine instructions. MTSU Housing is maintaining a limited number of residence hall rooms to use for isolation and quarantine of on-campus residents.
• Faculty, staff, and students residing off campus are strongly recommended to report positive test results to MTSU Student Health Services via our online form or phone call.

Yes. Students may visit MTSU Student Health Services for free in-house COVID antigen and in-house PCR testing for students who are symptomatic. Results are available the same day. If subject to quarantine, a student may elect to take the antigen test after seven days to potentially end the quarantine.

We are pleased to be able to provide immunizations for all of the MTSU community, including faculty and staff. However, faculty and staff are reminded that MTSU Student Health Services is funded by student fees and has a primary obligation to serve our students. Faculty and staff should see their primary care physician, local urgent care, or pharmacies for testing and guidance on isolation and quarantine.

Unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting test results for symptoms, or have reason to believe they have had close contact with a COVID-positive person.

Fully vaccinated students, faculty, and staff MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or are awaiting test results for symptoms.

Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should seek testing.

Vaccinated students, faculty, and staff who are exposed to a COVID-positive person do not need to quarantine unless they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The CDC additionally recommends they seek testing 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask in public for 14 days after their exposure. MTSU students have access to free COVID-19 testing through Health Services.

Unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff MUST NOT come to campus if they have reason to believe they have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person. Unvaccinated individuals MUST also quarantine for at least 10 days. Unvaccinated students may contact Student Health Services for testing. Faculty and staff may contact their health care provider for possible testing

Vaccinated students, faculty, and staff do not need to quarantine while waiting on test results unless they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. 

Unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff MUST quarantine for at least 10 days from their last exposure regardless of their test result.

MTSU continues to follow guidelines from the CDC and Tennessee Department of Health regarding COVID-19 isolation and quarantine:

• Those confirmed to have COVID-19 are required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days after onset of symptoms or from the date of the positive test. They can be released from isolation after they are without fever for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medication) and show improvement in symptoms. Some severely ill patients will need to be isolated for at least 20 days.
• Vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are not symptomatic are NOT required to quarantine. Students may upload proof of vaccination with the MTSU Student Health portal to help expedite this determination.
• Unvaccinated persons who have been determined to have had a close contact with someone with COVID-19 must separate from the person who is ill and quarantine from all other persons for 10 days. The quarantine period may be shortened if there is a negative COVID-19 test on day 8. Self-monitoring for symptoms and wearing of a face mask should continue through day 14.

• Unvaccinated persons who have been determined to have had a close contact with someone with COVID-19 but who cannot separate from the person who is ill (e.g., a household contact) must quarantine for a total of 20 days, with release from quarantine on day 21.

• For more information, visit the TN Department of Health Guidelines.

If you are living on campus, please visit the COVID-19 Housing Protocols website for specific information. Please note that limited space is available for the quarantine and isolation of students living on campus, and MTSU Housing will not be able to assist students in packing and moving to their temporary quarantine or isolation spaces.

• MTSU Student Health Services WILL conduct contact tracing of any MTSU students who test positive for COVID-19 through a test at MTSU Student Health Services.
• MTSU Student Health Services WILL be responsible for contact tracing of any MTSU students who test positive for COVID-19 and who are living in on-campus housing.
• At this point, we are NOT planning to staff a weekend COVID-19 testing service on campus. Take-home tests are available at Walmart, Walgreens, and many other locations. There are also multiple community options for walk-in testing.

At this point, we are NOT providing contact tracing services for exposed or ill faculty and staff. Employees should contact their health care provider for individual quarantine and isolation guidance.

To maintain compliance with HIPAA, Health Services will not communicate directly with faculty regarding a student’s diagnosis. However, students will be provided a note detailing their isolation/quarantine dates that they may share with their instructors.

Students who must miss class because of COVID-19 isolation or quarantine requirements should contact their instructors directly to make arrangements to keep up with coursework while unable to attend. Please note that at this time, classes are expected to continue throughout the fall term in the format noted, so students should not expect that attendance for on-campus classes can be converted to an online option.

• Faculty and staff who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are quarantining because of potential exposure to the virus, may reach out to supervisors to discuss the possibility for remote teaching and/or work, if mutually agreeable between the University and the employee. Not all job assignments are able to be performed from home, and therefore, employees should be prepared to use sick leave as necessary.
• The ADA reasonable accommodation process is still available for those with medical conditions or disabilities (contact the ADA Compliance Office for further information). This process is conducted on a case-by-case basis, taking both a person’s medical concerns and job duties into account. Employees should not assume that remote work will necessarily be deemed a reasonable accommodation.
• While the University has an existing policy for alternate work arrangements for non-faculty employees, such arrangements are not a right or a benefit, and requests must include a business justification.

Yes. The appropriate custodial services department (Facilities Services, Housing, Dining, etc.) WILL continue to clean campus buildings on a daily or routine basis, including enhanced standards for cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces and high-traffic areas. For community facilities, including restrooms and elevators, this includes but is not limited to doorknobs; handles; push buttons; and toilets, faucets, and sinks. Many of the custodial services you have seen in the past in community facilities will continue as normal, including daily or more often cleaning of restrooms, lobbies, and break rooms; dusting and vacuuming; glass cleaning; and emptying and relining trash and recycling receptacles.

All community members MUST wear face coverings or masks inside any campus building. This applies to all areas of campus and includes but is not limited to: classrooms, labs, offices, and common areas such as hallways, stairways, elevators, restrooms, and other shared spaces. Face coverings or masks are not required in a private office when one person occupies that office; in dorm rooms; or in individual study rooms. They also are not required outdoors but may be prudent if social distancing is difficult.

Students who do not wear the appropriate face coverings in indoor areas may be referred to Student Conduct for disciplinary action.

• Contact MTSU Student Health Services, which is free to enrolled students.
• Unvaccinated students MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting test results for symptoms, or have reason to believe they have had close contact with a COVID-positive person.
• Fully vaccinated students MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or are awaiting test results for symptoms.

• Faculty and staff SHOULD see their primary care physician, local urgent care, or pharmacies for testing and consequent isolation and quarantine if applicable. Faculty and staff are reminded that MTSU Student Health Services is funded by student fees and has a primary obligation to serve our students.
• Unvaccinated faculty and staff MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting test results for symptoms, or have reason to believe they have had close contact with a COVID-positive person.
• Fully vaccinated faculty and staff MUST NOT come to campus if they are in isolation due to COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or are awaiting test results for symptoms.

All community members SHOULD follow personal hygiene and protective measures, including but not limited to washing hands often; avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth; coughing or sneezing into your face mask or elbow; using face masks and coverings and other PPE appropriately; and cleaning and disinfecting work areas appropriately.