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Student Testing and Related Protocols

Test Kits | Testing Positive | Isolation and Close Contact Management | COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements

Students (as well as faculty and staff) are not required to test for COVID-19 during the Spring 2023 semester. Students (as well as faculty and staff) must test if they experience symptoms of COVID-19.

  • All students are encouraged to perform a test within 48 hours prior to their arrival on campus regardless of symptoms. Students who test positive must immediately notify the Worth Health Center and will have to delay their arrival in keeping with the isolation protocols detailed below. The Worth Health Center staff will provide more information. Students that have had a COVID-19 infection in the past 90 days are exempt from this testing recommendation. 
  • The College is no longer maintaining separate housing for isolation; students who test positive will isolate in-place.
  • Isolation in place will last for a minimum of 5 days, from either the positive result or from the onset of symptoms.
  • Roommates will be considered a “close contact” and will need to test immediately upon being notified as well as on day 5 from their roommate’s positive test result.
  • Roommates who are close contact must also immediately test if they develop symptoms.
  • Students who live a reasonable distance from campus will be encouraged to isolate at home if that is a viable option.

Test Kits

We encourage you to keep a couple of rapid test kits at home or in your dorm room so you have them on hand if you develop symptoms or need to test for another reason.  Test kits are readily available at most retail pharmacies and the College's bookstore.  Individuals can obtain up to four free test kits through the government.

Testing Positive

The Student Health Center will open on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 9 a.m. for the spring 2023 semester.

If you test positive for COVID-19 notify the Student Health Center at 610-328-8058 during our clinic hours.  If you receive a positive test result outside of the Health Center’s operating hours, please call the Team Health Nurse on Call service at 610-328-8548 for evaluation of severity of illness and for further instructions.

Isolation and Close-Contact Management

The College is not maintaining separate isolation housing for those who test positive for COVID-19, and students who test positive must isolate in place, in their dorm room.  Students who live a reasonable distance from campus will be encouraged to isolate at home if that is a viable option. Isolation in place will last for a minimum of five days, with the first day being the first full day after either (A) you tested positive for COVID-19, or (B) your symptoms developed, whichever came first. If the student is not feverish and feeling better, they can leave isolation after day five, but they must wear a mask indoors from day 6-10.

Roommates will be considered a “close contact” and will need to test immediately upon being notified as well as on day five from their roommate’s positive test result. Roommates who are close contacts must also immediately test if they develop symptoms. See the College's contact tracing guidelines for spring semester 2023.

For more detailed information, please see the College's Isolation Guidelines for Spring Semester 2023 [doc] 

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements

The College considers individuals up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines if they have received both an initial primary series of vaccinations AND a COVID-19 booster shot.

Students are required to provide proof of their initial COVID-19 vaccine series and booster.  Students are expected to upload their immunization documentation prior to arrival on campus to the student health portal, which can be accessed through MySwarthmore. If a student has a medical or religious reason why they can not receive the vaccine, the student must complete a waiver and upload it to the student health portal.