Pilots Prevent
March 9, 2021
You visited the testing center in Lund Family Hall Annex; you’re feeling fine, but 15 minutes later, Carbon Health notifies you that you’ve tested positive for COVID-19.
Or maybe you’re feeling feverish, achy, and have a cough. You make an appointment with the Health and Counseling Center and they confirm your suspicions that you’re sick with COVID.
The positivity rate for COVID-19 cases at UP this semester is relatively low (just under .5% as of March 7), but the fact remains that despite our best efforts at prevention, a few people will find themselves sick. And that’s where UP’s COVID Case Management Team (CCMT) and the health providers at Carbon Health come in.
“I was freaking out when I got the notification that I tested positive from a surveillance test,” says one first-year student, whose name is being withheld due to privacy concerns. He was asymptomatic at the time of his test, but later experienced mild symptoms while he was in isolation. “I was contacted right away by a representative from Carbon Health who spent about 30 minutes on the phone with me. Then, UP’s COVID Case Management Team got in touch with me to help me get into isolation housing.”
The isolation apartments are designed to make students feel at home and comfortable while they are away from the familiarity of their own rooms. They are fully stocked with fresh linens, lamps to make the light soft and inviting, artwork for the walls, even houseplants. And meals are delivered directly to students three times a day—with any dietary restrictions accommodated.
“Tyson was really nice and under other circumstances, I would love to live there,” says the student. “When I got to Tyson, there was a welcome package from the University with chocolate, Emergen-C, tea, and oatmeal—lots of things comfort items—even a UP pennant. And the meals from the Commons were really good.”
While you might be physically isolated from others, the CCMT makes sure you don’t have to go it alone. A member of the CCMT checks in with students in isolation housing daily to see how they’re feeling and provide assistance. “The case manager helps you with everything from start to finish,” says Andrew Weingarten, director of residence life and a member of the CCMT. “They’re trained in contact tracing. They’ll help you stay in touch with your primary care provider. They can also link you to other support, like spiritual support from a campus minister, or an associate dean for any academic concerns.”
Having that support is crucial, says our student. “You need to be sure you have someone you can talk to. It can be stressful to be sick and it can be stressful to be alone, so make sure you have someone who can help you with your mental state.”
Off-campus students who need to quarantine or isolate are given the same considerations as on-campus students and are also assigned a case manager to see them through the duration. “Off-campus students are given the option to isolate or quarantine on campus,” says Kaylin Soldat of the Health and Counseling Center. “We’ve had a few off-campus students take us up on that, but most of them have wanted to stay in their own homes if they were safely able to do so. We still check in with them regularly to monitor their physical and mental health and provide any support they need.”
Any advice from a student who’s been through it? “I only took about five minutes to pack my things, and I definitely under packed for 10 days in isolation. I had my roommate drop off more changes of clothes about halfway through my isolation. Be sure to pack enough comfortable clothes, bring your own pillow, a blanket, and other comfort items. And a book—you will have A LOT of time to think and read.”
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
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