How to transition (and quarantine) your college student back home safely during the COVID-19 pandemic
As college kids are about to head home for holiday break, families are wondering how to transition their beloved and missed college students back into the household while minimizing COVID risk and keeping everyone in the family as safe as possible. Many factors play into these decisions as students are coming from various school locations with different burdens of disease. Below are a couple of the most common scenarios with suggestions as to how to maintain safety as you welcome your college student home (and hopefully no unwanted germs).
Currently, as of November 10th, there are 45 states and U.S. jurisdictions that are on the list for travel advisory which would require a two-week quarantine after coming home to New Jersey. The quarantine is especially important and should be taken seriously. As numbers are rising in New Jersey, the state's DOH has now raised the COVID activity alert to moderate throughout the entire state with some areas approaching the high-risk zone. And with students traveling home from colleges, there is a major concern these travelers could be bringing COVID home to their families thus increasing the number of infections in New Jersey.
If your college student is feeling well, has no sick symptoms and has no known exposures, the student can come home either by public transportation or private transportation. Typical safety protocols of wearing masks in public spaces, good hand hygiene and keeping six feet apart from others would be highly encouraged. Once home, the travel advisory quarantine of two weeks would start. A very conservative approach would be to mandate that the college student quarantines to a single room and bathroom for a two-week period and completely isolate from the entire family. If your family is comfortable with assuming more risk, you may decide to only make the college student wear a mask around the house (but not isolate to a single room) for two weeks. In this scenario, to increase safety, the other family members could choose to wear masks in the home as well. Some families will ultimately feel comfortable not imposing any limits on the college student within the household. This latter option poses the highest risk to the family given that the college student may be contagious but asymptomatic and develop viral symptoms later.
It is not necessary for asymptomatic college students to get COVID tested before coming home, however some families may choose to seek testing before traveling for extra peace of mind. This testing would not negate the travel quarantine. Also, it is not necessary for asymptomatic college students to get COVID tested immediately after returning home, however some families may be interested in this option. If interested in the latter option, your pediatrician at PNP could perform the COVID PCR test which takes about 3-5 days to come back. This PCR test would not negate the mandatory two-week travel advisory quarantine, but it could provide peace of mind for the family.
If your college kid has had a known exposure and is completing a quarantine, or if the student has recently been diagnosed with COVID and is completing a quarantine, the recommendation would be for them to complete their quarantine at their current location before returning home. If it is absolutely necessary for them to leave their current living environment, they should try to leave campus with the least amount of contact with others. This means strictly avoiding all public transportation. The safest way for this college student to get home is for them to drive themselves home in a car without any other passengers. If a family member must drive the college student, everyone in the car should wear masks the entire car ride. [Of note, in this scenario, if the college student has recently tested positive for COVID, the car ride would be considered a close exposure for all others in the car and these passengers would have to quarantine for two weeks after the car ride.] Once home, the student should continue their quarantine in an isolated room in the house away from all other family members. If possible, assign them their own bathroom. They should not leave their room throughout the day. They should not be allowed to cook/prepare meals in the kitchen. Food should be brought to them. Remind all family members to practice good hand hygiene, especially after touching dishes, garbage, and other items that the quarantining college student may have touched.
The CDC has an excellent webpage (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html) to explain all the quarantine rules and lays out what people should do in specific scenarios. This will be helpful if you or a family member has either had a known exposure or is diagnosed with COVID. As always, your PNP pediatrician would be happy to have an appointment with you to discuss COVID safety, COVID testing and quarantine protocols to help your college student transition home as safely as possible.
Sincerely,
The Physicians of PNP
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