Healthcare Students with COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Illness

Clinical Student Return to School/Clinic Recommendations

This guideline aligns with the recommended return to work guidelines for staff and employees at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and applies to Vanderbilt University clinical (VUSN, VUSM) students working on VUMC campus or present in VUMC buildings.

For an acute respiratory illness WITH A FEVER (Temp≥100.4F):

Clinical students may not return to work/school in-person until:

  1. There have been at least 3 full days that have passed since symptom onset* (eligible return to work/school on day 4 or later) AND
  2. The student is fever-free for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
  3. Symptoms have significantly improved (i.e., feel well enough to return to school/work) AND
  4. The student wears a surgical or procedural mask upon return to work through day 7** after symptom onset or until respiratory symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

* Day 0 is the first day of symptoms, making first possible day of in-person return to work/school on day 4.

For an acute respiratory illness with significant symptoms WITHOUT a fever (Temp<100.4F):

Clinical students may not return to work/school in-person until:

  1. At least 24 hours have passed since symptom onset* AND
  2. Symptoms have significantly improved (i.e., feel well enough to return to work/school) AND
  3. The student wears a surgical or procedural mask upon return to work through day 7** after symptom onset or until respiratory symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

*Day 0 is the first day of symptoms, making the first possible day of in-person return to work/school day 2.

Absence of symptoms but student tests positive* for a respiratory virus such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) or influenza, or an acute respiratory afebrile illness with very mild symptoms:

Clinical students may continue to work but:

  1. Must mask for 7 days** AND
  2. If symptoms later develop, follow guidance for acute febrile respiratory illness or acute respiratory illness without fever above.

*Day 0 is the day of the positive test if no symptoms are present.

For all scenarios above: ** Students who are significantly immunocompromised (e.g. transplant recipients on immunosuppression, on immunosuppressant chemotherapy, on high dose prednisone >20mg for >14 days, on immunomodulators or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or with HIV+ and a CD4 count <200cells/ml) should mask through day 20.

Self-report your isolation to your supervisor/professors.

If you are immunocompromised or have risk factors for more severe COVID-19 (see below)

You may be eligible for Paxlovid or other antiviral therapies. Contact your health care provider through My Health At Vanderbilt. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 include: