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10/22/2021 - Required Self-Reporting of COVID-like Illness or Exposure

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To: The Campus Community

From: Jennifer Howes, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Wellness

Date: October 22, 2021

Re: Required Self-Reporting of COVID-like Illness or Exposure to Caltech

All members of the Caltech community—including students, faculty members, postdocs, TAs, staff members, volunteers, guests, and affiliates—are required to promptly report their status to the Institute if they have become ill with COVID-like symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Furthermore, any individual, regardless of vaccination status, who is ill or has been exposed to COVID-19 should stay home, return home if they have already reported on-site, avoid attending class or other meetings in person, and report their status through the Caltech COVID-19 Reporting Application. Individuals who have reported their status through the COVID-19 Reporting Application will receive personal follow up and guidance from Student Wellness Services (SWS) on next steps.

As we enter cold and flu season, and symptoms of seasonal illness become more prevalent, it is especially important that members of the community remain vigilant in both conducting self-screenings to identify all possible signs of illness and reporting such symptoms to Caltech. These daily, personal health checks are central to our ability to identify cases of COVID-19 early on and, ultimately, help mitigate the potential for transmission within our campus community.

Additionally, if you have not yet been vaccinated for the flu, the Institute strongly recommends doing so; flu shots are offered at local pharmacies and medical centers throughout the area.

The CDC's COVID-19 symptoms list, which is aimed at helping individuals identify illness apart from those symptoms attributable to seasonal allergies or a diagnosed chronic medical condition, includes the following:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

(Please note: This list does not include all possible symptoms.)

For additional information on the Institute's COVID-19 preventative health measures and requirements, visit the Caltech Together website and, specifically, the Going to Campus page for guidance on what to do before you report on-site.