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April 2022: The information on this page is being retained for archival purposes only and is no longer being maintained or updated. For current information: manoa.hawaii.edu/covid19/

(January 2022: The UH Mānoa COVID-19 Guidelines are being updated. Please refer to the UH System COVID-19 Guidelines for the latest information.)

UH Mānoa has established Institutional Safety practices for reporting, responding to and managing positive cases of COVID-19 on campus. The following is based on the UH System COVID-19 Guidelines on Institutional Safety Practices.

Communication protocol for positive and suspected COVID-19 cases

  • Report all positive and suspected cases of COVID-19 to the University Health Services Mānoa (UHSM) COVID-19 Resource Team at (808) 956-8965 or uhsm.covid@hawaii.edu. Students, employees and campus visitors are asked to self-report if they:
    • Have tested positive for COVID-19 (PDF) or
    • Suspect they have COVID-19 based on their symptoms, travel history or have had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 and/or are subject to quarantine. (Close contact is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as being within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, even when both parties are wearing face masks).
  • All personal information provided to the COVID-19 Resource Team will remain confidential and all privacy and confidentiality laws will be followed, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
  • The university will not disclose the identity of any employee or student who is diagnosed with or is suspected of having COVID-19, except on a need-to-know basis.
  • The university will notify the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH), the state agency responsible for Hawaiʻi pandemic response. DOH oversees the state’s contact tracing program and will work closely with UHSM COVID-19 Resource Team, which is responsible for officially clearing a UH student or employee’s return to campus.
  • Positive cases reported on campus in the previous 14 days will be communicated to students and employees if that case is considered a risk to campus safety, including any closures or any restrictions to limit COVID-19 exposure (e.g., limited hours of operation), if needed, in a manner that balances privacy with health and safety interests. In most cases, officials are notified more than 24 hours after a campus space was impacted by a positive case. If all close contacts are notified and are all vaccinated, and if it is more than 24 hours from when the space was exposed, a campus notification will not be sent because there is minimal or no risk to the campus community. The number of positive cases reported on campus are also listed on UH’s website.
  • Those who test positive may not return to campus until they are cleared by University Health Services Mānoa and that decision will be based on the latest Hawaiʻi State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

University Health Services Mānoa COVID-19 Resource Team

A UHSM COVID-19 Resource Team will provide support for telehealth, testing, contact tracing, self-quarantine and will coordinate with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH ) and campus officials.

The team will follow promptly the established protocols upon notification of a positive test on campus. There are protocols for students who live on campus and a second set for all other students, employees and campus visitors. The protocols cover:

  • Advising and isolation
  • Notification of close contacts, officials and DOH
  • Contact tracing
  • Cleaning and disinfecting
  • Campus communication

The UHSM COVID-19 Resource Team will assist students and employees in the protocols and will be responsible for clearing an individual’s return to campus. The team will also coordinate communication with state health officials and the campus community.

If an infected individual is physically on campus

  • Notify the UHSM COVID-19 Resource Team at (808) 956-8965 or uhsm.covid@hawaii.edu if someone appears to exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 on campus (including but not limited to employees, students, campus visitors or vendors).
  • Anyone on campus who tested positive for COVID-19 (and has not been cleared to return) will be instructed to leave immediately and could be subject to disciplinary action. DOH will be notified immediately, and the area the infected individual frequented, especially if an employee, will be closed for at least 24 hours and sanitized and disinfected, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
  • Those who test positive may not return to campus until they are cleared by University Health Services Mānoa and that decision will be based on the latest Hawaiʻi State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Cleaning and disinfecting COVID-19 areas

The UH Mānoa campus has established protocols for cleaning and disinfecting based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for areas that may have been infected by someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

  • Close the area for three or more days (in which case cleaning and disinfecting are not necessary);
  • Wait at least 24 hours before routine cleaning; or
  • If 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible to clean and disinfect. If it has been more than 24 hours since the space was substantially used or occupied by a COVID-19 case, the space will not be closed and regular routine cleaning will resume.

The federal guidance includes the safe and correct use and storage of approved cleaning and disinfection products.

Training, Education and Signage

  • Each UH Mānoa employee is required to complete the online UH COVID-19 safety training program (fall 2021 update pending), produced in accordance with the State of Hawaiʻi Occupational Safety and Health requirements (employees will be notified when the program is ready). The training includes a general overview of COVID-19 control measures to prevent or minimize transmission, and other specific procedures/resources for UH Mānoa employees to stay safe on campus.
  • UH Mānoa will proactively provide messaging to remind students, employees and visitors about the mandatory requirements to be on campus (daily health check-in and face masks) and will promote behaviors that prevent the spread of COVID-19. Messaging will target specific groups (students, employees) and will include emails, online stories and videos, social media posts, etc.
  • UH Mānoa will post and maintain signs that promote safer behaviors in highly visible locations, including in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, common areas, shared spaces, restrooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, and as needed in offices and other work locations.
    • WORK COMPLETED: More than 4,000 signs from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been posted throughout the UH Mānoa campus at exterior building entrances and interior locations listed above]
  • The signage highlights physical distancing tips and health guidance instructions that support prevention of the spread of COVID-19 through enhanced hygiene and disinfection habits.
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