Isolating active cases of COVID-19 is paramount in the battle to contain the spread of the coronavirus. But 10 days — the typical isolation protocol — is a long time without a supply run for meals, groceries or other essentials. So TCU Housing & Residence Life and Fraternity & Sorority Life staff members are stepping in as Care Coordinators, coming to the rescue to take care of isolated Horned Frogs and protect the campus community.
“They brought us all of our meals and were super helpful throughout us not being able to leave,” said a sophomore who isolated in place when she and her suitemates tested positive for COVID-19. “Since I’m gluten free, they were super, super accommodating when it came to my meals. They handled the whole situation really well.”
If a student tests positive for COVID-19 a Care Coordinator will reach out to the student to provide academic support and conduct contact tracing. Campus Life will notify the student’s faculty that the student will miss class or need to switch to online classes because of illness. Students — on and off campus — will be given isolation instructions and also receive medical follow-up from the TCU Health Center.
Students living on-campus
For the duration of isolation, a team of staff from Fraternity and Sorority Life and Housing & Residence Life provide three meals per day as well as deliver medications and other essential items to the student’s room. Laundry and trash service are also provided to ensure the ill students does not have to leave isolation.
“We knew as we planned that this process of isolating and quarantining students would be critical to slowing the spread of the virus,” said Craig Allen, executive director of Housing & Dining. “I’m not sure we understood the significant time it would take, but our staff has gone above and beyond to care for students, and that doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s why we are here — to care for our fellow Frogs.”
TCU staff can deliver packages once or twice a week if a student does not have a friend who can do so, and professional staff members are also calling and checking in with students. Bringing essential items and services to the isolated students helps protect the rest of the campus community from further spread of the coronavirus.
TCU Police is also stepping up to provide care by assisting students with their move to an isolation room if transportation is needed and by delivering medications as needed.
Whether students are isolating on or off campus, Care Coordinators connect them with academic resources throughout their isolation.