Isolation, Quarantine & Classes

BUSSW’s return to in-person classes is a University-wide policy. Our priority is to keep our students, faculty, and staff safe by following the recommended public health protocols issued by the State, CDC, and BU to ensure that you graduate within the expected timeline. 

  • If you missed this important message from the Provost about support for students, you can read it here.
  • Please visit this page to find more information and resources from BU to support students who miss classes.
  • University-wide Back 2 BU info can be found here.

If you are exposed to Covid:

  • CRC students, please follow the updated guidance here. 
  • Off-Campus and Worcester Hybrid students should contact their healthcare provider and local Board of Health and follow their directives. Please find Massachusetts state guidance here. You can find more campus-specific info here for OCP and here for WHP.
  • Those who are not vaccinated due to exemptions should follow the specific protocol set by their healthcare provider. 

If you test positive for Covid:

  • For all students, we ask that you stay home if you have symptoms of COVID, have tested positive, have been a close contact, and have an exemption from the vaccine, or Healthways, your healthcare provider/Board of Health has made that recommendation. 
  • CRC students: if you test positive through BU testing, your result will be released immediately  in your patient portal so that you can know if you need to isolate as soon as possible. Please note that you will no longer be regularly contacted by telephone by a Healthway staff member. Additional isolation messaging and instructions will be sent directly to CRC students through Patient Connect.
  • Off-Campus and Worcester Hybrid students: please follow the protocols for your classroom site and be aware of the Mass. state guidance here.

Covid-related absence:

  • We are committed to working with students individually on how to best manage any COVID-related absences. We will handle this collaboratively and intentionally to ensure that the specific needs of each student are being met to the best of our ability.  Given the number of variables that need to be considered, having one set plan is unlikely to meet the needs of all students.  
  • Regarding missed class time, we will work with the faculty and each student to ensure that you are allowed the time needed to take care of yourself and to achieve competency in the course content without any negative impact on your grade.  
  • The protocol for dealing with COVID-related absences is to notify both your instructor and program director/student services:
  • This will then trigger a conversation to explore options based on the course, the timing within the course, and your capacity for participation. 

For Off-Campus and Worcester Hybrid students

  • For those students who cannot access BU testing sites:
    • Please find campus-specific info here for OCP.
    • Please find info here for WHP.
    • Free, asymptomatic testing is available in many locations.
    • Please go here to research what is available to you in your specific and nearby town(s).
    • Free home kits and free center-based testing is available for asymptomatic monitoring in many local communities.
  • We encourage you to utilize your local resources—your healthcare provider, Board of Health, and free testing options to support you in assessing and monitoring your risk/safety needs and providing guidance around the need to be tested or quarantined/isolated.  

Finally, we understand and acknowledge that the pandemic has continued to create stressful situations for many of us. We are all feeling the wear and tear of the past two years. While some aspects of the pandemic have improved, others have morphed and continue to have an impact on our lives. This requires us all to remain vigilant and flexible, which can be difficult when stress is high.  

We are here to support you in your efforts to complete your MSW degree successfully.