Updates and FAQs: OU COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool

two students wearing COVID masks walk on the South Oval

The criteria to complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool have recently been updated, and a new form has been created specifically for the Norman campus. Read on to learn more and to see a list of commonly asked questions.

Campus-Specific Screening Tools

Norman Campus: Students, faculty and staff on the Norman campus are directed to complete the NEW online screening tool for the Norman campus, available at covidreporting.ou.edu.

Health Sciences Center and OU-Tulsa: Students, faculty and staff at OUHSC and OU-Tulsa should continue using the online screening tool at covidreporting.ouhsc.edu.

students in masks on the south oval, sitting on steps, studying

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I need to complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool?

The online tool must be submitted before resuming on-campus activity or responsibility each time you answer YES to any of the questions below:

Are you experiencing symptoms that could be consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, recent loss of taste or smell, and/or extreme fatigue? (Please also contact a health care provider regarding specific symptoms.)
Have you had close contact (been within 6 feet, for approximately 15 minutes or more²), either at work, at home or in the community, with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 14 days or with someone who has been tested for COVID-19 and whose results are pending in the last 14 days?
Have you tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 14 days, or are you waiting on results for a COVID-19 test you took because you had an exposure or are having symptoms?

What are “close contacts” and “exposures” for purposes of COVID-19?

Close contacts and exposures are defined as being within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for approximately 15 minutes or more. When you have a known close contact, you should complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool.

If the duration of contact was less than 15 minutes or occurred during certain high-risk activities (such as singing in a choir), you should monitor your health for 14 days after the last contact and complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool if you develop symptoms. (See additional exposure information below.)

What if everyone was wearing a mask during the close contact – am I still exposed?

If you are within 6 feet of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 for approximately 15 or more minutes, regardless of whether you and others were wearing masks, you still meet the CDC’s criteria for close contact or exposure, so you should complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool.

Because you had a mask on, the probability that you contracted COVID-19 is decreased substantially, but it’s important to complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool and let a health professional evaluate the risk.

What if someone with COVID-19 coughs in my face or I shared eating/drinking utensils with that person, but I was not around that person for 15 minutes or more?

Because you had a known contact – coming in contact with respiratory droplets (e.g., saliva) from a person infected with COVID-19 – this is an exposure. You should complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool and a health professional will evaluate your risk.

What if I ride in a car or an elevator with a person with COVID-19?

As long as you were not in the car or elevator for 15 minutes or longer, this is not considered an exposure. However, being in an enclosed space with reduced airflow could increase your risk of infection, so monitor yourself for symptoms and complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool if you experience any.

sign on wall no more than four people in an elevator at a time

When should I get tested after being exposed to a person with COVID-19?

The CDC currently advises testing 7 days after the exposure, as this provides the most accurate results. If you are infected and get tested too early, there is a good chance the test will be a false negative. When you complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool following the exposure, you will be advised if testing is recommended and, if so, when to test.

What should I do if I have been exposed to a person with
COVID-19?

You should immediately complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool and follow the instructions provided by the health professionals who review your submission. You should self-isolate until you receive a response to your submission.

What should I do if I start having COVID-19 symptoms?

You should complete the online COVID-19 Screening and Reporting Tool as soon as possible, and contact your primary care provider with any personal medical questions for guidance concerning your specific symptoms.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include: Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, recent loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

What kind of COVID-19 test should I get if I need to be tested for COVID-19?

The most accurate test for diagnosing COVID-19 is a molecular, or PCR, test. This is the gold standard for testing, and the university recognizes both positive and negative PCR test results. The PCR test is the test administered at campus testing locations, and available at no cost to students, faculty, and staff.
There are other tests available, such as the antigen test or the Abbott ID. Now, that can be done in a clinic setting, such as urgent care clinics, with rapid results (“rapid tests”). If you get a positive test result (i.e., yes, you have COVID-19) from a rapid test, then that result is generally reliable. If you test negative (i.e., no, you don’t have COVID-19), however, there is a statistically significant chance that you have COVID-19 and that the result is a false negative. The university does not recognize negative rapid tests.

Campus-specific information regarding returning to campus:

Norman: Goddard Health Services requires a PCR test if the individual reports symptoms. Goddard’s medical team recommends PCR testing at day 7 after a known exposure and recognizes rapid tests when they are positive only.
OU-Tulsa: OU-Tulsa Student and Employee Health Clinic will test for clearance to return to campus for the following scenarios:
- Symptoms of concern
- High-risk exposures (campus exposures, community exposures, and household exposures)
- High-risk travel (domestic or international travel, no masking while utilizing public transportation)
Health Sciences Center: HSC Student and Employee Health Clinic will test for clearance to return to campus for the following scenarios:
- Symptoms of concern
- High-risk exposures (campus exposures, community exposures, and household exposures)
- High-risk travel (domestic or international travel, no masking while utilizing public transportation)

Should I get an antibody test for COVID-19? What does it tell me?

An antibody test tells whether you have COVID-19 antibodies circulating in your blood, and may tell you whether you have had or been exposed to COVID-19. However, we know that blood levels of antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19 drop rapidly so even if you have been exposed, the results may be negative. There are also a lot of false positive antibody tests for COVID-19 which can give you a false sense of security that you may have some immunity. Antibody tests are largely used for research purposes only and do not provide a diagnosis of COVID-19 and do not provide any proof that you are immune to the disease.