Contact Tracing
Contact Tracing identifies individuals potentially exposed to a communicable disease, systematically monitors their symptoms, and recommends quarantine and/or isolation to prevent further community spread of the COVID-19 Virus.
Public health experts emphasize the importance of Contact Tracing for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing and mitigating outbreaks. Efficient and effective Contact Tracing is especially critical to containing outbreaks in a residential campus community. Xavier’s Contact Tracing Team serves to supplement the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) tracing efforts, to enhance efficient and effective tracing of identified and suspected cases, and to prevent and mitigate outbreaks. This localized campus strategy will ensure that potential contacts are notified, screened, and monitored for potential symptoms, and referred for quarantine and/or testing, as early and as appropriate as possible.
Xavier’s Contact Tracing Protocol aligns with CDC and LDH guidelines for colleges and universities by referring all confirmed positive cases for Contact Tracing.
Contact Tracing at Xavier
As soon as Xavier’s Health Services is notified of a positive test result, Xavier’s contact tracing team is notified and begins interviews to identify close contacts and implement additional quarantine and isolation protocols as needed – all of which is critical to preventing community spread. Willingness and collaboration of campus and community members in these interviews is also vital to provide us accurate information in order to contain the virus, preserving our low rate of infection on campus.
To maximize tracing efforts on our campus, we will implement contact tracing immediately following the identification of a suspected or confirmed positive case of COVID-19. This two-step process requires (1) advising the individual who has tested positive for or presents with symptoms of the disease, and (2) reaching out to the individuals who have recently been in contact with the identified person to advise them on requirements for daily symptom reporting and quarantining and referring them for testing, if warranted. These efforts will be proactive and campus-based and serve as a complement rather than a replacement to the formal outreach for contact interviews that are also being conducted and managed by LDH.
Xavier Tracers will reach out to the individual via telephone and text to initiate and conduct a Campus Case Interview, focused on the individual’s campus locations and contacts within and outside the university. Identified close contacts will then be called to inform them of possible exposure, assess symptoms, and refer to testing or other services if necessary.
Student Health Services and the Contact Tracing Team have spent considerable time assessing our campus systems and the ways in which information we maintain will help students and the university in our contact investigation and communication needs in the event of positive cases. All information obtained from case and close contact interviews is securely recorded and stored to protect the privacy of individuals. For more information, please call 504-520-5148 or 504-520-6707.
Contact Us
Office of Student Health Services
St. Joseph Academic & Health Resource Center
Building #13, Room 217
Office: 504-520-7396
Fax: 504-520-7962
Mailing Address
1 Drexel Drive
P.O. Box 36
New Orleans, LA70125
Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM Closed for Lunch