Quarantine and Isolation Housing

Based on the latest guidance from local, state, and federal public health officials, please use this information to understand the protocols and procedures UMBC Residential Life will follow in the event that an exposure or infection of COVID-19 takes place in the residential community.

This may include moving to a new housing assignment designated for quarantine or isolation. Additionally, the following steps may also be taken, as directed by the team monitoring this form.

  • Appropriate cleaning
  • Individual notices (if warranted)
  • Community notices (if warranted)

Please note that your personal information and diagnoses will remain confidential.

Everyone in the community will follow the expectations and mandates in the Retriever Community Agreement and the Code of Student Conduct (e.g., mandatory mask-wearing, physical-distancing, limiting travel and guests, daily symptom checks, testing).


Quarantine & Isolation Protocols

UMBC residential life has created protocols for each of the four quarantine or isolation situations a member of our community may find themselves in.  We will continue to update our protocols as we receive more guidance from local, state, and federal public health officials.

Involves remaining in your home or residence with limited public contact due to mandates from the University during potential high-exposure times.

For example, upon the start of the semester, as residents will travel to campus for move-in from all over the country and the world, all residents are expected to quarantine in their assigned rooms upon arrival on campus until a negative test result is received.

During Stay in Place Quarantine, residents may leave their rooms for essential items and tasks only, such as getting food or medical supplies, solo, outdoor exercise, or for employment if their work can not be performed remotely or is considered essential employment.

Residents are released from Stay in Place Quarantine after receiving a negative test result. After being released, students should stay physically distant while wearing masks within their floor/community “residential family pods/bubbles” (apartment mates, suitemates, same floor only students) for at least the first 10 days of the semester. UMBC is a mask-on campus. At all times, residents should only remove their masks when they are in their bedrooms with the door closed.

Involves remaining in your home or residence with no public contact except where directed by University staff. Students should remain in their room when instructed to do so by a University staff or health worker. In this circumstance, the resident should do their best to keep six feet of distance from any others in their residence environment, limit contact to as few individuals as possible (as few as 1-2), and use antibacterial disinfectant after each restroom use, especially for shared restrooms.

If a resident has recently traveled internationally or to a region with a high occurrence of COVID-19 cases, but shows no symptoms of illness themselves, they should choose to quarantine themselves for no less than 14 days.

Involves remaining in your residence with no public contact. This is usually determined through self-disclosure, or by the Department of Public Health through investigation and tracing of current active COVID-19 cases. Such mandated quarantine involves no less than 14 days of confinement in a space shared with no other residents with at least one un-shared restroom.

As of January 2021, following the Maryland Governor’s Executive Order, If a resident has recently traveled internationally, they will be assigned to a temporary quarantine upon move in, until a negative test, or 14 days. Even if the resident shows no symptoms of illness themselves.

Involves remaining in your residence with zero outside contact due to a positive COVID-19 test, with or without active symptoms. In this circumstance, the resident will receive meals delivered to their door, cleaning supplies for their restroom and living space, and once-daily well-being check-ins. The amount of time spent in isolation will be dependent on the length of illness, presence of symptoms and medical provider’s guidance.


Quarantine & Isolations Instructions

Community members who are directed to stay-in-room quarantine will follow these procedures:

  • Students living on campus must notify UHS by clicking the Reporting COVID-19 Cases Form. Providers will determine if self-quarantine is necessary given the circumstances. During non-business hours, UMBC staff will continue to monitor form submissions and respond as needed.
  • Students for whom stay in room quarantine is deemed beneficial should ask a friend to bring them a meal from TG, or will receive additional instructions about meals.

Community members who require mandated-quarantine or isolation will follow these procedures:

  • Students living on campus must notify UHS by clicking the Reporting COVID-19 Cases Form. Providers will determine if self-quarantine is necessary given the circumstances (during non-business hours, please call your RA).
  • Residential Life staff person will contact the student to coordinate quarantine or isolation housing. Students may quarantine or isolate off campus, or on campus. If a student decides to quarantine off campus, Residential Life will assign them a temporary housing assignment, and provide instructions and information about next steps.

Resources for Quarantine & Isolation

Residential Life gladly provides resources to residents who find themselves in quarantine or isolation.  There are many provided, on-campus resources including meals, well-being and emergency response, sanitary supplies, and academic accommodations.  Additionally there are numerous off-campus resources that residents are welcome to take advantage of in addition to those provided by the university.

UMBC Provided Resources

Stay in Room Quarantine

Students should ask a friend to go to the dining hall to pick up their meals. The friend will need to provide their student ID number to the dining services staff upon pick up.

Mandated Quarantine or Isolation

UMBC Dining Services will provide individuals in quarantine and isolation with meals. Residential Life will deliver these meals to student’s quarantine/isolation rooms.

UMBC Dining Services meal delivery: 

    • Residents can opt to receive meals delivered to their door. This is an OPT OUT system. Residents can choose their meals, or opt out by following this link.
    • Residents may also make their own meals or order off-campus delivery for contactless delivery.

Meal plans and billing:

    • If a student has a meal plan, these meals will be deducted from their plan.
    • If a student does not have a meal plan, they may purchase a block plan to use while in isolation/quarantine, or they may choose to be billed a la carte to their student account.

Meal Ordering:

    • Students will use the sign up app to order the meal option they want
      • Menus will be tailored to those who are ill, in recovery, or otherwise unable to come to the dining facilities.
      • If a student does not choose a meal by 11am for lunch or 4pm for dinner, they will receive the “default meal option” for that day.
      • If a student needs a special meal or has a dietary restriction they enter the restriction in the dialogue box using this link and reach out to the manager on duty. See contact information below.

Residents in isolation or quarantine may also choose to utilize off-campus grocery or meal delivery services. The University encourages students to choose contactless delivery and to inform delivery drivers of their quarantine or isolation status. This does not apply to items from Amazon, FedEx, USPS and UPS. These items will be delivered to the community desk and will be held for pick up for when you have been released from quarantine or isolation.

Residential Life staff will maintain a roster of residents who are in quarantine and isolation, their room location, and their emergency contacts. Residential Life staff will provide check-ins with all residents who are in quarantine or isolation on campus.

Testing & Symptom Tracking

University Medical Staff (University Health Services or Sports Medicine) will direct your testing schedule while in quarantine. When you are expected to test, a test kit will be delivered to your door. If you are an athlete, instructions will be sent to you from a member of the UMBC Sports Medicine Staff on the date of your test which will include the date/time your test will be picked up after you’ve completed it. Otherwise, instructions will be sent to you from qihousing@umbc.edu or University Health Service on the date of your test.

Residents will be given a thermometer residents will be asked to take their temperature and record their symptoms daily.

Emergency Support
Students on campus may use the following resources for reaching someone:

  • For non-urgent questions during business hours, please email us anytime at QIhousing@umbc.edu and we will respond during business hoursIf students need assistance
  • Outside of the business hours or in case of emergency, please call the Community Director on Duty: 410-635-0353

If UMBC Police or Residential Life staff are aware of an emergency response by external first responders to such a student, those staff will inform the external first responders of the student’s status in quarantine or isolation. The external door to the student’s room will also have a sign indicating that the occupant is in isolation or quarantine.

Residential Life and UMBC Dining Services will provide individuals in quarantine and isolation with a quarantine kit which includes some kitchen supplies, biohazard trash bags, soap, disinfectant spray and towels, washcloths, bath towels, sheets, and blankets.

All trash should be put into the biohazard bag and left in the quarantine/isolation space for housekeeping to remove after the resident is released.

Residents in quarantine and isolation should bring 14 days worth of clothing and linens (if they prefer their own) with them. A packing list will be provided to residents in advance of their move to assist in preparing for quarantine or isolation.

Residents in quarantine and isolation will not have access to laundry or laundry services, unless they are in Walker Avenue Apartments where laundry machines are provided in apartments.

If a student is in need of temporary academic accommodations due to quarantine please review this information from Student Disability Services.

Off-Campus Resources

CVS (Store #48271) at 711 Maiden Choice Ln, Baltimore, MD 21228 (410.737.8820)

  • Free 1-2 day delivery available through the CVS app for prescriptions and other products

Rite Aid ( Store #02210) at 1400 Sulphur Spring Road, Baltimore, MD 21227 (410.737.9221)

  • 3-5 day shipping for $5.99, free shipping for $34.99 purchase

Rite Aid (Store #03205) at 6401 Frederick Road, Catonsville, MD 21228 (410.719.7005)

ALDI at 3140 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230 (301.363.0830)

Walmart Grocery Delivery

Locations: 6205 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD 21228 (Store #2248, Phone Number: 410.719.0600) and 3601 Washington Blvd, Arbutus, MD 21227 (Store #3720, Phone Number: 410.737.7700)

  • $30 minimum order
  • Delivery fee up to $10

Amazon Fresh

  • Offered through Amazon Prime

Instacart

  • $10 minimum order
  • Delivery fee starting at $4
  • Participating Stores: Sprouts Farmers Market, Rite Aid, Big Lots, Staples, Wegmans, ALDI, Giant, Safeway, Price Rite, Costco, Shoppers, CVS, Harris Teeter, Sam’s Club, Petco, HMart, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Target

Giant (Store #0166) at 4622 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229 (410.242.4669)

  • Giant Curbside Pickup
    • $2.95 fee with $30 minimum purchase
  • Giant delivery
    • $7.95 Delivery fee with $100 minimum purchase
    • $8.95 Delivery fee with $75 minimum purchase
    • $9.95 Delivery fee with $60 minimum purchase

Food Delivery Services

  • Grubhub
  • Postmates
  • Uber Eats
  • DoorDash

Restaurants that deliver

  • Punjab Kabab and Sweets at 5313 East Dr, Arbutus, MD 21227 (410.737.7773)
  • Fire Wok Chinese Restaurant at 5402 East Dr, Arbutus, MD 21227 (410.247.0909)
  • Pizza 768 at 5209 East Dr, Halethorpe, MD 21227 (410.242.4342)
  • Pizza Paradise at 5411 East Dr, Halethorpe, MD 21227 (halethorpepizzaparadise.com, 410.737.8444)
  • Domino’s at 5400 East Dr, Arbutus, MD 21227 (410.242.3030)
  • Pizza Hut at 6415 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD 21228 (410.744.9380)

Patient First – Catonsville, 6333 Baltimore National Pike (443.514.1361), closes 10pm

Righttime Medical Center, 6500 Baltimore National Pike (888.808.6483), closes 11pm

ExpressCare Urgent Care Center, 3815 Wilkens Ave (667.212.5920), closes 9pm