The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that college populations are often at high risk for COVID -19 because of the cramped living arrangements, frequency of social interactions and penchant for high-risk behaviors. That is why the CDC has issued stringent guidelines to colleges and universities.
Among the primary recommendations that the CDC has issued are:
Although the CDC is a highly respected public health authority, it does not possess the power to mandate a specific policy for colleges. That is why the recommendations it has issued are merely guidelines that higher institutes of learning may adopt or disregard as they choose.
This means that there is no universal standard for COVID -19 reporting among colleges. Every institute of higher learning is unique with its on-campus population, social culture and position in the wider community, so each has developed its own prevention and response strategy to the COVID -19 pandemic.
Almost all institutes of higher learning will take into consideration the broader COVID -19 environment in their local region and adapt their testing, reporting and response protocols accordingly.
A good example is George Washington University here in DC, which will require full vaccination for students attending in-person. George Washington University requires that undergraduate students be fully vaccinated unless exempted for medical or religious reasons. Students also will be tested for COVID -19 once a month even if fully vaccinated.
So, in the case of George Washington University students, it is incumbent upon them to notify school health administrators of a positive COVID-19 test, but if you are fully vaccinated, you will probably not be quarantined.