COVID Information
If You Feel Sick
Please stay home until you feel better, regardless of what illness it may be or if you test positive or negative for Covid.
If you must be around others while feeling ill or you are improving but still have a cough or sniffle, please wear a mask.
Students
First, please stay home until you feel better. Western students with mild COVID-like symptoms such as congestion/runny nose or sore throat can obtain a COVID-19 test at the Student Health Center COVID Testing Facility.
If you have more significant symptoms (cough, fever, loss of taste/smell), please call the Student Health Center during business hours at 360-650-3400 and ask to speak to a nurse.
You can also send a secure message via MyWesternHealth. If you test positive for COVID, refer to the COVID-19 Housing Information page. Find out more about isolation and quarantine on campus and how it works.
Employees
If you feel sick, we strongly encourage you to take off from work and stay home as it applies. Take sick leave and be away from the office so you may recover. Once you feel better, we will gladly welcome you back to work. This protocol applies to any illness, not just COVID.
Keep track of the latest developments
Updates are posted here and on Western Today's news page as necessary.
If you are not already signed up for Family Connection, click here to sign up for the monthly e-newsletter for WWU families.
Tested positive for COVID?
If you tested positive for COVID on a home test or through an off-campus testing facility not associated with Western, notify Western!
Students: log into your MyWesternHealth patient portal and send a message with your result by doing the following:
- Go to Messages on the left side pane
- Select "New Message"
- Select the option "I want to *Report a COVID Positive Result*"
- Fill in the form
COVID Safety Practices at Western
Keep up the great work Western. Protect yourself and our whole Western Community by following the most up to date COVID Safety Guidance.
Current University safety guidance:
Vaccine Information:
While Western no longer requires proof of vaccination for students, employees, or contractors, staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines remains the most important step to protect yourself and your community.
COVID-19 vaccines are still readily available in Washington State. Please visit the DOH's vaccine locator to learn more.
If you were immunized in Washington State and need to find your records, they are on file at WashingtonMyIR.
Masking:
Masks are optional in nearly all settings, including inside Western buildings on the Bellingham Campus. Please follow any policies at other site locations not independently operated by Western (Poulsbo, Everett, etc.) which may still require masking or other COVID safety protocols.
This may change if public health conditions change in the future.
Every individual has the right to continue masking in any setting at Western if they prefer, even when masks are no longer required by the university.
For more information, view the Health and Safety page.
Campus COVID testing:
If students have mild COVID-like symptoms or know they have been exposed to the coronavirus, they can get tested at the Student Health Center. To make your appointment online, go to your MyWesternHealth portal. For more information, go to https://studenthealth.wwu.edu/covid-19-testing.
For employees, the university is no longer partnering with Northwest Labs for testing services. Information on how to request free home tests can be found on Western’s COVID Health and Safety website, or Western will provide home tests for you to pick up as needed.
Questions:
Send your questions about COVID policies and procedures to covidcoordinationresilience@wwu.edu.
Information Lines
Student Health Center
For students with medical questions such as scheduling a COVID test, experiencing symptoms, and more.
Washington State Department of Health
Resources
Campus
Teaching and Learning
This page is intended to provide information about COVID-19, precautions that are being taken and prevention measures you can take, as well as being one source for information on the effects of measures various governments are taking to stem the outbreak, and to answer the most common questions about how coronavirus might impact campus operations.
This page is not intended to be all-encompassing and should not be considered to be providing medical or legal advice. In all instances, you should consult with a relevant expert for guidance specific to your circumstances.