What to Do If Your College Student Gets COVID-19

It's a good idea to have a signed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) release and a medical power of attorney form, both available online. These give health care providers permission to release and share medical information with parents and guardians in an emergency.

"These students are adults, not minors,” Gonsenhauser says. “This means their medical information is for their eyes only, unless they specifically grant approval for it to be managed differently."

Know what support is available

Parents need to know whether their child's school has an effective plan for managing COVID-19 cases, and how the school plans to maintain consistent communication.

Many schools have online coronavirus dashboards, which provide transparent information to students and parents about the number of cases on campus, how much testing is being done, and available quarantine beds. Some schools are requiring students to report on their health through a daily check-in, or are requiring regular COVID-19 testing.

Some schools are also requiring students to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in order to attend school on campus and are requiring staff to be vaccinated as well.

The University of Alabama has learned from experience how to help manage the virus after a significant outbreak occurred when students returned for the fall semester. Students in quarantine and isolation now receive virtual visits with mental health professionals, a 24-hour concierge service, evening medical checks with resident physicians, and other resources.

Parents, meanwhile, have access to one phone number that directs medical and academic questions to the appropriate place.

"With the availability of technology and FaceTime and Zoom, parents can readily check on their children,” says Richard D. Friend, a medical doctor and dean of the university's College of Community Health Sciences.

Stay involved in your child's medical care

Even when schools have systems in place, make sure to quickly voice any concerns if you feel your sick student is not getting the support or attention needed.

Before her son tested positive while at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Seona Lisse had learned through a social media group of parents of freshmen at the school that students who'd already tested positive weren't being checked on every day — something the school's website initially had assured.

"When he went into isolation I was trying to get in touch with the university student health center to say, ‘What is the protocol here? How are you watching my kid?'” says Lisse, 51, of Potomac, Maryland. “Unfortunately, nobody was really able to help me until I got the director of the student health center on the phone."

The university had removed information from its website about daily checks and started giving students daily questionnaires instead. Lisse questioned whether her son, Marcus, would be too sick to fill them out. The business major was taken to a university-owned hotel for 10 days, with symptoms including a sore throat, congestion and temporary loss of taste and smell, so Lisse scheduled several virtual appointments with a physician assistant on his behalf.

Marcus got better, and campus test sites now are open to all students and employees whether or not they have symptoms.

Now that Marcus is better, Lisse is happy to hear that the school plans to expand its testing program, beginning with the spring semester, so that all students who live on campus, attend classes or use campus spaces are tested twice each week.

"Testing is key,” she says.

Be supportive and listen

If your child does stay on or near campus while fighting the coronavirus, above all, be a good listener. Students are often worried about their health and their ability to maintain college-level work, and they have social concerns as well.

Oppenheim says her son, normally a high-achieving economics major, became anxious about falling behind in his classes. She allowed him to voice fears that his college career and future job prospects might be hindered. At his lowest point, Julian thought he might be better off at home and repeating the semester when he could give it his all. While Oppenheim never took this option off the table, she suggested he give himself permission to drop a course if he still found he couldn't catch up once he recovered.

"Ultimately this was the path he chose,” says Oppenheim, who knew Julian was in good hands, actively monitored by the school and the state.

The key for parents, Gonsenhauser says, is to determine how a college or university is handling coronavirus cases before having to deal with a sick student. “Most universities … have put a huge amount of expertise and resources into creating safe spaces for students to live, be tested, and isolate or quarantine,” he says. “Find out what they've done at your student's school so you can make an informed decision, together."

Editor’s note: This article, originally published Nov. 5, 2020, has been updated to include new information.

Robin L. Flanigan is a contributing writer who covers mental health, education and human-interest stories for several national publications. A former reporter for several daily newspapers, her work has also appeared in People, USA Today and Education Week. She is the author of the children's book M is for Mindful.