Tulane University will stop surveillance COVID-19 testing and on-campus students who test positive will isolate in their residence halls, the school announced Friday, marking a shift from stricter measures enforced earlier in the pandemic. 

Students are required to test for COVID-19 upon return to campus, but the school will no longer require random testing and instead test only symptomatic individuals and those exposed to the virus. 

“These changes will align us more closely with the practices of our peer institutions throughout the country, and with the recommendations of public health experts,” dean of students Erica Woodley said in an email.

Students who test positive will complete courses remotely for at least five days. Close contacts, such as roommates, who are fully vaccinated or have tested positive within 90 days of exposure do not need to be quarantined as long as they are symptom-free. They should, however, take a PCR test five days after they were exposed.

Positive students are only permitted to leave their rooms for medical care or food. They will be barred from The Commons and the Greenwave Grille but can pick up food from locations including Provisions on the Thirtieth Parallel and the Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life food court. 

The school requires those leaving isolation on the sixth day after a positive test to wear a mask in public through day 10. During this time, they also recommend wearing a medical-grade mask, like the KN95. Individuals leaving their rooms for medical care or food during the first five days of quarantine must also wear a well-fitting, preferably medical-grade, mask. 

New students, faculty and staff are still required to submit proof of vaccination. All student COVID-19 testing in Uptown will take place at the Student Health Center, and Downtown testing will take place at the Downtown Bookstore. Contact tracing measures are also ongoing.