COVID-19 Information Center
Texas State University is committed to keeping our community safe and our students advancing toward their educational goals. This page gathers all COVID-19 resources and recommendations in one location so you can easily find the information you need.
NOTICE: Bobcat Trace and the COVID-19 Dashboard have been discontinued.
Positive cases no longer need to report to Bobcat Trace.
COVID-19 Community Level: LOW

Low Community Level Guidance
Based on data from the CDC, the best prevention steps are:
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
- Improve ventilation indoors
- Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19
- Review post-exposure recommendations if you have been in close contact with someone positive for COVID-19
- Follow isolation guidance if you suspect you have COVID-19 or if you have tested positive
Persons who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease should:
- Talk to a healthcare provider about additional precautions
- Wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask or respirator when indoors in public
If you have contact with someone at high risk for severe disease:
- Consider testing yourself to detect infection before meeting with them
- Consider wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask when indoors with them
For more information, visit the CDC's COVID-19 Community Levels webpage.
Vaccination and Treatment
COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccination is vital to the country’s efforts to bring the pandemic to an end. Vaccines have proven to be safe and effective with no evidence of any long-term side-effects. They continue to be highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death.
Texas State University offers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by appointment at both the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses. Most health insurance plans will cover vaccination. For persons without insurance, free vaccinations will be available at CVS, Walgreens, and community health centers.

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs
Answers to some commonly asked questions about vaccines are provided below.
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How important is getting a booster?
Most COVID-19 vaccines require two doses to produce the optimum immune response and protection. Completing your primary vaccination series is important to developing and extending your immunity.
COVID-19 vaccine boosters can further enhance or restore protection that may have waned over time since completing your primary vaccination series.
People are protected best from severe COVID-19 illness when they stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, which includes a booster for many people. To learn more about the benefits of boosters, see the CDC's Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination.
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What are the current recommendations for COVID-19 boosters?
COVID-19 boosters are currently recommended for individuals 6 months and older. Persons at high risk for serious disease, such as those 50 and older, those with underlying medical problems, and those with weakened immune systems, are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.
See more information of the CDC's COVID-19 Vaccination webpage.
To receive a booster at Texas State, schedule an appointment with the Student Health Center by calling (512) 245-2161.
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Does COVID-19 vaccination affect testing for COVID-19?
According to the CDC, none of the approved COVID-19 vaccines can cause you to test positive on viral tests, which assess for current infection.
If you develop an immune response after you are vaccinated, which is the desired effect, you may test positive on antibody tests. Antibody tests indicate previous infection and that you may have some level of protection against the virus.
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Should I get vaccinated if I have already had COVID-19?
Yes, the CDC recommends that persons who have been previously infected with COVID-19 get vaccinated.
It is unclear how long the natural immunity that develops after infection lasts. Because it is rare that a person infected with COVID-19 will be reinfected within 90 days due to their natural immunity, they can wait up to 90 days before getting vaccinated.
COVID-19 Treatments
For those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, new treatments are available.
COVID-19 Testing
Testing to Protect Yourself and Others
COVID-19 testing is an effective tool for protecting yourself and others. Testing when you have symptoms of a cold or allergy, such as runny nose, sinus congestion, sore throat, cough, fever, body aches, chronic fatigue, or shortness of breath is important, as these can be symptoms of COVID-19. If visiting family or friends who are elderly or at high risk for severe illness, get tested before visiting to protect them.
On-Campus San Marcos Location

All Texas State faculty, staff, and students may schedule COVID-19 PCR testing by calling the Student Health Center at 512-245-2161 to schedule an appointment, Monday-Friday. Most health insurance plans will cover the cost of testing. The charge for a PCR test is $75 for those who have no insurance or are out-of-network.
The federal government has authorized additional free at-home rapid antigen tests. If you have not requested the tests, this may be another option.
On-Campus Round Rock Location
Student Health Center at the Round Rock Campus
Faculty, staff, and students can call (512) 245-2161 and select option 2 to schedule a COVID-19 PCR test in the Student Health Center in Round Rock. Tests are sent to Clinical Pathology Laboratories (CPL) for analysis. Results will be sent to the patient through the patient portal. At-home rapid antigen tests are available for purchase.
Operating Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
What to Do If You Are Sick
Symptoms of COVID-19
COVID-19 illness may present like a cold or allergies. Symptoms can appear 2–14 days after exposure to the virus. Illness may be mild to severe. It is important to test for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms of a cold or allergy. Some of the more common symptoms of COVID-19 are listed below.

- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Headache
- Persistent cough
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Fever
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- New loss of taste or smell
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
For more information, see the CDC's Symptoms of COVID-19.
Next Steps If You Are Ill
Review the common symptoms of COVID-19.
Isolate yourself immediately if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Individuals with COVID-19 sometimes experience mild symptoms, few symptoms, or no symptoms at all.
Get tested for COVID-19. Viral testing is recommended at least 5 days after last exposure to COVID-19. If you are not aware of particular COVID-19 exposure but have developed symptoms, test right away. For more information, see the CDC's page on COVID-19 Testing.
Remain in isolation until your test result is available. If you take a rapid test, you should receive your result within minutes. If you receive laboratory testing, you may have to wait for your test result for one or more days.
Contact instructors and supervisors. You are encouraged to directly contact your instructors and supervisors to make arrangements while you wait for your test result and in the event your test result comes back positive.
If the test result is positive, review the following section, "Next Steps After Receiving a Positive COVID-19 Test."
If the test result is negative, you may return to work and school once your symptoms have improved and you are fever-free for 24 hours without taking a fever-reducing medicine.
What to Do If You Test Positive
Next Steps After Receiving a Positive COVID-19 Test

Isolate. It is important to complete your isolation following the steps outlined on the CDC's webpage for Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19. A calculator is available at the top of the page to help you determine your isolation period. If symptoms worsen or fail to improve during your isolation period, seek medical attention.
If at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19, get treatment. Review the CDC's COVID-19 Information for Specific Groups of People to assess your level of risk. You may also wish to review the CDC's page on COVID-19 Treatments and Medications.
Contact your instructors and supervisors. Notify instructors and supervisors that you will be away from class and work due to a medically necessary absence. For extended isolation, a medical note may be required by an instructor or supervisor.
If living on campus, contact your residence hall director.
Face Masks
Choosing the Right Mask

When choosing a face covering, select the most protective mask or respirator you can that fits well and can be worn consistently.
Masks are made to contain the particles you breathe, cough, or sneeze out and can provide some protection from the particles spread by others. Like masks, respirators can contain the particles you breathe, cough, or sneeze out, but they also protect you by filtering the air you breathe in.
Loosely woven cloth masks offer the least protection, while layered finely woven products offer more. The most protective masks are disposable surgical masks that prevent leaks at the nose, chin, and sides of face.
Respirators, such as N95s and KN95s, offer the highest level of protection and are recommended for higher risk situations and for people at risk for severe disease.
For more information on mask selection, see the CDC's webpage on Types of Masks and Respirators.
When to Wear a Mask
At any time, you can wear a mask based on your personal preference and risk level. When your local COVID-19 community level is high, the CDC recommends wearing a mask in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.
There are a number of situations where the CDC recommends choosing a mask with greater protection:
- For people who are immunocompromised, older adults, and people with certain underlying medical conditions
- When caring for someone who is sick
- If you are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations
For more information on when to wear masks, see the CDC's webpage on Use and Care of Masks.
Travel Guidance
Recommendations for Safe Travel
Travel is not recommended for those with COVID-19 symptoms, those awaiting test results or who have tested positive for COVID-19, or those who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19. Before traveling, you should review the COVID-19 Community Level at your destination.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs for Faculty
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What should I do if I am exposed to someone positive for COVID-19?
If you have had close contact with someone positive for COVID-19, review the CDC's What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19 webpage to determine which precautions you are required to take.
Get tested at least 5 full days after your last close contact with someone infectious with COVID-19. If your test result is positive, follow CDC guidance for Isolation and notify your department chair/school director to make arrangements for continuity of instruction.
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If I test positive for COVID-19 but am asymptomatic, what should I do about teaching in-person classes?
Review the CDC's Isolation page for guidance about isolation and additional safety measures. Faculty who are absent from class should also coordinate with their chairs/directors to ensure continuity of instruction.
An asymptomatic faculty member who teaches face-to-face classes may briefly transition to remote learning for an isolation period by using Zoom, Teams, Canvas, or other tools. These transitions, which may be due to emergency or unforeseeable events, do not count against the in-person contact hours required by instruction modes. The university recognizes the flexibility needed during times of emergencies and unforeseeable events.
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What should I do if a student reports they are positive for COVID-19?
If a student reports that they have tested positive for COVID-19, you should keep the information confidential and recommend that they follow CDC guidance for next steps. The CDC has developed an Isolation Calculator to help cases determine the appropriate dates for isolation. After completing a five-day isolation period, students should wear a face mask for an additional five days. Faculty have discretion in managing student absences related to COVID-19 and should determine appropriate arrangements for students who miss class.
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Do I alert my class, department, or colleagues if one of my students tests positive for COVID-19?
No. All employees, including faculty, must safeguard the privacy of infected persons. Releasing the names of students who tested positive for COVID-19, or their close contacts, violates their privacy and confidentiality.
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Do I alert my class or department if several students report a positive test for COVID-19 in a week?
With COVID-19 continuing to circulate in our communities, it would not be unusual to receive several reports of positive tests during the course of a semester. However, an instructor who receives a significantly greater number of positive reports in a class during a week may choose to inform their class of the higher number of positive cases and encourage students to get tested.
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How do I handle student absences from class or campus work due to COVID-19?
As in the past, faculty have discretion in managing student absences, including those due to illness. Faculty members determine appropriate arrangements for students who miss class. Faculty should encourage students who test positive for COVID-19 to follow CDC recommendations for isolation. A calculator is available to determine the appropriate dates for isolation and other safety measures.
If a face-to-face class has a large number of absences and the instructor experiences difficulty in managing make-up assignments and course delivery, remote learning and alternative strategies are at the instructor’s discretion. For example, the instructor may choose to temporarily use Zoom so absent students are able to observe lectures and class activities. An instructor may record and distribute lectures, add discussion boards in Canvas, create substitute assignments, or implement some other plan.
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Where can I find answers to additional COVID-19 questions?
If you did not see an answer to your question in the FAQs above, you may submit it to shccovid@txstate.edu. In your email, do not include any protected health information or identifying information for persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19. You should receive a response to your question within one day Monday through Friday.
FAQs for Supervisors
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What should I do if an employee reports they are positive for COVID-19?
If an employee indicates they are positive for COVID-19, keep the information confidential. Encourage them to review the CDC's Isolation guidance for information on how to isolate and additional safety measures. An isolation calculator is available at the top of the page to help individuals determine the appropriate isolation period.
Employees who test positive for COVID-19 should complete an isolation period before returning to work on campus. If the employee is asymptomatic and requests short-term remote work, a supervisor may approve the request without submitting a remote work agreement. Eligible employees may use up to 30 workdays in a fiscal year. Visit UPPS 04.04.01 General Workplace Policy to learn more.
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What should I do if an employee reports being exposed to someone positive for COVID-19?
An employee who reports being in close contact with a person positive for COVID-19 should review the CDC's page on What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19.
All employees, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a face mask for 10 days following their last exposure and should monitor for symptoms throughout this period.
Testing for COVID-19 should be conducted at least 5 full days after last exposure to the positive case. If your test result is positive, follow the isolation protocol described on the CDC's Isolation page.
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Should I notify other employees in the department if an employee reports being positive for COVID-19?
No. All employees, including supervisors, must safeguard the privacy of the infected person. Case information should be shared only with those persons who need to know and who may have action to take. Outside of these circumstances, information about positive cases or close contacts is confidential and should not be shared.
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Should I notify other employees in the department if several employees report being positive for COVID-19 in a week?
With COVID-19 continuing to circulate in our communities, it would not be unusual to receive multiple reports of positive tests over the course of several weeks or months. However, a supervisor who receives several positive reports from employees in the same department within a week may choose to inform the rest of the employees in the department of the higher number of positive cases and encourage employees to get tested.
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Is remote work an option for employees in isolation who do not feel ill?
Yes. Short-term remote work no longer requires the submission of a remote work agreement, though supervisor approval is still required. Under the short-term remote work program, eligible employees may use up to 30 workdays in a fiscal year. Visit UPPS 04.04.01. General Workplace Policy to learn more.
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Where can I find answers to additional COVID-19 questions?
If you did not see an answer to your question in the FAQs above, you may submit it to shccovid@txstate.edu. In your email, do not include any protected health information or identifying information for persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19. You should receive a response to your question within one day Monday through Friday.
FAQs for Students
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What should I do if I am exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19?
If you have been in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, please review the CDC's page on What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19. Safety precautions, including wearing a mask and monitoring for symptoms, are required for 10 full days following exposure.
Testing for COVID-19 should be conducted at least 5 full days after your last exposure to the positive case. If your test result is positive, follow the isolation protocol described on the CDC's Isolation page.
If you are required to isolate, you should contact your professors, and supervisor if applicable, to notify them that you will be away from class or work due to a medically necessary absence.
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What should I do if I test positive for COVID-19?
Students who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home away from others. The CDC's Isolation Calculator can be used to help you determine your isolation period and when it is safe to return to class or work. A face mask should be worn for an additional 5 days after ending isolation.
Students should also contact their professors, and supervisor if applicable, to notify them that they will be away from class or work due to a medically necessary absence.
If you live in a residence hall, you should isolate yourself, wear a face mask, and notify your residence hall director.
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Do I have to provide a negative COVID-19 test to return to class or work?
No. A negative test is not required. After completing the recommended 5-day isolation period, students with confirmed cases of COVID-19 may return to class or work. However, if a student is still visibly ill, an instructor or supervisor can require them to leave the class or workplace if symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for the last 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Students should wear a face mask when around others for an additional 5 days after leaving isolation.
Getting a rapid antigen test at the end of isolation is recommended and a good way to determine if you are still infectious. However, an antigen test is not required to return to class or work. For more information on antigen testing following isolation, please review the CDC's Isolation page.
For extended isolation, a medical note may be required by an instructor or supervisor.
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Can a professor/instructor require me to provide a medical excuse if I am absent due to COVID-19?
Students are expected to notify their professors/instructors in cases of absence due to COVID-19. Faculty have discretion in managing student absences, including those due to illness. Faculty members determine appropriate arrangements for students who miss class. If an extended absence from class is required, a professor may request that a student provide some form of medical documentation substantiating the need for the extended absence.
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Where can I find answers to additional COVID-19 questions?
If you did not see an answer to your question in the FAQs above, you may submit it to shccovid@txstate.edu. In your email, do not include any protected health information or identifying information for persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19. You should receive a response to your question within one day Monday through Friday.
University Statements
Jun 6, 2022 Read More about Managing an Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic
Jan 25, 2022 Read More about COVID-19 Update: Reducing Risk During Spring Semester
Jan 14, 2022 Read More about Guidance for Spring 2022 Courses and Instruction