Miami University student-athletes instructed to quarantine for 14 days

August 25, 2020
For Immediate Release
Contact: Butler County General Health District, 513-863-1770                               

Jennifer Bailer, BCGHD Health Commissioner says, “Decisions must be made swiftly in order to contain an outbreak. Due to the large numbers of  positive COVID test results and symptomatic individuals within this group, casting a wide net was the most prudent option as so many athletes have had high-risk exposures. This decision was made in collaboration with Miami University in order to try to contain further spread of COVID-19 both on and off campus.”

This quarantine is a legally enforceable order made by the BCGHD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all quarantines, this order requires individuals to quarantine in place. That means the person placed in quarantine is not permitted to leave their home except for urgent medical needs (and should phone ahead to a health care provider so appropriate measures of protection can be implemented). Persons under quarantine are not permitted to travel by car, bus, ride sharing (e.g. Uber and/or Lyft), plane or any other vehicle, nor are they permitted to be picked up by others and transported to another location. They are to stay in their quarantine location for a full 14 days. Everyone in quarantine has received a letter detailing what is permitted/not permitted.

While in quarantine, food delivery or online shopping is allowable, and communication with others via phone, computer etc. is certainly permitted and encouraged. Students can attend online classes, but not in person classes.

Everyone in quarantine should monitor for symptoms twice daily including a temperature and symptom checks. The symptoms to monitor are as follows:

1. Fever: Temperature higher than 100.4° even if you don’t feel feverish. If you feel feverish with a temperature higher than your normal.
2. Chills
3. Cough
4. Shortness of Breath or new difficulty breathing
5. New fatigue
6.  New muscle or body aches
7. New headache
8. New loss of taste or smell
9. Sore throat
10. New Congestion or runny nose
11. Nausea or vomiting
12. New diarrhea

If you develop any of these symptoms, please contact a healthcare provider and ask about being tested. Please do not walk-in without calling ahead to any healthcare provider if you believe that you have the symptoms of COVID-19. BCGHD will monitor this evolving situation with the hope that COVID-19 spread is contained.

Upon returning to Oxford, students signed a code of conduct agreeing to follow Health District guidelines related to the COVID-19 response efforts, including following an order to quarantine.  BCGHD continues to work in tandem with the University to identify and do contact tracing in order to identify others that were potentially exposed. Cooperation from everyone is strongly encouraged.

A process is in place whereby someone who had no contact with student athletes can receive an exemption to this quarantine, however it is felt that will involve only a very few persons. BCGHD is happy to discuss such situations, and give a release letter if warranted. Please send an email to BOH@butlercountyohio.org

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