Families of college students across the country are struggling to figure out how to welcome college students back home safely for Thanksgiving.
Local 4′s Paula Tutman, along with her twin sister, Lisa Tutman-Oglesby, have been gnashing over COVID-19 and Thanksgiving.
Cameron, a senior at Duke University, has been remote learning for eight months, but his sister Jordan got back from Christopher Newport University Monday night.
“My concerns are just like everyone else’s concerns,” Tutman-Oglesby said. “We run the risk of getting infected.”
Cameron has been isolating and quarantining inside his bedroom and will continue to do so. When he does come out, everyone wears masks.
How long will it take, and what’s the protocol to eventually unlock Jordan from ‘outsider-status’?
“I haven’t really left the house since March,” Cameron said.
Jordan wants to know how long she has to stay in quarantine.
Local 4′s Dr. Frank McGeorge said two weeks. Whether your inbound college student has been tested or quarantined at school, the clock restarts the moment you come face-to-face.
That means there are no welcome-home hugs or kisses, no eating and speaking unmasked while in the same room, don’t share food or utensils and maintain physical distance until day 15.
When your college student comes home from school, it’s not just about your family, but being smart and cautious because when that college student returns to school, they could impact other families as well.
You can watch Paula Tutman’s full story in the video above.