Posted at 1:45 p.m.

As colleges and universities revise their plans for in-person learning, students may be returning to Fairfax County from institutions that are experiencing increases in the number of COVID-19 cases. To limit the spread of COVID-19 to family members and others in your household and in the community, the Fairfax County Health Department advises returning students to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Quarantine is used to reduce contact between well persons who have been exposed to someone who is sick with COVID-19 and others.

Quarantine means you do the following:

Stay home and avoid contact with others . Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Do not leave the house except for essential trip such as medical appointments. Do not take public transportation, taxis or ride shares.

. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Do not leave the house except for essential trip such as medical appointments. Do not take public transportation, taxis or ride shares. At home, minimize contact with other members of the household . Use a separate bathroom if possible and try to keep your distance from others. Wash hands frequently and clean and disinfect “high-touch” surfaces (doorknobs, counters, toilets, faucets, TV remotes, etc.). Do not share personal items.

. Use a separate bathroom if possible and try to keep your distance from others. Wash hands frequently and clean and disinfect “high-touch” surfaces (doorknobs, counters, toilets, faucets, TV remotes, etc.). Do not share personal items. Monitor for symptoms . Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough, trouble breathing or other symptoms of illness.

. Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough, trouble breathing or other symptoms of illness. Keep at least six feet from others and wear a mask.

Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms during the 14-day period, or who are contacted by public health because they were in close contact with a person with COVID-19, should call their health care provider to arrange for testing. Testing is available throughout the Fairfax community.

If you’re returning home after living on a college campus where there has been an outbreak of COVID-19, you should still quarantine whether or not you had a known contact with a person infected with COVID-19.

Learn more about isolating and quarantining on our Health Department’s webpage.

Quarantine-Related Stress and Mental Health

It is normal for individuals who are in quarantine or who have been released from quarantine to experience a variety of feelings, including fear, stress, sadness or anger. Here are five tips to promote positive mental health during this time:

Engage in self-enhancing activities. Limit exposure to news about the pandemic. Exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. Invest time in relationships. Embrace the gifts around you.

Resources to manage your stress are available here.