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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Last updated/reviewed 2:26 PM MST, 7/7/20

To date there have been 53 positive COVID-19 tests among University of Arizona community members.

CAMPUS HEALTH REMAINS OPEN. PLEASE CALL BEFORE YOU COME IN.

You will be connected with one of our medical or mental health providers.  This call-first procedure is in place to better serve you, increase efficiency, and ultimately minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure for the UA community.
 

Medical: (520) 621-9202 | After Hours: (520) 570-7898
Counseling & Psych Services (CAPS) 24/7: (520) 621-3334

Going forward, many appointments will be done via phone or Zoom Health (HIPAA compliant).

Campus Health phone, location, hours and services

COVID-19 TESTING

Campus Health is testing for COVID-19 - please call (520) 621-9202 before you come in. 

We are testing individuals who are concerned that they are infected with or have been exposed to COVID-19. We continue to test only students, staff, and faculty of the University at this time. Campus Health providers will evaluate patients and order testing if appropriate.

Arizona Health Care Working and First Responder COVID-19 Antibody Testing Website

HEALTH

HOW COVID-19 SPREADS:

COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person. Some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus. We are still learning about how the virus spreads and the severity of illness it causes.   For more information, visit the CDC.

PROTECT YOURSELF & OTHERS

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. You can take steps to slow the spread:

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS:

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Headache
  • Muscle or body aches
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose

IF YOU FEEL SICK:

  • Stay home: people who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness.
  • Monitor your symptoms and seek prompt medical attention if your illness is worsening (e.g., difficulty breathing).  If seeking medical care, call the doctor's office or emergency room ahead and tell them about your symptoms.
  • Find out more from the CDC: What To Do If You Are Sick
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Guidance for Persons Potentially Exposed to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus
2019 新型冠状病毒潜在接触者指南

Currently there is no vaccine for COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to practice the above prevention practices and avoid being exposed.

MENTAL HEALTH:

HEALTH & WELLNESS:

UNIVERSITY PREPAREDNESS

COVID-19 Updates & Guidance From The University of Arizona | All Campus Communications

TRAVEL

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL UPDATE

The Department of State has elevated the Global Health Advisory, which pertains to all international travel destinations, to Level 4 – Do not Travel.

Effective immediately, all future international travel for academic and business reasons by University of Arizona faculty, staff, and students shall not be authorized until further notice due to the current outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

U.S. citizens and permanent residents returning to the United States after traveling abroad should self-quarantine for 14 days and thereafter practice social distancing and stay home except for to complete essential errands. Please see the CDC’s Travel guidelines website for more information.  

Foreign nationals may be barred entry back into the United States. Please see the CDC announcement on travelers prohibited from entry to the U.S. for more information.

DOMESTIC OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL UPDATE

Effective immediately, all non-essential domestic out-of-state academic and business travel for University of Arizona faculty, staff, and students is suspended, and will not be authorized until further notice, due to the current outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). If travel is deemed as essential, approval will need to be obtained from the appropriate Senior Vice President responsible for your unit. If you are returning to campus from academic and business travel, and in particular if you have visited places that have known COVID-19 community spread, you are strongly urged to self-quarantine at home for two weeks following CDC guidelines.

More information and advice for travelers can be found through the CDC.

CDC: COVID-19 Travel in the US

Travel Registry Coronavirus page

FAQs

If you have received a positive COVID-19 test result, follow the advice of your health care provider and review these recommendations:

What to do if you tested positive for COVID-19 guide

When Can I Be With Others? [video]

The University of Arizona is actively tracking COVID-19 positive-test cases in our community to protect public health while taking great care to respect the privacy of individuals.

Here is what we are doing:

  1. Posting confirmed aggregate COVID-19 positive-test case numbers among University of Arizona community members on our website.  This number reflects students, faculty and staff who have a confirmed positive lab test.
  2. Providing guidance on how students, faculty and staff can inform their close contacts of their positive COVID-19 result to limit its potential spread.  Individuals know their contacts best and can communicate this information rapidly to alert them.
  3. Informing the campus community of potential exposures that take place on campus or through University of Arizona official business functions.  These general exposure notices are in the interest of public health but protect the privacy of individuals by not including names of positive-test individuals.
  4. Working closely with the Pima County Health Department on reported positive cases. Trained students in the College of Public Health who are part of the Student Aid for Field Epidemiology Response (SAFER) team are collaboratively working with the PCHD to reach out to confirmed cases.

Please note that with COVID-19 now in our community, current physical distancing practices are designed to protect people as if exposure to the disease is always a risk.  Limiting contacts by working from home, suspending in-person classes, etc., are actions we are taking to reduce these risks. 

We ask that everyone act with compassion and respect the privacy of members of our community who may have tested positive for COVID-19.

The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

Please note that these cloth face coverings are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

More info:

CDC: Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow Spread of COVID-19

CDC: Cloth Face Covering FAQs

CDC: How to Safely Wear & Take Off a Cloth Face Covering

No. Cold water with soap is just as effective at removing germs during hand washing. 

According to the CDC, the “temperature of the water does not appear to affect microbe removal; however, warmer water may cause more skin irritation and is more environmentally costly.”

More information from the CDC on proper handwashing.

 

Out of concern for your health as well as that of your family, friends and the campus community, the University of Arizona is directing students, faculty, and staff returning from CDC Warning Level 3 countries to self-quarantine and practice physical distancing for 14 days upon return to the United States.   

See the resources above for more information on how to protect your health and the health of those around you.

Campus Health is testing for COVID-19 - please call (520) 621-9202 before you come in. 

We are testing individuals who are concerned that they are infected with or have been exposed to COVID-19. We continue to test only students, staff, and faculty of the University at this time. Campus Health providers will evaluate patients and order testing if appropriate.

Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others.

Isolation is used to separate people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 and those with no symptoms) from people who are not infected.

For more information on quarantine and isolation, visit the CDC (this website is available in multiple languages)

 

 

Campus Health has developed the following guides based on CDC recommendations:

COVID-19 Self-Quarantine Guidelines

COVID-19 Self-Isolation Guidelines 

 

If you are a University Arizona located outside of Pima County, please refer to your local county health department if you are concerned about potential symptoms of COVID-19 or would like additional information.  For example, the Maricopa County Public Health Department is the contact for students residing in Phoenix. 

 

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. You can take steps to slow the spread:

Wildcat WellCheck screens employees and students before they are on campus or in class. This advanced screening will help reduce your risk of COVID-19 and ensure that our campus remains open for in-person learning, teaching, and research.  There are no apps to download or complicated systems to navigate, just answer a few brief questions on your phone via text message.

Here's how it works:

1)  Text JOIN to 1-833-339-0504 on your cellphone

2)  Complete the enrollment link you will receive via text.  This will include setting preferences on the days and times you will want the reminder texts to be sent out.  Set the schedule to correspond to when you plan to be on campus.  

3)  Go to https://wellcheck.arizona.edu/  - click on the "Change My Enrollment Preferences" at the top right corner of the page to change these days and times as needed.