Health Alerts
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Last updated/reviewed 5:12 PM MST, 5/27/20
To date there have been 14 positive COVID-19 tests among University of Arizona community members.
CAMPUS HEALTH REMAINS OPEN
PLEASE CALL BEFORE YOU COME IN.
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).
All non-essential/routine healthcare services are suspended until further notice due to COVID-19. Please check back here for updates on when those services will re-open. Please call (520) 621-9202 if you have any questions.
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.
For antibody testing registration and FAQs, visit the COVID-19 Antibody Testing website.
Note: Current testing capacity has been reached for all groups. Check the above website for updates.
There is a lot of information out there about the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the CDC's dedicated COVID-19 page with facts, resources, and latest updates. According to the CDC, we should use this time to plan and prepare for COVID-19.
HEALTH
PROTECT YOURSELF:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- More prevention tips here.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING:
Everyone has a role to play to reduce and slow transmission of COVID-19. This means avoiding crowded places and maintaining a healthy distance from others when possible. This helps protect ourselves and others from exposure, decreases the strain on our healthcare system, and ultimately save lives.
MENTAL HEALTH:
Coping with stress related to COVID-19
Want to talk? Call CAPS at (520) 621-3334. Online counseling appointments and online groups are available right away.
If you’re feeling alone or struggling, text TALK to 741741 or call 1-800-274-TALK.
HEALTH & WELLNESS:
Take Charge of Your Well-Being in 2020
Follow us @UAZCampusHealth
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS:
According to the CDC, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of these symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- New loss of taste or smell
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- More information on COVID-19 symptoms
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.
UNIVERSITY PREPAREDNESS
COVID-19 Updates & Guidance From The University of Arizona
TRAVELINTERNATIONAL 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:
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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.
Yes! Please download, print and post the following:
COVID-19: Prevention is Key (pdf)
COVID-19: Prevention is Key (jpeg)
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.
Please see this link for relevant COVID-19 info for J-1 scholars.
Campus Health is now 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.
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 good news is you can reduce your risk of COVID-19 by following these everyday prevention practices:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Practice physical distancing
Yes. Should your department choose to screen essential/on-campus staff, please use and adapt the Campus Health Daily Wellness Check Protocol.