Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that range from the common cold to other viruses like MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Coronaviruses commonly circulate in animals and sometimes also infect humans.

COVID-19, is a new respiratory disease first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The outbreak in Wuhan has been connected to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting a possible animal source to the outbreak.

Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surface.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:

More can be found at CDC COVID-19 Symptoms. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia and other complications, especially for older individuals and those with other health conditions.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you have any of these emergency warning signs* for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. If possible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

It can be spread between humans through close personal contact, such as coughing or sneezing, touching surfaces with coronavirus on them and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

There is much more to learn about the spread, severity and other features of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after contact with someone who has COVID-19. 

More can be found at CDC COVID-19 Symptoms.

According to the CDC's prevention site:

• Get vaccinated.
  
• Wear a mask indoors, on public transportation and outdoors in crowded areas. Chancellor Gibson has extended his order on mask use until March 18, 2022.
  
• Stay 6 feet away from others
  
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces
  
• Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
  
• Cover coughs and sneezes
  
• Clean and disinfect.
  
• Monitor your health daily.
  
• Stay home when you are sick and avoid contact with those who are sick.
  

See also

• CDC Infographic: Stop the Spread of Germs
  
  

Coronavirus symptoms and flu symptoms can be similar. 

• If you are a student and have symptoms, call the Student Health Service at 715-346-4646 for further evaulation.
  
  
• If you have mild symptoms (runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, body aches, fever) or mild illness for which you would not normally seek care, testing is not recommended. However, if you think you have been around someone who has been sick with COVID-19 and have mild symptoms it is recommend you stay home and self-isolate yourself (stay away from others) for 14 days. You also must be fever free with no other acute symptoms for 72 hours. Self-isolation guidance can be found through the CDC.
  
  

• If you have mild symptoms and are an older adult, have chronic disease and or immune issues and you think you were around some who has been sick with COVID-19 you should contact your physician and discuss symptoms and testing. You also should self-isolate for 14 days, be fever free with no other acute symptoms for 72 hours.
  

• If anyone has severe symptoms (difficulty breathing, chest pain, and/or difficulty arousing), they should call their provider immediately or if necessary 911. “If you are healthy and have mild symptoms, you should manage your illness at home.” Hersil shared. “By staying home, you avoid putting other people at risk. For the same reason, stay home from work if you have a flu-like illness. Most people do not need a test for COVID-19.” It is very important if individuals develop severe symptoms, they call their health care provider before seeking care. Your doctor will determine if you should be tested for COVID-19.
  

If your symptoms worsen to high fever, chest pain and/or difficulty breathing:

1.   First, isolate yourself from others. Follow CDC isolation guidelines.

2.   Submit an online report.

• Students, complete this form to notify UW-Stevens Point if you have tested positive for COVID-19, if you are awaiting test results or if you have been notified you were a close contact of someone who tests positive. 
  
• Faculty and staff, complete the form when you have tested positive for COVID-19 and you have physically been on campus during the past seven days.
  

3.   Notify close contacts, who should quarantine for up to 10 days per UWSP policy.

• Use the WI Exposure Notification App.
  
• What if I want to remain anonymous but still notify my close contacts?
  The online tool "Tell Your Contacts" allows for anonymous text or email notifications. To send notifications from this tool:

1. Visit tellyourcontacts.org.
2. Select email or text notification.
3. Enter your contacts' information and exposure date.
4. Select either the pre-written message or customize your own. You do not need to enter your name.
5. Send your message.
   

For the 14 days after possible close contact, you should monitor yourself for symptoms.

Self-monitoring instructions:

• If possible, take your temperature twice a day with a thermometer. A fever is typically a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater. If you do not have a thermometer, symptoms of fever may include feeling unusually hot for no reason, having chills or having the sweats.
  
• Watch for fever, cough, runny nose, headache, shortness of breath/trouble breathing.
  
• If you develop any symptoms, call your healthcare provider for further instructions.
  
• If you are considered a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19, the local health department will contact you for further instructions.
  

You are a close contact if ANY of the following situations happened while you spent time with the person with COVID-19, even if they didn't have symptoms:

• Had direct physical contact with the person (for example, a hug, kiss or handshake)
  
• Were within six feet of the person for a total of more than 15 minutes in a single day
  
• Had contact with the person's respiratory secretions (were coughed or sneezed on; contact with a dirty tissue; shared a drinking glass, food, towels, or other personal items)
  
• Live with the person or stayed overnight at least one night in a household with the person.
  

Isolation keeps a person who tested positive for COVID-19 away from others, even in their own home. The person may be showing symptoms, but may also be symptom free.

If you test positive for COVID-19 or think you have the disease, you should isolate in your home, away from others until:

• At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared AND
  
• You have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND
  
• Other symptoms have improved
  

If you test postive for COVID-19, but do not have symptoms, you should still isolate in your home, away from others:

• Stay home until after 10 days have passed since your positive test.

Quarantine keeps a person who was a close contact to someone who has COVID-19 away from others. It can take up to 14 days for a person who was exposed to develop symptoms. Quarantining while you are not sick allows you to limit the number of people you have contact with in the event you become ill.

If you had close contact with a person who has COVID-19:

• Stay home until 14 days after your last contact.
  
• Check your temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
  
• If possible, stay away from people who are at higher-risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
  

Even those who initially test negative need to quarantine for the following reasons:

• Stay home. This means do not go to school, work, public areas or attend large gatherings such as parties, weddings, meetings and sporting events. If you need medical care, call your health care provider. Call ahead before you go to your doctor's office or to an emergency room. Tell them your symptoms and that you traveled to an area that has a COVID-19 outbreak.
  
• Do not use public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.
  
• Do not go out to restaurants or have guests over to your house.
  
• Avoid sharing personal household items, such as dishes, drinking glasses, cups, utensils, towels or bedding.
  
• Postpone any travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, you must contact your local health department first for instructions. Please know, if you choose to travel and become ill while you are away, you may not be able to return home using public transport (for example, air travel) until you are well and released from possible isolation by the local health department.
  
• Wash your hands often and practice good hygiene.
  
• As long as you feel healthy, you may leave the home (in a private vehicle) for a limited time to take care of routine and necessary activities, such as grocery shoppin or visiting the pharmacy. Try to avoid busy times of the day.
  
• Postpone all nonessential mediacal appointments (for example, dental cleaning, eye exam, routine check-up) until you are out of quarantine. If you have an essential appointment during the quarantine, please call your provider ahead of time and tell them that you traveled to an area experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. Your local health department may also be able to help you.
  
• Consider minimizing contact with people and animals in your home (stay in your own room and, if possible, use your own bathroom.) Avoid sharing personal household items such as dishes, towels and bedding.
  

• In the sick person's bedroom/bathroom, reduce cleaning to as-needed (ex: soiled items and surfaces) to avoid unnecessary contact with the person.
  
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in common areas (ex: tables, countertops, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, sinks, tablets, phones).
  
• If surfaces are dirty, clean with soap and water before disinfecting.
  
• For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
  
• Prepare a bleach solution by mixing: 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.
  
• Do not shake dirty laundry. This will minimize the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air. If possible, wash items using the warmest water setting.
  

If you need help:

• Students: UW-Stevens Point's Student Counseling Center is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 715-346-3553. 
• Employees: The Employee Assistance Program is available to assist you with resources, guidance and support.
• SilverCloud, an online behavior health tool, is also available for the campus community. Learn more at  https://uwsystem.silvercloudhealth.com/signup. 
  

Recognizing Distress - A Self-Check List

• Increased anxiety, worry, fear, and feelings of being overwhelmed
  
• Depressive symptoms that persist and/or intensify
• Inability to focus or concentrate accompanied by decreased academic performance
• A feeling of hopelessness and/or a paralyzing fear about the future
• Sudden anger and disruptive behaviors or noticeable changes in personality
• Sleep difficulties
• Excessive crying
• Isolating or withdrawing from others, fear of going into public situations
• Unhealthy coping (e.g., increased alcohol or drug use, engaging in risky/impulsive behaviors)
  

Psychological Health Tips

• Acknowledge reactions. Allow yourself time to reflect on what you are feeling and how you may be reacting to any fears and uncertainties of the future.
• Maintain your day-to-day normal activities and social outlets. Resist withdrawing and isolating yourself from the support and caring that others can provide.
• Seek accurate information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and limit exposure to social media and news reports that provide no new information.
• Pay attention to positive news instead of only focusing on negative and fear-producing reports.
• Follow protection and prevention tips given by medical professionals such as Student Health Service here on campus, national medical authorities and your own medical doctor.
• Practice calming rituals. Stay grounded in the present moment, which can help you maintain an internal sense of stability and balance when outside events feel threatening.
• Seek supports & use campus resources. Reach out to friends and family and learn about campus resources available. If you or someone you know has high distress that does not seem to be lessening, talk about it with others. Students can make an appointment to visit the counseling center. Employees can reach out to the Employee Assistance Program. See contact numbers for each under Additional Support below. Your campus community is here to help!

Avoid Stigmatizing or Generalizing

• Be aware of your behavior or attitude change towards others from another country
• Avoid generalizing anyone who is sick as potentially having the 2019 novel coronavirus
• Examine any irrational or rigid thoughts that can exist when there is uncertainty

Public health officials, including the CDC and WHO, recommend that wearing face coverings to protect others, especially when physical distancing is difficult to maintain.

UW-Stevens Point requires that all who come to our campuses should wear a face covering:

• In all indoor public spaces except students in their assigned residence hall rooms and employees when alone in a private, unshared office or lab;
• While riding in a campus bus or when two or more people are present in a university vehicle:

Masks are not required outdoors but may be worn if you choose, especially in areas where physical distancing cannot be maintained. This is part of our ongoing effort to protect health and safety and to slow the spread of coronavirus in our communities. 

The CDC advises using simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings made from household items or common materials at low cost at home can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure. See this CDC page for more, including how to make face coverings. These face coverings are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.Those critical supplies must continue to be reserved for health care workers and other medical first responders.

The key point is that cloth masks are not intended to provide protection to the person wearing it. Rather, cloth masks decrease the risk of that individual spreading the virus when they are asymptomatic or having mild symptoms of early illness. This is to protect the general public and help decrease the spread.

If an employee is not wearing a face covering, gently ask them to do so, following university policy. Be aware that some may need an accommodation, may need frequent breaks from wearing a cover or they may wear a different type of covering. If an employee refuses to comply, refer them to the university guidelines, particularly the COVID-19 page. Please report non-compliance to your supervisor, not Police and Security Services.

If a student refuses to comply, resources are available. See Guidance to Faculty and Instructors Regarding Face Coverings in the Classroom for suggested language and steps on enforcing the mask requirement. 

UW-Stevens Point has taken proactive measures to reduce the risk of the novel coronavirus on our campuses. The university encourages its students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated. The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff members are top priorities. UWSP Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is monitoring the situation, working closely with university leadership and state and county public health officials.

UWSP Facility Services - Custodial Work Unit, which services all academic, residential and administrative buildings and university centers on campus, uses a Clorox® Total 360® System, an innovative disinfecting system. This helps keep our students, faculty, staff members and visitors safe from harmful germs and illnesses, such as fast-spreading stomach, norovirus and flu bugs. Learn more.

Each of us has a role in preventing the spread of any illness. Thank you for doing your part to stay healthy and to stay home if you are ill.

See guidelines here for testing.

In spite of our diligent efforts and extensive precautions to prepare our campus for a safe return, COVID cases do occur. 

If you have symptoms or are a close contact, follow this flow chart for both students and employees, vaccinated or unvaccinated.