Coronavirus Information Center

The official name is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. It is a new respiratory virus (a novel coronavirus) that was previously unknown until it was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. 

There is no vaccination or cure for COVID-19. Antiviral medications used for influenza and other viral infections aren’t shown to improve or treat the virus. That said, there are supportive measures that can help to relieve symptoms. Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department.

While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has not definitively determined how COVID-19 is spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that it is primarily spread through person-to-person close contact with an infected person. The spread of infection can occur when a susceptible person comes in contact with the virus and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth, or by inhaling infectious droplets from someone who has COVID-19.

The most common symptoms reported are mild-to-severe respiratory illness with cough and fever. More severe infections can cause difficulty breathing and require immediate medical attention. Visit the CDC for more information about symptoms.

Social distancing is a strategy to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Methods of social distancing include staying away from crowds, avoiding public transportation (e.g., bus, subway, taxi, ride share), and maintaining distance  from others (approximately six feet or two meters).

The best way to prevent infection is by avoiding exposure to the virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC recommends the following preventative actions:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, 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 cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Practice social distancing

Mass entry screening is a way to minimize the risk that those entering the workplace have a current infection. The screening includes a combination of symptom questionnaires and temperature checks.

Mass entry screening is one of the most effective strategies to reduce the risk of transmission on campus and increase safety for employees. By requiring employees to complete symptom questionnaires and temperature checks prior to entering, employers have a better understanding of whether an individual is experiencing symptoms in line with COVID-19.

As employers begin to reopen their doors and bring populations back to the workplace, it’s critical employee health and safety is priority. Mass entry screening helps protect the health and safety of employees and minimizes the risk of future outbreaks.

It is recommended by the CDC that screenings, inclusive of symptom questionnaires and temperature checks, be done daily, by shift, and throughout the day based on entry and departure of employees and visitors.

There are a number of simple processes and practices employers can put in place to protect employee health as individuals come back to the workplace, including:

1. Ensure employees have the ability to maintain good hygiene
2. Encourage employees to stay home if they are not feeling well
3. Implement key workplace controls to mitigate disease transmission risks
4. Encourage work from home to a greater extent
5. Support the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to improve personnel safety

Care navigation is an approach to care that helps individuals navigate their healthcare journey to ensure they get the care they need and have a positive outcome. In the context of COVID-19, this approach is used to help people with a confirmed or suspected positive diagnosis navigate their symptoms in quarantine. Care navigators help individuals stay connected to care by proactively reaching out to check in, verify their symptom status, and assess their overall wellbeing, while providing support and answering questions.

From a return to the workplace standpoint, care navigation takes shape in two ways:

1. A care navigator can assist someone who has been sick in safely returning to the workplace by ensuring they follow proper screening protocols and enter only if they pass.
2. A care navigator can help an employee who does not pass proper screening protocols with the appropriate care plan to address symptoms at home until healthy enough to return.

Contact tracing is a strategy to mitigate COVID-19. Contact tracers reach out to those who have been in contact with an individual who has tested positive, providing them with early warning of their exposure and the opportunity to self-quarantine. This approach helps breaks chains of transmission, which prevents spikes in cases and supports safer communities and workplaces.