Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)    

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:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

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.

Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing:

• Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms' length) from other people
• Do not gather in groups
• Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings

Meetings should be conducted virtually whenever possible. If a meeting virtually is not possible, then meeting settings should accommodate distance between participants.

According to the CDC, self-monitoring means people should monitor themselves for fever by taking their temperatures twice a day and remain alert for cough or difficulty breathing. If you feel feverish or develop measured fever, cough, or difficulty breathing during the self-monitoring period, you should self-isolate, limit contact with others, and seek advice by telephone from a healthcare provider. Report any symptoms of COVID-19 immediately to your medical provider – preferably by calling to get advice and instructions. Galveston Campus Student Health Services is available (409) 740-4736.

If you are on-campus when symptoms occur you should also notify your Community Leader. Self-isolation is recommended until further guidance is issued by your Community Leader and medical provider.

Monitor yourself for symptoms at least daily including measuring your temperature. Any symptoms of COVID-19 should be reported to your physician. The CDC has provided for download a Check and Report Every Day (CARE) Booklet which helps you understand how to self-monitor your health and how to check your symptoms daily.

• If you are feeling ill, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Students can make an appointment at Student Health Services by visiting the website or by calling (979) 458-8310.
• Please do not show up at a clinic, urgent care or other healthcare facility without calling first. Your provider may need to take special measures to protect other people in the clinic. Telemedicine may also be available, enabling you to consult a provider from home.
• Check with your health insurance provider. If you are a student enrolled in the TAMU Student Health Insurance plan, MD Live is available for you (a medical visit copay applies). If you have symptoms such as a cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your primary care doctor first.
• Practice social distancing. Stay indoors and avoid contact with others, just as you would with the flu. Those with contagious diseases should stay home from work or school until they are well. People with fever, cough and respiratory issues should seek immediate medical attention.
• Employees who have symptoms should notify their supervisor and stay home
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and follow CDC recommended precautions.
• Sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps. Employees should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with healthcare providers.

If you are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 and are asked to self-isolate after returning internationally or from a cruise, you should stay off campus and remain home.

Do not go to campus including work, residence halls and apartments, classes, athletic events or other social gatherings until 14 days after returning from international or cruise travel. Likewise, avoid public places and gatherings in the community.

If you need to retrieve belongings from your on campus residence, contact Campus Living & Learning at maggie_guzman@reslife.tamu.edu. If you are a faculty or staff member and need to retrieve items from your office or work space, please coordinate with your supervisor about the best way to retrieve those items without returning to campus.

Please follow these guidelines for self-isolation:

• Report any symptoms of COVID-19 immediately to your medical provider – preferably by calling to get advice and instructions. TAMU students may call (979) 458-8300. For after-hours contact/inquiries, call the Dial-a-Nurse program at (979) 458-8379.
• Stay in your room or apartment. Do not go to work, classes, athletic events, or other social or religious gatherings until 14 days after leaving the Level 3 country or region.
• Limit contact as much as possible. This also means limiting close contact with others including persons living in your residence.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand rubs after coughing or sneezing or throwing a used tissue in the garbage.
• Avoid sharing household items. Do not share drinking glasses, towels, eating utensils, bedding, or any other items until you are no longer asked to self-isolate.
• Keep your surroundings clean. While the virus is not spread very well from contact with soiled household surfaces, try to clean surfaces that you share with others, such as door knobs, telephones, and bathroom surfaces (or any other object that you sneeze or cough on), with a standard household disinfectant wipe. Wash your hands after cleaning the area.
• Monitor yourself for symptoms at least daily including measuring your temperature. Any symptoms of COVID-19 should be reported to your physician. The CDC has provided for download a Check and Report Every Day (CARE) Booklet which helps you understand how to self-monitor your health and how to check your symptoms daily.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with your upper sleeve or a tissue. Never cough in the direction of someone else.

Before returning to campus from self-isolation, individuals should consult the CDC guidance: Disposition of Non-Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19.

Based on what we know now, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are:

• People 65 years and older
• People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility

People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:

• People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
• People who have serious heart conditions
• People who are immunocompromised
  • Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
• People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
• People with diabetes
• People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
• People with liver disease

At-risk populations should protect themselves by:

• Staying home if possible
• Washing hands often
• Avoiding close contact (6 feet, which is two arm lengths) with people who are sick
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
• Covering the mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
• Covering coughs and sneezes
• Calling a healthcare professional if sick

There is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment to protect against COVID-19. People with mild COVID-19 symptoms may experience symptom relief from supportive care measures such as rest and over-the-counter medications for fever and cough. For severe cases, treatment should include care to support vital organ functions. The best way to prevent infection is to take everyday preventive actions, like avoiding close contact with people who are sick and washing your hands often.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
• Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.

Stay educated on the disease by reading the CDC website. Take care of yourself by doing the following:

• Stay home as much as possible. Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick, such as older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others. 
  • You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected. Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
• Cover coughs and sneezes
  • If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
  • Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily
  • This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• Clean your hands often
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

A summary of the CDC’s guidelines follows:

Wear disposable gloves (e.g. nitrile or latex) when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Disposable gloves are single-use and should be discarded after each cleaning. If disposable gloves are not available, and reusable gloves (e.g. dishwashing gloves) are used instead, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and should not be used for other purposes. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection of products used. Wash hands with soap and water immediately after gloves are removed.

If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Focus on disinfecting other commonly touched surfaces such as keyboards/mouse, touchscreens, furniture (e.g. desk chair arms), coffee pot and refrigerator handles, etc.

For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.

Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.

Prepare a bleach solution by mixing:

• 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water, or
• 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water, or
• 1-part bleach with 9 parts water

A list of products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims, maintained by the American Chemistry Council Center for Biocide Chemistries (CBC), is available on the Novel Coronavirus Fighting Products list. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV2. based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.)

For porous surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces. After cleaning:

Launder items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely, or
Use products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims that are suitable for porous surfaces.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been stressful for many people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause a host of emotional responses.  Counseling & Psychological Services has compiled a page with ways to care for your mental health during these experiences and provides resources for more help. It also describes feelings and thoughts you may have during and after social distancing and/or self-isolation.

• Emergency Resources
  • TAMU HelpLine is still operational 4:00 p.m - 8:00 a.m. and 24 hours on the weekends. They can be reached at 979.845.2700
  • Counseling & Psychological Services COVID-19 Resources Page
  • CDC Guidance on Managing Anxiety & Stress during COVID-19

The Texas A&M University Office for Diversity has compiled resources for leading change, affinity groups, online reporting for hate/bias incidents, and campus community resources.

As Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity Dr. Robin Coleman wrote, “Your second ‘to-do’ is to spread our Aggie core value of Respect far and wide. Without Respect, fear and ignorance can take hold of our communities. As Aggies, we will not engage in fear-mongering. As Aggies, we embrace our core value of Leadership by modeling affirming behaviors and rejecting bias and discrimination. More, as Aggies, we can show others how to love, support, and protect people on our campus and in our communities from social stigma and discrimination.”

For more information on reducing stigma related to COVID-19, please visit the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/reducing-stigma.html

Report a Campus Community Incident

For specific information about pets and COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 and Animals section of the CDC COVID-19 FAQ.