To ensure the safe reopening of campus, there are simple steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can be taken to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 are:

• Be mindful of personal health
• Practice good hand hygiene
• Adhere to social distancing
• Proper cleaning and disinfecting
• Use of cloth face coverings

• If you are feeling sick, stay at home and notify your supervisor.
• If you start feeling sick while at work, go home immediately and notify your supervisor.
• If you live with or come into close contact with someone who is sick with coronavirus-like symptoms, you should contact your supervisor and avoid coming into work.
• Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

• Returning international travelers should not return to campus until they have been symptom free at their normal place of residence for 14 days. 
• For those individuals that have been in areas of significant community-based transmission, they should ensure that they are symptom free before retuning to campus.
• Individuals who have experienced COVID-19 symptoms within the last two weeks should not return to their work location until they have been symptom free for 14 days. 
• The CDC advised that high-risk individuals stay home if they are able, avoid crowds, and practice social distancing when they must be out.

Hand washing is easy and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other germs. Clean hands can stop the spreading from one person to another.

Key times to wash hands are:

• Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Before, during, and after preparing or eating food.
• Before and after treating a cut or wound.
• After using the restroom.
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• After touching garbage.
• After you have touched an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as counters, tabletops, workstations, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, desks, chairs, tables, tools, or any other hard surface or anything else that is frequently used by multiple people.

Generally, it’s a good idea to wash your hands about once an hour.

Wash hands frequently with soap and water throughout the day. Cleaning with soap and water removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces and lowers the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Follow these six steps every time when washing your hands:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
   Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
6. Turn off faucet handle with paper towel.

Click for additional information

Social distancing means keeping space between yourself and other people. This helps to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to keep proper distance from others when possible, even if you or others have no symptoms.

Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Also, be mindful of others who may have personal circumstances or situations that present challenges with practicing social distancing. 

To practice social 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.
• Limit close contact with others outside your household in indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Use remote video conference applications as alternatives to face-to-face meetings.
• Try to avoid casual conversations in common areas, e.g. hallways – take them outside with appropriate distancing.
• In tightly enclosed spaces such as elevators, limit occupancy and wear a face covering.

Reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by cleaning and disinfection is an important part of reopening campus. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be killed if the right products are used. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of disinfectant products that can be used against COVID-19, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes.

For cleaning and disinfecting, determine what needs to be cleaned and disinfected. For frequently touched surfaces or objects such as: counters, tabletops, workstations, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, desks, chairs, and tables or any other hard surface, the use of an EPA household cleaning spray or disinfecting wipe can be used on COVID-19.

Note:
Cleaning with soap and water removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. It lowers the risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces. By killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

When using cleaning sprays or disinfecting wipes, be sure to:

• Follow the precautions and application directions.
• Abide by contact time listed on the label instructions to ensure the safe and effective use of the product.
• Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as instructed on the label, such as disposable gloves, for cleaning and disinfection.
• After cleaning and disinfection, properly dispose of personal protective equipment and wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Be aware that Building Services may be limited at times, only providing restricted services to buildings where there is activity. They will establish priorities within the institution and set specific standards, either detailed or generalized, for maximum flexibility for those work areas.

Building Services staff will continue to provide enhanced cleaning on a regular basis.

To support Building Services in the cleaning and disinfecting, be sure to:

• Use a paper towel to turn the water off after washing your hands from faucets that are NOT touchless.
• Use a paper towel to open doors or other high-frequency touch surfaces. Be sure to dispose of the paper towel properly after use.

As noted by the CDC, the wearing of cloth face coverings is considered an additional public health measure to help reduce community transmission of respiratory diseases and COVID-19. The use of cloth face coverings should be used in conjunction with other protective measures including but not limited to:

• Staying at home and isolating self when sick.
• Practicing social distancing (minimum 6’ away) in public during essential activities.
• Washing your hands frequently. If unable to wash hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Increasing disinfection of high touch surfaces.

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

• Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face ensuring that it covers your nose and mouth.
• Allow for breathing without restriction.
• Be secured with ties or ear loops.
• Include multiple layers of fabric.
• Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape.
• Do not share cloth face coverings.
• Store in a dry clean bag when not in use.

Additional consideration when wearing a cloth face covering includes:

• 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.
• Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and free! Getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. Unvaccinated people should get vaccinated and continue masking until they are fully vaccinated:

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
• Everyone 12 years of age and older is now eligible to get a free COVID-19 vaccination.
• Learn about the different vaccines available.
• Search vaccines.gov, text your zip code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you.

• Get vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. Studies have shown that vaccination provides a strong boost in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19.
• Learn more about the clinical considerations for people were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, or history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults or children (MIS-A or MIS-C).
• COVID-19 is still a threat to people who are unvaccinated. Some people who get COVID-19 can become severely ill, which could result in hospitalization, and some people have ongoing health problems several weeks or even longer after getting infected. Even people who did not have symptoms when they were infected can have these ongoing health problems.

COVID-19 tests are available. The CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection. If you get tested because you have symptoms or were potentially exposed to the virus, you should stay away from others pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.

• People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
• Most people who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
• Fully vaccinated people should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
• People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not need to get tested following an exposure as long as they do not develop new symptoms.

• Unvaccinated people who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance as needed to avoid exposure, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly-ventilated indoor settings.
• People who have been asked or referred to get tested by their healthcare provider, or state, tribal, local external icon, or territorial health department.