COVID-19 INFORMATION

We are following the CDC guidelines and reminding students to practice basic hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and self-care. Our custodial staff members are going the extra mile to clean and (where appropriate) disinfect spaces and surfaces. If students, staff or faculty feel ill, they should stay home. SOU will monitor the situation closely and stay in regular communication with the community as details emerge.

Here are some simple tips to keep yourself healthy and help protect those around you:

1. Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
4. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
5. Avoid close contact with people who are sick
6. Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others
7. Call the Student Health & Wellness Center (students) or your personal doctor (employees) if you’re very sick

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not previously been identified.

Coronaviruses are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people. Health officials suggest COVID-19 may have originated in a large, open seafood and live animal market.

The virus probably emerged originally from an animal source but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization report that the virus now spreads primarily from person-to-person. It is transmitted between people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet), primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It may also spread when people touch surfaces or objects contaminated by the virus and then touch their own mouth, nose or eyes.

Symptoms reported for patients with the virus include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and shortness of breath.

People who have traveled internationally (especially to China, Iran, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong or South Korea) in the past 14 days – or have had close contact with someone who is confirmed to have, or is under examination for COVID-19 – should closely monitor their health and follow the CDC’s guidelines if they start to feel ill. SOU students are encouraged to check-in by phone with the Student Health & Wellness Center (541-552-6136) and employees may contact their personal doctors.

SOU faculty and staff should visit the Human Resources COVID-19 Webpage for information about leave and telecommuting options.

General Isolation Policy
Following updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week, any travelers to the U.S. returning or coming for the first time from any country under a CDC Warning Level 3 (Avoid Nonessential Travel) are expected to self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether that direction is specifically given to them at the U.S. point of entry. Those Level 3 countries are China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea, but there is a strong possibility that this list of countries will grow. Individuals who have transited these nations do not need to self-isolate if they did not leave the airport. If they left the airport or remained in the airport for more than 24 hours, self-isolation is required. Updates will be announced and posted to the University’s new FAQs as soon as possible if more countries are added to the list.