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If sick, stay home.

Know the symptoms of coronavirus—and stay home if you’re experiencing any of them.

Symptoms & Quarantine

People with COVID-19 report a wide range of symptoms, from mild to severe illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the following signs and symptoms:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fever or chills
  • Headache

  • Fatigue
  • Muscle pain
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea 

Monitoring Testing for Spring 2021 Update
Weekly monitoring tests are expected for all faculty, staff and students who are on campus at least once a week. You can find more details on the monitoring & testing page.

Daily Buff Pass

Monitoring & Testing

How to Protect Yourself

What to Do if You're Sick

Anyone with symptoms should be tested. In general, you do not need a test if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms.

Use the CDC Self-Checker to guide you to make a decision and seek appropriate medical care. 

The CDC recommends testing for anyone in close contact with someone who is infected.

The incubation period (the time between being exposed and developing symptoms) is 2 to 14 days, with about 50% of people showing symptoms around day 5. For the most up-to-date information, visit the CDC’s website.

 

Quick Links

  • CU Boulder Medical Services
  • CDC Symptoms of Coronavirus
  • Colorado Department of Public Health COVID-19 Resources & Data
person sick

Stay home.

Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

Take care of yourself.

Rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.

Stay in touch with your medical provider.

Call ahead before you seek medical care. Be sure to see a doctor right away if you have trouble breathing, have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency.

Avoid public transportation.

If sick you should avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing and taxis. Using public transportation when sick increase your chances of spreading COVID-19.

Avoid close contact with other people and animals.

As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a cloth face covering. Wash your hands before and after contact with your pets.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Look for emergency warning signs* of COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Bluish lips or face

*This list does not contain all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider if you experience any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who might have COVID-19.

Self-quarantine & Isolation

person lying down sick

Students, faculty and staff who are exposed to or have a confirmed case of COVID-19 should follow guidelines for self-isolation or self-quarantine as appropriate until healthy.
 

Students 

We have a limited number of living spaces for isolation or quarantine for affected students who live on campus. Resources for meals, medical attention and academic accommodations are available.

Faculty/Staff

If you have COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath), consider a telehealth visit or nurseline advice before seeking in-person care. Ask your primary care provider if it offers telehealth visits, or call one of Colorado’s nurselines. Find a directory of telehealth and nurselines.

Faculty and staff should stay home and follow CDC requirements for how to self-quarantine and self-isolate. Work with your direct supervisors for HR guidance. 

When to Self-quarantine

If you’ve been exposed to an area with broad, ongoing community spread (Level 3 travel health notice), please stay home for 14 days and practice physical distancing.

What is self-quarantine?

Self-quarantine is separating yourself from others if you have been exposed to COVID-19 (coronavirus), but have no symptoms. This helps prevent the spread of the virus. A voluntary quarantine is recommended for people who are returning from affected areas or who have been exposed to COVID-19.

 

 

Take these steps to monitor your health and practice physical distancing:

  1. Take your temperature with a thermometer twice a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for coughing or trouble breathing.
  2. Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
  3. Do not take public transportation, taxis or ride-shares during the time you are practicing physical distancing.
  4. Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
  5. Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet).

What to do if you get sick:

If you develop a fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher), cough or have trouble breathing:

  • Seek medical care. Call ahead before you go to a medical office or emergency room.
  • Tell your medical provider about your recent travel/exposure and your symptoms.
  • Avoid contact with others.

When to Self-isolate

If you believe you have COVID-19 and need to self-isolate, follow these steps until a health care provider or local or state health department says you can return to your normal activities.

What is self-isolation?

Self-isolation is the separation of a person or group of people known or reasonably believed to be infected with COVID-19 with or without a positive test. Isolation may be voluntary or compelled by a public health order.

 

 

Contact medical services icon

Call ahead before seeking medical care. 

  • Let your health care provider know you are being evaluated for COVID-19 before visiting the medical office to help prevent the spread of illness. 
  • If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 and notify the dispatcher that you are being evaluated for COVID-19.
Stay home

Stay home if you are sick. 

  • Restrict activities outside of your home unless you need medical care.
  • Do not go to work, school or other public areas. 
  • Do not use public transportation, ride-shares or taxis.
no congregating icon

Avoid close contact with other people and animals. 

  • Stay in a specific room/area of your home and avoid close contact with others (as much as possible).
  • Use a separate bathroom and wash your hands for 20 seconds before and after using the bathroom. 
  • Avoid close contact with pets and other animals. If you are caring for a pet, wash your hands before and after you feed and interact with it, and wear a face covering.
Washing hands icon

Wash your hands often. 

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Use soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Tissue box icon

Cover your coughs and sneezes. 

  • Germs can travel up to 6 feet when you cough or sneeze. Cough and sneeze into your sleeve even while wearing a face covering. 
  • Throw used tissues in a lined trash can. 
  • Wash your hands immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

     

Separate icon

Avoid sharing items. 

Avoid sharing dishes, cups, eating utensils, towels and bedding with other people or pets in your home. Wash these items thoroughly after using.

Clean surfaces icon

Clean common surfaces. 

  • Clean common surfaces like counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables
  • Clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool or other body fluids on them.
  • Use a household cleaning spray or wipes according to the label instructions for safety and precautions.
Thermometer icon

Monitor your symptoms. 

  • If your symptoms are worsening (e.g., difficulty breathing), call your health care provider and let them know that you have been evaluated for COVID-19 before visiting the medical office. 
  • People who are placed under active monitoring or facilitated self-monitoring should follow instructions provided by their medical provider. 
  • If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, tell the dispatcher that you have been evaluated for COVID-19. Put on a face covering before emergency medical services arrive.
Contact icon

Discontinuing home isolation. 

  • Patients with confirmed COVID-19 should remain under home isolation precautions until the risk of secondary transmission to others is thought to be low.
  • The decision to discontinue home isolation precautions should be made in consultation with health care providers, and state and local health departments.

Be safe. Be you. Protect our herd. 

#BuffsTogether

 
Questions & Comments

COVID-19 Campus Updates

As a university, we recognize our own responsibility to continually monitor our progress and adjust our plans as needed in response to changes in the environment and in the spread of COVID-19. Use the COVID-19 Updates site to stay on top of announcements. 

Health & Wellness Services

Health and Wellness Services offers a range of services on campus to support CU Boulder students' health and well-being

Boulder County COVID-19 Resources

Boulder County Public Health is continuing to monitor, research and respond to the COVID-19 situation throughout Boulder County. Review its website for the latest COVID-19 illness and recovery data.

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