STUDENT HEALTH

COVID-19 Information

If you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 or believe you may have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please contact Student Health Service at 412-383-1800 for information on testing and treatment. Please do not come to Student Health Service without calling first.

In the event of a life-threatening emergency, immediately call 911.

To learn more about the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.pitt.edu.

Symptomatic Testing

• Friday, November 27:  11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.–O’Hara Student Center Parking Lot  (located on the corner of O’Hara Street and University Place)
• Sunday, November 29 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. — O’Hara Student Center Parking Lot  (located on the corner of O’Hara Street and University Place)

Flu Shot Clinics

Schedule a free flu shot appointment at least one day in advance by using the Student Health Portal or walk-in on the date of an upcoming flu clinic.

Pitt’s Health Rules

The University of Pittsburgh’s Healthcare Advisory Group has developed health-related guidance and requirements and the University’s operational risk postures. This guidance includes:

• Face Coverings, Personal Protective Equipment, and Personal Hygiene
• Safe Mobility
• Shared Spaces

Daily COVID-19 Health Check app

The Daily COVID-19 Health Check app is a quick convenient way for students, faculty and staff to monitor one’s health during this period. It’s continued use throughout the semester is strongly recommended.

Testing, screening, monitoring

The Student Health Service provides COVID-19 testing for diagnostic purposes only. Sample collection for this testing must be scheduled in advance.

Should you experience any symptoms common to COVID-19 or had a recent known exposure to someone who recently tested positive for COVID, please call the SHS at 412-383-1800 to arrange for testing. One of our nurses will provide guidance and instruction.

To ensure the health and safety of our staff and our students, all appointment must be scheduled ahead of time.  At this time, we will no longer offer unscheduled appointments.

A nurse will assist you with scheduling either an In-Person or Telemedicine appointment with a healthcare provider.

Surveillance testing is one of several strategies the University is using to control the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. The CMRO will continue to conduct screening of asymptomatic (no symptoms) students through the end of the semester through this surveillance testing program. Students are randomly selected and instructed to get tested at the Posvar tent site. Should you be contacted by the CMRO for surveillance testing,  we strongly encourage to participate.

Health and Safety Tips

• Follow social distancing guidelines. Avoid group gatherings and crowded places. If you do meet with friends, do so outside, at a safe distance.
• If you are sick, don’t go to class or participate in other activities. If you need to talk to a healthcare provider, call the SHS at 412-383-1800 and a nurse will provide guidance. This most likely will involve a virtual visit. If things get worse, seek medical attention immediately.
• Clean and disinfect your dorm room or apartment regularly. Use a virus-killing disinfectant to clean frequently touched surfaces such as phones, tables, desks, keyboards, doorknobs, handles and faucets.
• Know and understand myths about COVID-19. Many young adults believe that getting COVID-19 is a milder illness, like having a bad cold. While it’s true that young adults are more likely to have a mild case of COVID-19 than others, many young adults have experienced severe illness. Some have required hospital care. Young adults are NOT exempt from this disease. Furthermore, some may be carriers of the virus and they can spread it to other people, especially to those who are at  higher risk, such as parents and grandparents.
• When you go out, be prepared! Be sure to bring your face mask, tissues, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes with you.
• Avoid sharing items with others. In your dorm room, avoid sharing personal items (like computers and phones) with roommates or others. If you go to the dining hall, don’t share food, drinks or utensils with other people.
• Avoid placing your cell phone on desks or other high-touch surfaces. Avoid having toiletries touch bathroom surfaces, like placing your toothbrush on a counter surface.

Quarantine and Isolation

Quarantine

Quarantine is a public health practice used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

If you have been identified with a known exposure to someone who recently tested positive for COVID, you will be asked to quarantine for 14 days. You will also be tested for COVID-19 sometime during your quarantine period.

Most students living on campus will quarantine within their residence hall room or suite. In some cases, students may quarantine elsewhere if quarantining in their residence hall is not advised. Meals will be delivered, and students will track their health using the Daily COVID-19 Health Check app. Students living off campus will typically quarantine in their off-campus housing. Students may also choose to quarantine in their permanent residence.

Isolation

Isolation is a public health practice used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease. It is intended to separate sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. This significantly reduces the risk of spreading the disease.

Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for a minimum of 10 days, depending on symptoms and course of their infection. For isolation, this means that it has been at least 10 days since symptom onset and at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and other symptoms have improved.

Students who live on campus will be moved into University-supported isolation housing or have the option to return to their permanent residence to isolate there. Students living off campus who test positive, including graduate and professional students, will be contacted by Student Health Services to discuss their isolation requirements and options. Students living off-campus may be offered the option of moving into University-supported isolation housing.

A dedicated care team will support those students living in University-supported isolation housing. They will have daily check-ins with medical professionals and a support team, meals delivered and other resources available.