COVID-19 Information
Use the resources below to learn more about COVID-19 and the Student Health Center resources you can use to keep yourself healthy and safe.
Stay Healthy. Stay Safe.
Follow these simple recommendations to keep yourself, family, friends and community safe:
- Wear a mask in public
- Social distance and keep 6 feet apart
- Wash your hands
- Stay home if you can
- Get your COVID-19 vaccine and booster
These tips are necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19. Slowing the spread prevents our health care systems from becoming overwhelmed and protects our vulnerable populations from developing serious complications of COVID-19.
Contact the Student Health Center
The Student Health Center can be reached via phone or secure message during our regular business hours.
A secure message can be sent via the Patient Portal found on the UWO Student Health Center web page or the UWO mobile app. Log in using your student NetID and password.
If you need to seek medical advice when the Student Health Center is closed, refer to the Student Health Center’s Urgent Care/Emergency tab.
UWO Student Health Center: (920) 424-2424
Fall Hours:
September 5 - December 15
Monday: 8am-4:30pm
Tuesday: 10am-4:30pm
Wednesday: 8am-4:30pm
Thursday: 8am-4:30pm
Friday: 8am-4:30pm
Sat & Sun: Closed
December 18 - January 5
Monday-Thursday: 9am-3pm
Closed: Fri, Sat, Sun
Closed: Dec 22, 25-29, Jan 1
COVID-19 Resources
Home Care for Upper Respiratory Infection
General Measures
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil) for pain relief as directed on bottle. It will control symptoms better to take these products every 4-6 hours as recommended on the product label for the first 2-3 days of symptoms.
- Drink plenty of fluids—enough to have pale yellow or clear urine. Cold fluids (popsicles) or warm fluids (teas) whichever is more soothing.
- Get plenty of rest—no late nights.
- Breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water or shower.
- Use a humidifier or cool mist vaporizer.
- Cough drops, throat lozenges, or sore throat spray for pain relief. May numb the sore throat and decrease cough.
- Gargle salt water—1/4 tablespoon salt with 8 ounces of warm water 3-4 times per day.
Sore throat:
- Eat soft foods or soup to decrease pain felt when swallowing.
- Seek medical attention with: a sore throat and a fever, sore neck, and/or white spots to tonsils; a sore throat lasting more than 3 days without a stuffy or runny nose; a sore throat lasting more than 5 days with other symptoms. Seek Urgent Care with a sore throat causing breathing problems or an inability to swallow saliva.
Cough:
- Use honey—to help control cough.
- May use a product with Dextromethorphan for cough: examples are Robitussin, Vicks Dayquil Cough, Delsym.
- Seek medical attention with: a cough lasting more than 3 weeks; a cough plus a fever and/or trouble breathing.
Stuffy nose / Nasal congestion:
- Apply a warm compress to face where pressure is present.
- A nasal sinus rinse (Neil Med) will soften and clear mucus. Be sure to use bottle water or boiled/sterile water.
- Seek medical attention with: severe facial pressure, fevers, and discolored mucus from nose; persistent stuffy nose for more than 9 days.
Other medication options for symptom treatment—use these as directed on bottle/product label:
- Nasal steroid sprays: Flonase or Nasacort—use this to decrease swelling, congestion and discharge in the nose.
- Guaifenesin (Mucinex) to loosen mucus to better drain nose.
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) to constrict blood vessels and ease congestion in nose or pressure in face. Do not use if you have high blood pressure.
Testing
Consult the CDC’s website to see if a COVID-19 test is recommended for you.
On-campus Testing Site for Students: Student Health Center, Radford Hall
Experiencing symptoms AND are requesting medical evaluation. Call the Student Health Center at (920) 424-2424 to schedule an appointment.
Hours:
8 am to 4:30 pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
10 am to 4:30 pm Tuesdays
At-home COVID-19 test recommended when:
Experiencing symptoms BUT do not want medical evaluation
No symptoms but request a test due to close contact or another reason
Options for at-home COVID-19 tests:
Purchase at-home COVID-19 tests from store or pharmacy; most insurance companies will cover the cost
Order free at-home COVID-19 tests from these sources:
Additional Resources:
Exposed to COVID-19
Consult the CDC’s website for current recommendations following exposure. Start the precautions immediately regardless of vaccination status or previous infection.
Guidelines to follow:
Wear a mask as soon as you find out you were exposed
Start counting from day 1 in which day 0 is the day of last exposure to someone with COVID-19
Continue wearing a mask, and precautions below, for a full 10 days
Wear a high-quality mask or respirator (N95) any time you are around others inside your home or indoors in public
Watch for symptoms
- Fever (100.4 or greater)
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Other COVID-19 symptoms
If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately
Get tested
Stay home until you know your result
If your test is positive, follow the isolation recommendations
Get tested at least 5 full days after your last exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms
If you already had COVID-19 within the past 90 days, see specific recommendations.
If you test negative, continue to wear a mask for a full 10 days and take precautions around others,
If you test positive, isolate immediately.
For class: Follow the above recommendations
Isolation
Consult the CDC’s website for current isolation recommendations.
Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19. Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19 or if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but awaiting a test result.
Guidelines to follow during Isolation:
If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home.
You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days.
Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public.
Do not go places where you are unable to wear a mask. For travel guidance, see CDC’s Travel webpage.
Do not travel.
Stay home and separate from others as much as possible.
Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (like trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
Learn more about what to do if you have COVID-19.
When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:
If you have symptoms:
Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started
If you have no symptoms:
Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset
Ending Isolation:
No symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
Had symptoms and your symptoms are improving, you may end isolation after day 5* if:
You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
Had symptoms and not improving, continue to isolate until
You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).
Your symptoms are improving.
*If you had symptoms with:
Moderate illness (shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), isolate through day 10.
Severe illness (hospitalized or weakened immune system), isolate through day 10 and consult your provider before ending isolation.
Removing Your Mask:
After you have ended isolation, you should
Wear a mask through day 10
OR
If you have access to an at-home test, with 2 sequential negative tests 48 hours apart, you may remove your mask sooner than day 10
Note: If your antigen test results are positive, you may still be infectious. You should continue wearing a mask and wait at least 48 hours before taking another test. Continue taking antigen tests at least 48 hours apart until you have two sequential negative results. This may mean you need to continue wearing a mask and testing beyond day 10.
For class: Do not attend face-to-face class while in isolation. Notify your professors, instructors, or faculty/staff via email or phone. Inform them of your situation and discuss a plan for your academics.
For work: Notify your employer and do not go to work while in isolation. If you need a work excuse, please contact the Student Health Center.
Vaccination
Consult the CDC’s website for authorized vaccines in the United States for the prevention of COVID-19, as well as COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations.
COVID-19 vaccine is not available at the Health Center, but we are actively working on options to partner with community resources to make the vaccine available on campus to those requesting. We will update this website as more information becomes available.
For community sites offering COVID-19 vaccination, please visit the Winnebago County Health Department website.
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER
Radford Hall, First Floor
777 Algoma Boulevard
studenthealth@uwosh.edu
Phone: (920) 424-2424
Fax: (920) 424-1769
Fall Hours:
September 5 - December 15
Monday: 8am-4:30pm
Tuesday: 10am-4:30pm
Wednesday: 8am-4:30pm
Thursday: 8am-4:30pm
Friday: 8am-4:30pm
Sat & Sun: Closed
December 18 - January 5
Monday-Thursday: 9am-3pm
Closed: Fri, Sat, Sun
Closed: Dec 22, 25-29, Jan 1
