A New Daily Routine: Symptom Monitoring & Personal Hygiene
Symptom Self-Monitoring
Based on CDC guidance, NSU requires those who have COVID-19 symptoms to remain at home or in your assigned residence hall unit, and avoid using NSU facilities until you have met the criteria for discontinuing home isolation, per current CDC guidelines. All symptoms must be gone before it’s safe for you to return to campus.
Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. This list is accurate as of June 2020, please refer to current guidelines at cdc.gov.
If you do feel sick, contact your health care provider immediately and follow the CDC-recommended steps for self-isolation. There are more tips at cdc.gov.
Notify NSU’s COVID-19 case manager at covidcase@nova.edu.
You must not return to classrooms or labs—or use NSU facilities—until you meet the criteria to discontinue home isolation. Most in-person classes will also be available remotely so you can keep up with coursework if you feel up to it. It may not be possible to offer some labs and clinical experiences remotely, but the NSU COVID-19 case manager will connect you with your college’s COVID-19 case liaison to talk through academic and student support options, according to your program of study.
Check for Fever and Symptoms Every Morning.
Students, faculty, and staff are required to conduct symptom self-monitoring every day before reporting to campus, class or work. Self-monitoring means that, each morning, everyone will check their temperature and ensure that they are not exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms. Students must be free of ANY symptoms potentially related to COVID-19, or have had an evaluation and clearance by their personal physician or NSU’s Student Health Clinic, to be eligible to attend in-person classes or otherwise use campus facilities or public spaces. According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.
By coming to campus or work at NSU, and based on the statement of accountability in the Code of Student Conduct, you are acknowledging that you have completed the self-monitoring requirements each day, and confirm that you do not have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and are safe to access NSU facilities.
Temperature Checks
Students, faculty, and staff are required to self-monitor temperatures each day before coming to class, campus, or work. If you have a temperature, do not come to class, work, or access NSU facilities in person. There will be some NSU higher-risk environments where symptom screening and temperature checks will be required for entry, such as in the NSU Health Clinics and the College of Dental Medicine.
What To Do If Symptoms Develop
If any symptoms develop, you must stay at home or in your residence hall unit. Do not report to class or use campus facilities if you are symptomatic. If you develop symptoms while on campus, in class, or at work, please return to your home or residence hall unit immediately. Contact your health care provider and follow the CDC-recommended steps for self-isolation at cdc.gov. Also, please notify NSU’s COVID-19 case manager at covidcase@nova.edu. See page 8 for CDC’s list of symptoms.
COVID-19 Testing
If your health care provider or the NSU COVID-19 case manager believes it is necessary or appropriate for you to be tested for COVID-19, they will provide you with a referral and instructions.
What If I Test Positive for COVID-19?
Students who are notified of positive test results for COVID-19, and plan to visit an NSU campus or location, should immediately report their test results to NSU’s COVID-19 case manager at covidcase@nova.edu. You should also notify your own personal physician if you test positive.
The NSU COVID-19 case manager will help assess your particular case and situation to provide you with guidance, contact information, and support for your physical and mental health. Additionally, you will be connected with college COVID-19 liaison staff member, who can assist with support services, academic needs, and access to continued student services or other assistance.
Many COVID-19 patients can exhibit little to no symptoms, or experience them only mildly to moderately, so you may wish to continue to take classes remotely while you are in self-isolation. Most in-person classes will also be offered remotely so you can take advantage of that option to keep up with coursework. The case manager will connect you with your college COVID-19 liaison to provide you with options and academic support specific to your courses and program.
If you are living in NSU residence halls, the case manager will counsel you about the best way to self-isolate and connect you with Residence Life for additional assistance and arrangements. This may include temporary relocation in some cases.
Any NSU student who tests positive or receives a clinical diagnosis for COVID-19 must not come to class or come into contact with others. You must remain in self-isolation and not return to NSU facilities until you meet the CDC criteria and are cleared to return to NSU facilities. Again, the case manager will provide guidance and support.
See CDC’s What To Do If You Are Sick for guidelines and tips.
About Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is conducted by the county health department after a positive COVID-19 test result is reported. The public health officials will contact the affected individual to learn about recent contacts and duration with those contacts and will assess if others who came into close and prolonged contact with the infected person are at risk and need to be contacted to self-quarantine to protect themselves and others from spreading the coronavirus.
Isolation is for individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms or who have tested positive for COVID-19; Quarantine is for individuals who may have been exposed to a contagious individual and may (or may not) have contracted COVID-19.
Student Health & Mental Health Resources
The NSU Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being (formally known as Henderson Student Counseling) offers a wide array of services and programs to support various aspects of students’ well-being including: same day triage appointments; individual, couple, and family therapy; support and personal growth groups; psychoeducational programming; resilience programs; and educational outreach.
Additionally, in order to make service more accessible to students at the Davie/Fort Lauderdale location, NSU’s Center for Student Counseling and Well-Being is now centrally located in the Student Affairs Building, 3rd floor. Students at NSU’s regional campus locations may also access these mental health resources via videoconferencing or telehealth. To make an appointment or to learn more, go to nova.edu/student-counseling or call (954) 262-7050 or (954) 424-6911.
The NSU Student CARE Team
The NSU Student CARE Team is a multidisciplinary team designed to provide support for students’ well-being and academic success by connecting students in need with campus and community resources. The CARE Team is the coordinating hub of existing resources. They focus on the prevention and early intervention of students experiencing distress, feeling overwhelmed, or engaging in harmful or disruptive behavior. The overall goals of the team are to connect students with resources to help resolve underlying concerns that may impede their daily functioning, disrupt their ability to be successful, and might be indicative of harm to self or others. Anyone can share a concern with the NSU CARE Team. For additional information or to share a concern: nova.edu/student-care or (954) 262-7482.