Skip to Main Content
A-Z Index
Brooks College of Health
oneColumn

COVID-19 Guide for Students

The foundational priority of the University is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the Osprey community, including all faculty, staff, students, vendors and visitors. 

How to Stay Well if Your Roommate is Sick 

  • Stay up to date on all vaccinations, to include COVID-19 and flu. 
  • Wash and sanitize your hands frequently and thoroughly.  The CDC has some tips on when and how to best wash your hands.
  • Avoid sharing items like dishware, cups, eating utensils, towels, electronics, bedding or toiletries.
  • Limit or prevent guests in personal rooms and avoid crowded rooms as much as possible.
  • Keep room, bathroom, and clothes clean. Wipe down surfaces with a disinfectant.
  • Improve ventilation by opening windows, using a portable air cleaner, turning on the exhaust fan in the bathroom and kitchen while visitors are in the house and 1 hour after they leave, using fans to blow air outside, and using ceiling fans.
  • Spend more time outdoors, moving as many indoor activities outside as you can.
  • Monitor yourself for symptoms, consider wearing a mask to prevent spread, and call the Student Health Clinic for an appointment.
  • Sleep in a head-to-toe configuration (see below).

Bed Positioning with Roommates

For single beds positioned next to each other (side-to side):
At least 6 feet apart AND occupant’s laying position is head to toe.

 

For beds positioned across from one another (end-to-end):
Feet of beds are at least 6 feet apart AND occupant’s laying position is toe to toe.

 

Definitions

  • CDC- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • SARS-CoV-2 - The official name of the current strain of coronavirus
  • COVID-19 - Coronavirus Disease, the name of the disease that potentially results from someone who is infected with SARS-CoV-2
  • Social Distancing - The health protocol requiring individuals to maintain six feet of distance between each other
  • Self-Isolation - Think "I" in Isolation means "ill." Separation of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19
  • Self-Quarantine- Separation of an individual who is well but might have been exposed to someone positive for COVID-19

Action Plan Checklist

Having a plan now will ease any stress later that may result from exposure to or a positive test for COVID-19.

Emergency Contact List

Create a list of family, friends, faculty, and roommate(s) who should be contacted in an emergency. Share this list with close friends and/or roommate(s).

Health Care Information

Compile the names and contact information for preferred healthcare providers. Add Student Heath Services as a contact on your phone, (904) 620-2900.

People Who Can Help

Create a list of people to call if you need help with food, medicine, and other supplies during self-isolation or self-quarantine.

COVID-19 Kit

There are items you should have on hand to prepare for potential exposure to COVID-19. Review the checklist below for items to have on hand.

  • Well-fitting face coverings for use during your isolation timeframe.
  • Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Cleaning products for your residence.
  • Health insurance cards and other health-related information.
  • Prescription medications and other medications you may need (unrelated to COVID-19).
  • Laptop computer or mobile device and headphones.

Emergency Food Supply

Please plan in advance to have the following available: water, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, canned juices, ready-to-eat canned meats, and fruits and vegetables (and a can opener).

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Make a Telehealth Appointment 

You can contact Student Health Services at 904-620-2900 for a telehealth appointment to speak with an Osprey PERCH counselor to help manage stress and anxiety.

As COVID-19 news becomes more widespread, it is common for some people to experience stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are felt by all people but at varying levels of severity, and each of us reacts differently. It is important to find helpful ways to manage stress and anxiety to avoid panic.

Six Tips to Help Manage Stress and Anxiety:

  1. Information is useful, but too much information can be unhelpful. Stick to reliable news sources and limit news intake to sources providing new information. There’s no benefit to watching the same news over and over.
  2. Take the necessary precautions, but don’t try to “invent” new ones. As with all dangers, it is important to be informed and aware. When we try to ensure 100% safety, we can get caught up in unhelpful behaviors.
  3. Maintain daily routines and make changes only when necessary. Schedules are a good way to keep anxiety at bay. Even if some changes need to be made, maintaining your overall routine is helpful.
  4. Don’t completely isolate yourself from others. Fear of contagion can cause some people to withdraw socially, but maintaining relationships can combat anxiety. Even if you are in self-isolation or self-quarantine, continue social interaction using FaceTime/Skype/Zoom, phone calls, or texts.
  5. Stay physically active — be outdoors if you can.
  6. Limit screen time. Too much time on devices can lead to less activity and more anxiety

Remember to maintain routines of self-care even as you shift to a virtual platform and navigate a new reality with different demands. Keep focused on what’s important and let go of other things. Be patient, be kind, be forgiving, be respectful, be flexible, be supportive…be an Osprey!

We're Here to Help

A COVID-19 guide for college students is available here: COVID-19 Student Guide . 

Staying Healthy

Practice These Behaviors While on Campus:

  • Stay home if you don’t feel well. Communicate with your professors. Contact Student Health Services or your primary care provider.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home.
  • Wear a well-fitted mask when you are in indoor public spaces.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow.
  • Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
  • If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
  • Monitor your health. Watch for fever, severe headache, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Follow CDC and University guidance.
  • Ensure you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (primary and booster vaccines received), and get a flu vaccination.
  • Limit unnecessary travel.
  • Do not share personal items (food, beverages, water bottles, towels, eating utensils, computers, etc.).

If You Have Any of the Symptoms of COVID-19, Call UNF Student Health Services at (904) 620-2900.

Additional Resources

    1. UNF Student Health Services

    2. UNF Counseling Center

    3. UNF Housing and Residence Life

    4. UNF Recreation and Wellness

    5. UNF Osprey PERCH

    6. UNF Supporting Our Students Program

    7. UNF Coronavirus Website

    8. "Surviving COVID-19: A #RealCollege Guide for Students" is available in English and Spanish here: COVID-19 Student Guide

Student Financial Assistance/Emergency Relief

Daily Screenings

If you have any of these symptoms, please seek COVID-19 testing.

  • 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

Look for emergency warning signs* for 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 is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Steps to Take if Feeling Sick

  •  GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 SOON AFTER SYMPTOMS START.
  •  CALL STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES IF SYMPTOMS WORSEN: All visits require an appointment that can be made by calling (904) 620-2900. After hours, this line will direct you to the Nurse Advice Line, where a professional Registered Nurse will assess you and advise you on the next steps.
  •  FOLLOW HEALTHCARE PROVIDER DIRECTIONS. Student Health Services will provide isolation instructions and an excuse note.
  •  REFER TO YOUR ACTION PLAN (link to:COVID-19 Action Plan Checklist). Follow the action plan you created to contact family and friends about your health status and assistance you may need.
  •  MONITOR YOUR SYMPTOMS and follow the instructions from your healthcare provider.

If you Need to Self-Isolate

Students who are exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19 should call the SHS clinic at 904-620-2900 to make an appointment to be assessed. Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 on a home test should call the SHS clinic for a telehealth appointment. Once assessed, appropriate isolation instructions and excuse notes will be provided to the student.

Please see the following instructions:

Remember your COVID-19 Action Plan Checklist.

CALL YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST to inform them of your health status and contact people who can provide assistance if needed.

CONTACT YOUR PROFESSORS and provide them a copy of your excuse note.  A negative COVID-19 test is not required to be cleared from isolation, and may not be requested by faculty, staff, or other UNF persons to prove you are cleared to return.  The excuse note provided is all that is needed to outline the dates you should be excused from classes.

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS for self-isolation provided by your healthcare provider.

ASK FOR HELP. Contact Student Health Services if your symptoms worsen or you have any questions.