Health Watch

The 2019 novel coronavirus is a new respiratory disease first identified in Wuhan City, China. The name of this illness is Coronavirus Disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. Diseases from coronaviruses in people typically cause mild to moderate illness, like the common cold. Some, like the SARS or MERS viruses, cause serious infections like pneumonia. COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.

Los Angeles County offers free COVID-19 testing. No appointments are required. Visit the L.A. County COVID-19 testing website to find a location near you.

We urge students and employees who test positive for COVID-19 to contact the Student Health Center at (323) 343-3302. Employees should also notify their supervisor, who should contact Human Resources Management at (323) 343-3694.

When Cal State LA learns of individuals in our community who test positive, we can offer direction and support, and assess any potential issues that may need to be addressed. We will target outreach to those individuals who may need to take additional measures to safeguard their own health or the health of others.

The CDC offers guidance on what to do if you are sick with, or if you have been exposed to, COVID-19.

Since March 2020, there have been 202 COVID-19 cases among students and employees reported to Cal State LA: 86 students, 77 employees and 39 contractors. This data reflects the number of individuals who have notified the university of their diagnosis.
 
To the best of our knowledge, of the 86 students, 8 had the virus during a period of time when they were on campus or in instructional activity. Of the 77 employees with a diagnosis, 50 were on campus. The contractors were working at construction sites on campus when they were diagnosed.

If you are a student or employee and you think you have come in close contact with someone with COVID-19 (see L.A. County Public Health's definition of close contact), please take the following steps:

• Stay informed, and use phone and technology to communicate with friends and family to avoid isolation.
• Call your medical provider and follow their advice. We ask that you also contact the Student Health Center at (323) 343-3302. For other information and hours of operation, please visit the Student Health Center webpage. 
• Employees should also notify their supervisor, who should contact Human Resources Management at (323) 343-3694.
• Quarantine for 10 days from your last exposure and monitor your health for 14 days. Follow L.A. County Public Health's home quarantine instructions.
• Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, and shortness of breath or trouble breathing. Symptoms may also include chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose. 

The CDC offers guidance on what to do if you are sick with, or if you have been exposed to, COVID-19.

COVID-19 has been confirmed in people who have had no symptoms to mild symptoms to severe illness. Coronavirus symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Severe illness

Symptoms may also include chills, body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and runny nose.

Symptoms are believed to develop 2-14 days after becoming infected with the virus.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you become ill, please:

• Stay home and avoid contact with others, except for seeking medical care if needed.
• Students may seek medical care from the Student Health Center (SHC). Please call first at (323) 343-3300 before visiting the SHC. The SHC is following the guidelines of Public Health in assessing and caring for patients presenting with symptoms. For other information and hours of operation, please visit the Student Health Center webpage.
• Employees should contact their healthcare provider.
• Do not travel while sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Throw used tissues in trash and wash your hands immediately.
• Separate yourself from other people in your home and avoid sharing personal items.
• Rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Seek urgent medical care for serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing or inability to keep fluids down.

The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving globally. We encourage you to stay informed through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the CDC, the California Department of Public Health, and the World Health Organization.

As the pandemic continues, continue to practice good public health hygiene:

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Maintain physical distance from others.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning agent.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with tissue followed by thoroughly washing hands.
• Get plenty of rest, consume ample water, eat healthy meals, and stay physically active at home or outdoors while keeping at least six feet away from others.

Face coverings are required at Cal State LA when working indoors or in a campus vehicle, unless you are alone. Face coverings are not required when outdoors. Face coverings are recommended outdoors for unvaccinated employees if less than 6 feet from others. You are always free to wear a face covering.

Find more information on Face Coverings and PPE on our Return to Campus website.

Health experts are still learning how the coronavirus is spread. Based on other coronaviruses, the virus that causes COVID-19 is believed to spread through close contact (defined as about 6 feet) with an infected person. Similar to the flu, when an infected person coughs or sneezes droplets from their respiratory tract enter the air. These virus-filled droplets can enter the mouths or noses of individuals close by or land on nearby objects.

It's possible the COVID-19 virus may be spread by infected individuals before they have symptoms. It's believed infected individuals are most contagious when their symptoms are the most intense. The incubation period for COVID-19 (the time period between getting infected and when symptoms develop) is believed to be 2-14 days. Community spread (spread that includes infections among people whose infection sources are unknown) appears to be occurring in certain areas of the U.S. 

Do not assume that someone of a particular race or nationality is likely to have COVID-19; this new virus has infected people of many different races and nationalities across the entire world. No one in our community should be excluded from activities because of their race, country of origin, or recent travel if they do not have symptoms of respiratory illness. 

For additional details, read the CDC's How COVID-19 Spreads.