Protect Yourself

The University of Northern Iowa is continuing to follow COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). This page outlines the steps to take if you’re sick, have tested positive for COVID-19 or have potentially been exposed to the virus.

What to do if you’re sick

  1. Take the Panther Health Survey every morning before leaving your residence hall or coming to campus, whether you’re sick or feeling healthy. Guidance will be sent to you based on your individual responses/circumstances.
  2. If you have a fever, cough or other symptoms consistent with COVID-19, stay home and separate yourself from other people, including friends, family and roommates.
  3. Stay in touch with your primary care provider. Call before you get medical care; do not go to the emergency room or an urgent care facility. Your doctor will be able to help you assess if you need to be tested for COVID-19 or not.
  4. If your doctor does recommend you get tested for COVID-19:
    1. Students: Call ahead to the Student Health Center so clinic staff can determine if testing is appropriate. Please call 319-273-2100 any time of day. In addition to utilizing the Student Health Clinic, you also have options to access care through your primary care provider or the TestIowa site.
    2. Faculty/Staff: You may also contact the Student Health Center at 319-273-2001 to determine if testing is appropriate. In addition to utilizing the Student Health Clinic, you can access care through your primary care provider or the TestIowa site.

Watch for COVID-19 Symptoms

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with the following symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Fever of chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath of 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 does not include all possible symptoms. The CDC will continue to update the list as they learn more about COVID-19

Take the Panther Health Survey

What to do if you have tested positive for COVID-19

STUDENTS

  1. Take the Panther Health Survey every morning before leaving your residence hall or coming to campus. Guidance will be sent to you based on your individual responses/circumstances.
  2. If you test positive for COVID-19 and live on campus in a residence hall, you will be moved to one of our designated spaces for isolation depending on the situation. You may also choose to return to your permanent residence for the isolation period, with guidance from local public health officials.
  3. Using CDC guidance, isolate until you can be with others.
  4. Work with the Black Hawk County Health Department on contact tracing.
  5. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Student Health Center’s Covid-19 phone line at (319) 273-2100 or access IDPH resources by dialing 211.

FACULTY/STAFF

  1. Take the Panther Health Survey every morning before coming to campus or other UNI facilities. Guidance will be sent to you based on your individual responses/circumstances.
  2. If you test positive for COVID-19, isolate at home and communicate with your supervisor.
  3. Using CDC guidance, isolate until you can be with others.
  4. Work with the Black Hawk County Health Department on contact tracing.
  5. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Student Health Center’s Covid-19 phone line at (319) 273-2100 or access IDPH resources by dialing 211.

What to do if you have been potentially exposed to COVID-19

  1. Take the Panther Health Survey every morning before leaving your residence hall or coming to campus. Guidance will be sent to you based on your individual responses/circumstances.
  2. If you feel you have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 or have been contacted by the Student Health Center or local public health officials:
    1. Students: If you live on campus in one of the residence halls, you will be moved to one of our designated spaces for quarantine depending on the situation. You may also choose to return to your permanent residence for the quarantine period, with guidance from local public health officials.
    2. Faculty/Staff: Quarantine at home, communicate with your supervisor and plan to work remotely if possible.
  3. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Student Health Center’s Covid-19 phone line at (319) 273-2100 or access IDPH resources by dialing 211.

According to the CDC, how to know if you have been potentially exposed to COVID-19

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
  • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
  • You shared eating or drinking utensils
  • They sneezed, coughed or somehow got respiratory droplets on you