Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

January 27, 2020 Uncategorized

Summary Information

2019-nCoV is a newly identified coronavirus that is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. Trinity Washington University is closely monitoring the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation and taking all necessary steps to protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. The virus It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This situation is evolving rapidly, and updated information can be found from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the DC Department of Health.

COVID 19 – Quarantine vs Isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID-19-Quarantine-vs-Isolation.pdf

Update: May 9, 2020

The CDC considers this new virus a public health concern based on current information. The CDC espouses implementing measures to reduce the spread of this disease.

Symptoms may be flu-like, ranging from mild to serious, and include:

Fever
Cough
Difficulty breathing.
Muscle aches, chills
Fatigue
New loss of sense of taste and smell

If you have 2019-nCoV, you may have mild (or no symptoms) to severe illness. Symptoms can appear 2 to 14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes 2019-nCoV. Individuals with pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus seem to be at a greater risk of complications from 2019-nCoV.

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience:

Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion or not able to be woken
Bluish lips or face, or
Any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. Remember, all of the facts regarding this disease are not known and information is updated daily.

Transmission: Remember, everyone is at risk of contracting 2019-nCoV. Person-to-person spread by coming in close contact (about 6 feet or two arm lengths) with a person who has 2019-nCoV. An individual can become infected from respiratory droplets when an infected person cough, sneezes, talks, or sings.

Transmission can also occur by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it, and then by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

Protecting yourself and others from contracting 2019-nCoV :

Avoid exposure to the virus that causes 2019-nCoV
Avoid contact with sick people.
Stay home when you are sick.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay home as much as possible and avoid close contact with others.
Wear a cloth face covering that covers your nose and mouth in public settings.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Be careful with use of cleaners and disinfectants without gloves and do not mix cleaners or disinfectants (for example, mixing bleach, ammonia). Use only one product protecting yourself with gloves to prevent contact with skin and masks to prevent inhaling fumes.
Practice social distancing. Use online methods of services such as grocery shopping, banking, visiting your health care provider (telemedicine) or utilize deliveries and take-out when possible.
If you must go out in person, stay at least 6 feet away from others and disinfect items you must touch.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when your cough or sneeze and throw used tissues in a lined trash can. Cover your cough with your sleeve and not your hands. Immediately wash your hands with soap and or hand sanitizer after disposing the tissue.
Avoid sharing personal household items such as dishes, drinking glasses, cups, or eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people.
Wash bed linen and towels often.
Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
Older adults and individuals of any age with pre-existing conditions may be at higher risk for more severe illness. Keeping your hypertension and diabetes mellitus under control also assist in reducing your risk of complications associated with 2019-nCoV.

Treatment:

People infected with 2019-nCoV should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment recommended for 2019-nCoV infection. (CDC, 2020). Research studies are currently underway to determine best treatment for this disease.

If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing, muscle aches, chills, fatigue, or new loss of sense of taste and smell and in the last 14 days:

You should:

Seek medical care right away. Before you go any health care provider’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your symptoms.
Trinity Washington University students, faculty and staff may call Health and Wellness Center, 4^th floor, Main Building at 202-884-9615.
You may contact the District of Columbia Department of Health (DCDOH) at (202) 442-5955

If you test positive or have a suspected exposure, please call your advisor, supervisor, the Health and Wellness Center before coming to Trinity to inform these individuals of your change in health status. Please provide documentation of any 2019-nCoV testing results to the aforementioned individuals prior to returning to Trinity.

Vaccine Information

What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

Qué esperar después de la aplicación de la vacuna contra el COVID-19

Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

If your loved one is hesitant to get the Covid-19 vaccine, share this

What You Need to Know To Get The COVID-19 Vaccine In D.C., Maryland And Virginia (And Who Can Help)

Local Testing Centers

George Washington University Hospital: Offers appointment-only tests for adults with a doctor’s referral. Open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Schedule a video or phone consultation with a GW physician by calling 202-741-2765. If your order is placed by a non-GW health care provider, have them fill out this form and call 202-741-3595 for scheduling once their request has been processed.

Directions for walk-up testing (by appointment): Arrive via the corner of 21st and I streets NW at the Medical Faculty Associates Building. More on when to arrive and what to bring.

Directions for drive-through testing (by appointment): Enter the testing lane at 22nd at H streets NW. Keep your window up on arrival and follow staff instructions.

Howard University 2019-nCoV Testing Center, Health care provider order not required for testing.

4414 Benning Road NE, New Benning Road Center, Suite 2400. Free testing, Tuesday and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the next three months. Residents of the District of Columbia can sign up by appointment by calling 202-865-2119, option 3. Patients showing symptoms or asymptomatic will be seen.

United Medical Center (1310 Southern Ave. SE): Open to D.C. residents with a doctor’s order indicating 2019-nCoV symptoms. Since resources are limit, D.C. Health said residents age 65 or older, health care providers, first responders and patients with an underlying health condition will be prioritized. Preregistration by phone is required — to make an appointment, call 855-363-0333.

UDC-CC Bertie Backus Campus (5171 South Dakota Ave. NE): Available to any D.C. resident with a prior appointment, made by calling 1-855-363-0333. Asymptomatic patients can get a test here, but high-risk groups will be prioritized. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays.

AllCare Family Medicine, Dupont Circle (1710 Rhode Island Ave. NW): After a telemedicine call with one of AllCare’s physicians, patients can schedule a drive-through visit during the site’s 30-minute daily testing window — weekdays between 6 and 6:30 p.m., and weekends between 1 and 1:30 p.m.

Children’s National Hospital (at Trinity Washington University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE): Providing drive-up or walk-up testing for children and young adults up to age 22, after a health care provider’s referral. Tests are done three days per week, weather permitting — see their website for the latest schedule.

Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center (700 2nd St. NE): Walk-up and drive-through available to members after an e-visit and doctor’s order. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weeklong. See their website to schedule an appointment.

Maryland

Maryland is converting eight of its vehicle emissions inspection program facilities into 2019-nCoV testing sites with more on the way, but they’re reserved for symptomatic patients at higher risk from the disease.

Patients must be referred by a health care provider; walk-ins are not accepted.

They are located at:

Montgomery County: White Oak VEIP, 2121 Industrial Parkway, Silver Spring, 20904
Howard County: Columbia VEIP, 6340 Woodside Court #1071, Columbia, 21046
Harford County: Bel Air VEIP, 1631 Robin Circle #3068, Forest Hill, 21050
Anne Arundel County: Glen Burnie VEIP, 721 East Ordnance Road, Curtis Bay, 21226
Charles County:Waldorf VEIP, 11 Industrial Park Drive, Waldorf, 20602
Baltimore County: Owings Mills VEIP, 11510 Cronridge Drive, Owings Mills, 21117
Calvert County:Prince Frederick VEIP, 1035 North Prince Frederick Boulevard, Prince Frederick, 20678
Washington County: Hagerstown VEIP, 12100 Insurance Way #5176, Hagerstown, 21740

Cheverly Health Center (3003 Hospital Drive, Cheverly): The Prince George’s County Health Department is providing free screening for residents by appointment at its Cheverly clinic, which replaced their previous testing site at FedEx Field on May 4. Patients need to schedule a telehealth session first — call 301-883-6627; this site accommodates drive-through and foot traffic.

Kaiser Permanente: Has testing sites in Gaithersburg, Largo and South Baltimore. Like others in the area, they’re open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weeklong with an appointment required.

Virginia

Virginia Hospital Center (at 1429 North Quincy St., Arlington): Capable of testing up to 100 adults per day. As of April 14, patients are no longer required to be Arlington residents — but a physician’s referral is still needed before making an appointment. With your referral, call 703-558-5766 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays to schedule a drive-through test.

Inova Urgent Care: Operates three drive-through testing sites in the immediate D.C. area, all requiring a physician’s referral and appointment. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. all week. If you don’t have a primary care physician, call 1-855-IMG-DOCS. Patients tested can expect results in four to seven days.

DullesSouth: 24801 Pinebrook Road #110, Chantilly, 20152 (Phone: 703-722-2500)
North Arlington:4600 Lee Highway, Arlington, 22207 (Phone: 571-492-3080)
Tysons Corner:8357 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, 22182 (Phone: 571-665-6440)

PM Pediatrics Urgent Care (11056 Lee Highway, Fairfax): Children with symptoms can be examined via teleconference call or at a PM Pediatrics office. Once approved, the clinic has set aside its Fairfax location for testing children from 10:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. weeklong. Results are available in three to five business days.

Velocity Urgent Care (16422 Navigation Drive, Woodbridge): Offers drive-up testing without a prior appointment, doctor’s referral or residency requirement — the first clinic in the D.C. region to do so, though patients will have to fill out a questionnaire onsite to determine whether a test is necessary. Available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All major insurance plans are accepted.

Kaiser Permanente: Offers testing for members with a doctor’s referral at drive-through sites in Woodbridge and Tysons. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weeklong.

AllCare Family Medicine, Alexandria (6020 Richmond Highway, Suite 102): Drive-through testing can be scheduled after a video visit with a doctor at any AllCare location. With an appointment, an AllCare staff member will meet you at the back parking lot for a 30-minute testing window on weekdays between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., or weekends between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Patient First Medical Center: Offering drive-up testing with an appointment at its clinics in Stafford and Manassas. Appointments can be made by calling a designated testing center; callers will be screened to determine whether they meet testing criteria. Tests can be scheduled between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The Health and Wellness Center is in communication with the District of Columbia Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. You will be notified of any updates regarding this virus as soon as available from the DC DOH and the CDC.

Update: March 9, 2020

Dear students and colleagues,

This message provides an update on the communications you received last week concerning Coronavirus (copied below). As of this morning, March 9, two cases of Coronavirus were confirmed in DC, five cases in Maryland, and two cases in Virginia. The departments of health in each jurisdiction are monitoring the spread of the virus and providing continuing advisories consistent with those issued from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

As of this writing, we have no reason to change our earlier advisories to you. Our Trinity campus community remains at low risk. We urge everyone to follow the essential directions for good hygiene including frequent hand washing, using tissues when coughing or sneezing. Most important, please stay home if you are sick or if you have been in a situation where you might have been exposed to coronavirus. No one will incur any penalty for choosing to stay home if you are ill or have been in a situation of exposure to the virus, and we urge you to do so in order to help prevent the spread of infection. We ask all faculty and staff supervisors to honor this direction by supporting students and colleagues who have coronavirus-related absences.

Students will not incur academic penalties for coronavirus-related absences and we will work with you to make sure you stay on track in your coursework.
For employees, Trinity will not charge any short-term coronavirus-related absence against your general leave; HR will work with you if you have a need for more extended medical leave.

Communication is vital!

If you believe you have been exposed to coronavirus even if you do not have symptoms, or certainly if you do have symptoms, please (a) stay home, and (b) contact your doctor or healthcare provider directly.
Additionally, please notify Trinity Director of Health Services Dr. Jacqueline Newsome-Williams (202-884-9618, Newsome-WilliamsJ@trinitydc.edu) who is responsible for tracking all cases involving the Trinity community. We want to know about every case affecting the Trinity community even if you are not symptomatic; please let Dr. Newsome-Williams know your circumstances.
If you are a resident student please stay in your room and call Health Services (202-884-9618) for further instructions. Dr. Newsome-Williams will assist you directly. We do have the ability to quarantine students who are unable to go home.

Academic Continuity

There is one important area of preparation that involves faculty and students even now, and that is being ready for any potential interruption in classroom-based instruction. This can and has happened in the past with snowstorms, power outages, and other problems that hinder “live” instruction on campus, so we are familiar with these preparations. Faculty should make sure that your course sites on Moodle are all current and sufficiently robust to support remote instruction if necessary. Dr. Ocampo and the deans will provide additional guidance on this. Students should make sure that you are using Moodle and are able to access your course web pages remotely. We will provide additional guidance for any student who is not able to do so.

For students and faculty who work in clinical settings, Dr. Ocampo and the deans will also provide additional guidance should there be any interruption in clinical accessibility.

Events and Travel

As of today, we do not see any reason to cancel any events or change any plans for campus activities. We keep evaluating the situation and this can change as new information arises.

We ask you not to travel internationally for leisure at this time. We do recognize that there may be specific circumstances requiring business or family emergency travel abroad. However, if you do need to travel abroad for business purposes or family emergencies, please be aware of CDC travel warnings for the country you are visiting, and please inform us of your plans. Please know we will likely ask you to have a two week quarantine at home upon return. You should consult with your healthcare provider prior to any international travel.

As of now, domestic travel and attendance at events off campus is at your discretion, but we do urge everyone to be cautious and follow the good hygiene rules even more carefully if you are in public settings with large crowds.

Circumstances can change quickly and we will certainly keep you informed if there is any reason to change our advisories. Dr. Jacqueline Newsome-Williams is in contact with the D.C Department of Health, and the health service directors of the Consortium of Universities are in constant contact with each other to make sure we all have the right strategies in place. Should we need to take more aggressive steps at Trinity to protect your health and to limit the spread of coronavirus, we are prepared to do so.

Many thanks to everyone for your cooperation and pro-active efforts to reduce the risk of infection by following good hygiene practices. Please let me know, as always, if you have comments or questions.

Sincerely,
President Pat McGuire

Update: March 2, 2020

The latest information regarding the Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) suggests that the immediate health risk to the general public is low. Most recently this past weekend, the United States (US) experienced its first two deaths related to this disease involving two immuno-compromised males, ages 50 and 70 years old in Washington State. While the information communicated from the White House Task Force on last week headed by Vice President Mike Pence suggests no major threat to the US in comparison to other countries, Trinity Washington University will be closely monitoring this outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus first detected in China as espoused by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), District of Columbia Department of Health (DCDOH), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

This situation may change quickly as more information is available regarding how the virus is spread. When information is available, we will make every effort to keep everyone informed.

The CDC recently classified China as a level 3 warning destination, recommending that all individuals avoid nonessential travel to the country. The U.S. State Department has classified China as a level 4 travel advisory, recommending that individuals avoid all travel to the country.

Prevention Information

As in previous communication, Trinity Washington University advocates the following actions that everyone can take to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Hand Sanitizers stations are located throughout the campus for convenience.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home if sick and inform your academic advisor or supervisor of any absence.
Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Students and Trinity Washington University faculty and staff who have not yet received an influenza vaccine please do so at the Health and Wellness Center, 4th Floor Main Building. Vaccinations may also be available with your primary care provider or local pharmacies

What is the risk?

The CDC considers this new virus a public health concern based on current information. However, the immediate health risk to the general US public is considered low at this time. The CDC and the World Health Organization are closely monitoring the situation and providing ongoing guidance.

Symptoms and transmission:

Symptoms may be flu-like, ranging from mild to serious, and include:

Fever
Cough
Difficulty breathing.

Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear exactly how it is transmitted and how easily the virus spreads between people.

Travel Precautions:

If you travel to/through Wuhan or other parts of China:

The CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to Wuhan, China transport within and out of Wuhan, including buses, subways, trains, and the airport. If you must travel, or if you travel to other parts of China, remain alert by practicing the precautions below:

Avoid contact with sick people.
Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Older adults and travelers with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease and should discuss travel to Wuhan with their healthcare provider.

Treatment:

People infected with 2019-nCoV should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for 2019-nCoV infection. (CDC, 2020).

Symptoms:

If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing and in the last 14 days:

You traveled to/through Wuhan, OR
You visited another affected region in China, OR
You had close contact with someone who had traveled to an affected region in China and had respiratory symptoms

Medical Care:

Seek medical care right away. Before you go to the health care provider’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
Trinity Washington University students, faculty and staff may call Health and Wellness Center, 4^th floor, Main Building at 202-884-9615.
You may contact the District of Columbia Department of Health (DCDOH) at (202) 442-5955.

Remember: Take care of yourself