** NOTE: This content was developed as a part of Northeastern’s COVID-19 response. Please visit news-northeastern-edu.go-vip.net/coronavirus for up-to-date information. **
Learn more about COVID-19, its symptoms, and available resources on how to keep yourself healthy.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.
People with COVID-19 infection typically develop respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath.
It is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through contact with an infected person who, for example, coughs or sneezes. It is important that everyone practice good respiratory hygiene. For example, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow, or use a tissue and discard it immediately into a closed bin. It is also very important for people to wash their hands regularly with either alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.
It is still not known how long COVID-19 survives on surfaces, although preliminary information suggests the virus may survive a few hours. Simple disinfectants can kill the virus making it no longer possible to infect people.
Practice good respiratory hygiene. Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers frequently. Avoid touching your face, including your nose and mouth. Avoid people who are sick, and cover your cough with a tissue. Disinfect commonly used surfaces frequently.
Do not share drinking glasses, bottles, utensils, makeup, toothbrushes, vaping or other smoking devices, boxes of food, finger-foods, or anything else that could carry the virus from one person to another.
Remember that the likelihood of symptoms such as sneezing and coughing being associated with COVID-19 is extremely low. It is more likely that the person showing those symptoms has the common cold or perhaps the flu. If you become aware of a Northeastern student or colleague who has received a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, you should do the following:
This is a picture of Centers for Disease Control laboratory test kit for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. Photo courtesy of the CDC
The CDC defines these terms in this way:
The university does not currently have any diagnosed cases of COVID-19.
The university is urging anyone who has traveled abroad to self-monitor their health and, if they are returning from a CDC Level 3 country or region, to self-quarantine for 14 days. The voluntary cooperation of all members of our community is critical to prevent disease transmission and to protect the health and safety of the university community.
If anxiety or undue fear is overwhelming you, the university has 24/7 mental health support you can call through Find@Northeastern: 877.233.9477 (U.S.), +1.781.457.7777 (Int’l)
If you test positive for COVID-19, or believe you have been exposed, you should follow the guidance of your healthcare provider and your local public health department regarding treatment and home isolation. Please refer to CDC guidance about caring for yourself or someone who is sick. Please know that the university will not disclose an individual’s identity and medical condition to anyone.
Students can find updated information about accessing medical and mental health services on the UHCS COVID-19 Resources pages:
If you do not have a primary care provider, you can access UHCS medical services during operational hours to speak with a nurse practitioner. Please see the UHCS website for more information.
Please be aware that several Boston hospitals are asking visitors with milder symptoms to call a primary care physician, if you have one, before going to the emergency room. If you decide to go to the emergency room, call ahead and follow their instructions which may include wearing a mask and not waiting in the waiting room.
Phone numbers for emergency rooms/departments in the Boston area:
Massachusetts State Epidemiology line: 617.983.6800
Partners Healthcare has set up a Coronavirus Hotline for patients and the general public to answer questions about COVID-19: 617.724.7000 (8 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days/week). This hotline is staffed by nurses across the Partners network as a resource for patients in the Partners Healthcare system.
Students on campus can call NUPD at 617.373.2121 for any urgent concern or University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) during hours of operation: 617.373.2772, choice, #2.
Yes, the full cost of diagnostic tests for COVID-19 is covered for all our fully insured members who meet CDC guidelines for testing, including NUSHP-insured students across our network locations. For the most current testing guidelines, please visit the CDC’s website.
Yes, NUSHP will also cover the cost of vaccination when a COVID-19 vaccine is available, and waive co-payments for medically necessary COVID-19 treatment at doctor’s offices, emergency rooms and urgent care center.
Here is some additional information of services that have been implemented to assist with COVID-19 matters:
Consistent with state and federal privacy laws, Northeastern will never disclose the identity and medical condition of an individual member of the university community.
Below is some important information to be aware of about how the testing and notification process generally works in the United States:
In Boston, for example, individuals who test positive are contacted by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC). The BPHC begins its investigation by interviewing the patient about every single contact the patient has had during the last 14 days. Public health officials conduct what is called “tracing;” they map the network of the patient’s recent contacts, determine close contacts and contact those who are deemed to be high risk due to exposure to provide information and instructions.
This general protocol is very similar across the United States, including in the states of California, North Carolina, and Washington. You can find information relevant to the UK here, British Columbia here, and Ontario here.