Health recommendations
-
What is COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) and where can I find out more about it?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness in humans ranging from the common the common cold and pneumonia to more severe diseases.
COVID-19 is the name of a new (novel) strain of coronavirus.
Visit the Durham Region Health Department COVID-19 page for information on:
- How COVID-19 spreads
- Signs and symptoms
- What you can do to can protect yourself
-
What should I do if I feel unwell?
Any person who has at least one symptom, even if the symptom(s) are mild, should self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19. See a list of symptoms on the Durham Region Health Department website.
Please do not come to campus.
Find your closest testing location
Durham Region Health Department contact information
Note: Do not call 911 unless it is an emergency.
- Durham Health Connection Line: 905.668.2020 or 1.800.841.2729 (respondig to messages only, in priority sequency, Monday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. )
- TeleHealth Ontario: 1.866.797.0000
Note: If you have general questions, do not call the Durham Health Connection Line. Instead, check the Region of Durham’s COVID-19 information page first, and call Telehealth if you still can’t find answers.
-
What's Ontario Tech's COVID-19 protocol for those who have tested positive or have been asked to isolate?
Now, more than ever, it’s important for all of us to work together as a community to keep everyone safe and healthy.
We’ve developed a COVID-19 reporting protocol to isolate and contain all situations that arise for those who visit or live on campus.
- If you are feeling unwell, please do not come to campus. Seek guidance from Public Health.
- If a faculty member, staff member or student receives a positive COVID-19 test, Durham Region Public Health (DRPH) assesses the risk of transmission within the university community, as well as the need for contact tracing and follow-up. DRPH provides direction to the university to mitigate any risk of community transmission. The university provides DRPH with information to help with contact tracing.
- If Public Health asks you to isolate, or if you test positive, your first step should always be to notify our Case Management team. Please refer to our COVID-19 reporting process document for additional details.
- Important note: Do not return to campus until you have been cleared by Public Health and the university’s Case Management team has given you permission to return.
- If you become aware of someone who is perceived to be ill, or has tested positive, or if you live with or have otherwise come into contact with someone who has been exposed or has tested positive and has been to campus, follow the steps outlined in our COVID-19 reporting process document.
-
What are some preventive measures I can follow?
See the How can I protect myself? section on the Durham Region COVID-19 page for information on how to reduce the spread of germs, including COVID-19 and the flu.
On-campus measures:
- Wear a mask or face covering in all university buildings.
- Self-screen daily, practise physical distancing, and sanitize your hands regularly.
- Only come to campus for a scheduled class, activity, service appointment or if you absolutely need to use campus resources, such as the Campus Library.
- Leave campus buildings immediately after your scheduled appointment or activity.
- Follow physical distancing whenever possible, including when you are off campus.
-
What’s the difference between social and physical distancing?
You’ve likely heard the term ‘social distancing’ used when describing how to minimize close contact with others as a way of reducing the spread of illnesses like COVID-19 during an outbreak.
However, ‘physical distancing’ is a more accurate term, as it clearly emphasizes the need to be physically apart from others, without sacrificing social contact. Physical distancing is important to practise when you are on campus as an essential worker or in a research lab. We still need to take care of our mental and emotional health by sticking together socially—just in virtual ways.
- How do I practise physical distancing?
-
What are some things I can do to take care of my general mental and physical health during this time?
See the mental, physical, financial and social wellness tips posted on the university's Healtyy Workplace website.
