Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is COVID-19?
COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei
Province, China. Learn about COVID-19 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Q: What are the symptoms and complications that COVID-19 can cause?
Current symptoms reported for patients with COVID-19 have included mild to severe respiratory illness
with fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
Coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from person to person between people who are in close
contact (within about 6 feet). The virus spreads via respiratory droplets produced when an infected
person coughs or sneezes and their droplets either land in the mouths or noses of nearby people or are
inhaled into their lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface that
has the virus on it and touching their mouth or eyes before washing their hands, but this is not thought
to be the main way the virus spreads.
No case of COVID-19 has been reported. Should a case be positively identified, appropriate
communications will occur.
The best preventative steps for any communicable disease include simple but important measures to
practice as part of your daily routine, but especially during flu season:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid sharing anything that has come in contact with saliva, whether in your living or social
environments.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Get adequate sleep and eat well-balanced meals to ensure a healthy immune system.
• Additional information is available from the CDC.
Travel abroad carries potential risks. Be aware that even a country not currently experiencing an
outbreak could suddenly be declared a high-risk area, posing risks of exposure, difficulty with travel, or
immigration barriers upon return to the U.S. The CDC maintains a travel information website. We
strongly recommend not traveling to locations with CDC or State Department Level 3 alerts or higher.
Visit your primary care physician in advance for current travel health and vaccination recommendations.
Enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive current
embassy alerts and messages for your destinations.
Web requests that employees share travel information when traveling for business and personal
reasons.
Q: What countries are designated level warning 3? What does that mean?
The CDC maintains a current list of Warning Level 3 countries and advises all travelers to avoid all
nonessential travel to those countries due to widespread concerns about local health conditions. The US
Department of State issues Travel Advisories for individual nations. These assess local health, safety and
security conditions.
Q: What countries are designated level warning 2? What does that mean?
The CDC maintains a current list of Alert Level 2 countries and advises older adults and persons with
chronic medical conditions to consider postponing nonessential travel to those countries due to
sustained community transmission of respiratory illness caused by COVID-19.
Take your temperature twice a day and remain alert for fever, coughs, or difficulty breathing. If you
develop a fever, cough, or have difficulty breathing, contacting your primary care physician is
recommended.
The CDC has recommended steps people can take to stay healthy and prevent the spread of this illness.
The CDC is not recommending the wearing of masks at this time.
Contact your medical provider for personal health questions. Public information related to the virus:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Regular communication with the Web community through periodic post on Web Connect.