UGA Law Library staffer awaits COVID testing

The University of Georgia says a staff member in the UGA Law Library is self-quarantining with symptoms until tested for coronavirus.

From the UGA Arch News List Serv…

Out of an abundance of caution, the University of Georgia is making the campus community aware of the following situation related to COVID-19:

• A staff member who works in the Law Library has flu-like symptoms and has been advised by a doctor to self-quarantine until the individual can be tested. This person was last at work on Friday and practiced social distancing. Please note that this staff member has not tested positive yet for COVID-19.

The overall risk of COVID-19 to students, faculty, and staff at UGA is low. Health officials are taking precautionary measures to quickly identify cases of COVID-19 and take appropriate public health action to reduce its spread and protect the general public in identifying potential contacts.

For members of the UGA community, the best prevention measures for any respiratory virus, including COVID-19 are:

• Adhere to social distancing practices and CDC guidance regarding groups and group activity.
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

While we understand the concerns and fear around COVID-19, it is extremely important to stay calm and maintain a close eye on your health and any symptoms that may arise. The symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild with symptoms similar to a cold.

In addition, if you have recently traveled to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and develop fever with cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, or if you have had contact with someone who is suspected to have COVID-19 and develop those symptoms, stay home and call your health care provider or local health department right away. Be sure to call before going to a doctor's office, emergency room, or urgent care center and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms. 

To reiterate, there are no identified cases of COVID-19 at the University of Georgia at this time. We will provide updates as we learn more.

For accurate and reliable information about COVID-19, log on to  cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov. Please monitor UGA's coronavirus website for further updates.