Posted
Updated March 5, 2020, 4:49 p.m.
NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL CAMPUSES: See the latest information for Temple University, Japan Campus and the latest information for Temple University Rome.
This page contains information about the COVID-19 outbreak as it pertains to Temple University, its international campuses, and the university s response in the U.S. and abroad. It is regularly updated to reflect the latest information.
Currently, no students, faculty or staff at any of Temple s campuses in the U.S. or overseas have been diagnosed with the virus. All steps taken are preventative and aligned with guidelines issued by health officials in the U.S. and abroad.
Latest updates
March 6: Additional travel guidance (faculty and staff)
March 5: Important information for travelers returning from international locations
March 4: An update on COVID-19
Feb. 29: Update on Temple University Rome
Feb. 28: An update on COVID-19
Feb. 3: Novel coronavirus travel suspensions
Jan. 30: Information on coronavirus
Frequently asked questions
University response and travel information
Temple University Japan
Temple University Rome
Staying healthy
General information
UNIVERSITY RESPONSE AND TRAVEL INFORMATION
What is Temple doing to ensure the health of the university community amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak?
Temple issued memos regarding the suspension of university-affiliated travel to China on Jan. 30 and Feb. 3. On Feb. 28, the university issued a follow-up announcement to students, faculty and staff outlining steps taken at the university s international campuses in Rome and Tokyo and advising on new travel restrictions related to South Korea. Additional updates continue to be communicated to the university community as needed, and they are available via the links above on this page and on Temple's news site.
University administrators and health officials are closely monitoring the outbreak, are in frequent contact with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and will continue to communicate any significant updates to the university community. Travel advisories are also updated regularly on Temple s website.
Country-specific travel restrictions issued for Temple students, faculty and staff are detailed below.
China:
Per U.S. Department of State guidelines, Temple University has suspended all university-affiliated travel to mainland China for students, faculty and staff through the end of April.
On Feb. 2, 2020, the State Department issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory for China due to the spread of COVID-19. Read more about the State Department s travel advisory.
South Korea:
In late February, Temple suspended all student travel to South Korea through the end of April in response to the COVID-19 outbreak there, which prompted the State Department to issue a Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory for South Korea and the CDC to issue a Level 3 Avoid Non-Essential Travel advisory for South Korea.
The university has contacted students studying abroad in South Korea for the Spring 2020 semester to advise them to leave the country immediately, and is providing support to help students return home.
Italy:
Faculty and staff travel to areas under a Level 4 advisory from the U.S. Department of State has been suspended. Student travel to the entire country of Italy has been suspended, and academic operations Temple s Rome Campus have been moved online for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
I m a faculty or staff member and have personal travel plans coming up. Do I need to notify anyone at the university about my plans or take any special precautions?
You don t have to register personal travel with Temple. For your own safety, you should stay up to date on the travel guidelines of reputable international and federal agencies and current federal quarantines. See the CDC s latest travel notices and the U.S. Department of State s travel advisories. The World Health Organization also has information and advice about traveling during the COVID-19 epidemic on its website.
You should also stay up to date on the university s travel restrictions related to COVID-19.
What should I do if I have recently traveled internationally?
Anyone who has traveled to countries designated by the CDC as being sites of sustained community transmission of COVID-19 must self-monitor for 14 days from the date of their arrival back into the United States. Self-monitoring means staying home and avoiding gatherings and public spaces, including Temple s campuses. As of March 5, the countries included on the CDC s list were: China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea. If you have traveled to any of these countries in the past 14 days, you should immediately contact Student or Employee Health Services to notify them of your travel, you should not come to any of Temple s U.S. campuses until you have completed your 14-day self-monitoring period.
Most importantly, if you develop a fever, cough or have difficulty breathing, you should immediately contact health care professionals your family physician, local health authorities, or Student or Employee Health. You should call before visiting any health care provider so that appropriate precautions can be taken.
Please note that this situation continues to evolve globally, so you should stay up-to-date on the CDC s travel notices and on the U.S. Department of State s travel advisories if you have plans to travel.
If you have not traveled to any of these countries within the past two weeks, your risk of contracting COVID-19 is low.
INTERNATIONAL CAMPUSES
How have Temple s international campuses been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak?
Officials at Temple University Rome and Temple University Japan, in conjunction with Main Campus, continue to monitor the situation and follow all directives issued by authorities in Italy and Japan. The steps taken on each campus are outlined below.
Temple University Japan:
In order to put them in sync with many Japanese universities that are currently not in session, and response to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe s request that public schools in the country be shut down to curb COVID-19 transmission, Temple University Japan (TUJ) suspended classroom teaching for two weeks beginning Monday, March 2.
During this time, classes will be taught online. This is a preventive measure, and no cases of COVID-19 have been reported among TUJ students, faculty or staff.
Temple study abroad students who are at TUJ for the semester are permitted to leave the country and return home if they choose to do so. Steps have been taken so that students who elect to leave Japan may complete their coursework online.
See the latest information TUJ has communicated to its community.
Temple University Rome:
In response to the CDC and U.S. Department of State s elevated travel warnings for Italy, Temple University Rome s in-person academic operations have been closed for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
The university has advised students studying in Rome this semester to go home and is providing support for them to return to the U.S. Temple Rome s classes will be taught online for the remainder of the semester to ensure academic continuity.
Read the latest updates communicated to the campus community in Rome.
Where can I find pertinent information for students affected by the closure of Temple Rome?
A list of frequently asked questions specifically for Temple Rome students can be found here.
STAYING HEALTHY
How can someone prevent contracting coronavirus, the flu or other respiratory illnesses?
Avoid close contact with individuals who present symptoms. Wash your hands frequently and efficiently. When unable to wash with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid sharing food and drinks or participating in other activities that may result in exposure to saliva or secretions. Avoid sharing devices like smartphones. Arrange for delivery of food and groceries.
Those who are showing symptoms of any respiratory illness are encouraged to cover their mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; use an upper sleeve to cover a cough, not your hand. Most importantly, anyone who is ill and has recently traveled to China, South Korea, Italy, Iran or Japan, or has come into contact with someone who is ill and recently traveled to China, South Korea, Italy, Iran or Japan should call their doctor or, for Temple students and employees, contact Student Health Services or Employee Health Services immediately.
If you are sick with the flu or another illness, you should stay home and avoid contact with others as long as you have symptoms.
Is there a certain way I should be washing my hands to best protect myself?
You should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds (about the length of singing the Happy Birthday song twice). Consult this CDC page for more specific guidance on proper handwashing and hand sanitizing techniques.
GENERAL INFORMATION
What is coronavirus?
A coronavirus is a type of virus that can cause a wide range of illnesses, from the common cold to severe pneumonia. The novel coronavirus (sometimes referred to as Wuhan coronavirus for the place where it was first detected) at the center of the current epidemic has been named SARS-CoV-19, and the illness it causes has been named COVID-19 (abbreviation for coronavirus disease 2019). This is a new strain of coronavirus.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
How is the virus spread?
It is spread through direct contact with saliva or respiratory droplets, similar to a cold or the flu. According to the CDC, person-to-person spread of this coronavirus is most likely to occur with close contact, or contact within six feet, with an infected person who coughs or sneezes.
Have there been any cases of novel coronavirus in Philadelphia or at Temple?
As of March 5, there have been no cases of novel coronavirus at any campus of Temple University in the U.S. or abroad, or in Philadelphia.
What s the treatment for coronavirus?
There is currently no medication to treat or prevent coronavirus. Like many viruses, steps may be taken to manage symptoms caused by coronavirus. Those who have become severely ill with the novel coronavirus have been hospitalized to receive care.
What s the difference between the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2019?
The novel coronavirus causing the current outbreak of illness has been officially named since the outbreak began. SARS-CoV-2019 is the name of the virus itself, while COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is the name of the illness the virus causes.
What does it mean to self-monitor, be isolated and to be quarantined? Are they the same?
Self-monitoring means staying at home and avoiding group gatherings and public places. During this time, individuals should also monitor their health carefully, checking their temperature at least once a day.
Quarantine is separating people who appear to be healthy but may have been exposed to a contagious illness to make sure that they do not become sick and spread the illness to others. It typically covers the incubation period of a given illness, which refers to the period of time between exposure and when symptoms of the illness are known to appear.
Isolation means keeping people who are sick and contagious separated from people who are healthy to ensure that they do not spread the illness.
Should I be concerned if I or someone I know recently traveled to China or another country where a COVID-19 outbreak is occurring?
All American citizens and lawful permanent residents traveling to the United States from China are being directed to one of 11 airports where health screenings are being conducted by CDC staff. Those who have returned from China (regions other than Hubei Province, where the outbreak is centered) who have not shown any symptoms of illness are monitored for 14 days, at which point they are cleared if they do not develop any symptoms. Travelers from China who are allowed on to their final destinations after screenings are advised to limit contact with people for two weeks.
The incubation period or period between virus exposure and symptom development for the novel coronavirus is estimated at two to 14 days, with the majority of symptoms developing within about a week of exposure, according to the CDC. So, for example, if someone traveled from China in early- to mid-January and has not gotten sick, they are highly unlikely to have the COVID-19.
The CDC has also issued travel guidelines for South Korea, Italy and other countries that have experienced significant outbreaks of the virus. See all of the CDC s COVID-19 travel advisories.
It is also possible that additional screening could take place for travelers returning from other areas that have been heavily affected by outbreaks of the virus.
Will wearing a surgical mask help protect me from the novel coronavirus or other respiratory infections?
Surgical masks may help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses when worn by people who are sick, as they limit the spread of large airborne particles from coughing or sneezing. According to the CDC, if you are not sick, you will not be protected from illness by wearing a mask. You should wear a mask only if a healthcare provider instructs you to do so.
A respirator (an N95, for example) is worn by healthcare personnel in close contact with people who are sick, because respirators, when properly worn, effectively filter small airborne particles that can cause disease. N95 respirators must be fit-tested for each individual in order to be effective. If you have more questions, this infographic from the CDC may help.
Where can I find more information?
More information is available in this Q&A with a Temple University Hospital infectious disease physician and a faculty member from the College of Public Health who specializes in epidemiology. For additional information, visit the CDC s COVID-19 page and the World Health Organization s COVID-19 site.
Temple students (215-204-7500) and employees (215-204-2679) are encouraged to call Temple Student and Employee Health Services with additional questions or comments.