WCSU community members attended information sessions last week covering the university’s response to COVID-19. Hosted by the director of Emergency Management, Pano Koukopoulos, and the director of Health Service, Nancy Haensch, APRN, the sessions detailed the university’s plans for combating the spread of COVID-19 on-campus and provided individuals with ways to protect themselves from getting sick.

“Free individual hand sanitizer will be handed out to all participants (while supplies last),” the email promised, encouraging students, faculty, and staff to “come and learn how we can all help to keep our community healthy and get more information on our university-wide preparations.” 

The information sessions were set to take place on the Midtown Campus March 4, 5, 6, 10, and 13 at 12pm in the Student Center Theater and on the Westside Campus March 9th at 12pm in the South Ballroom. 

The most frequently asked question at all of the initial information sessions was quite simply: how do we keep ourselves healthy and safe while also preventing the spread of the virus? The advice, invariably, was a call for everyone to be washing their hands. Koukopoulos and Haensch advised washing with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, being sure to scrub beneath the nails and on both sides of the hand, paying special attention to the thumbs. 

“We need to be very thoughtful about what we do with our hands,” Koukopoulos warned, reminding people of how many times a day they touch potentially contaminated surfaces, including fruits and vegetables in the shopping market and the handles of gas station pumps. 

They also reminded the audience about general practices to maintain and improve the health of your immune system. Participants were advised to eat a balanced diet, exercise, get a good night’s sleep, and drink lots of water. They were also cautioned against interacting with those with compromised immune systems (and/or chronic illnesses), individuals over 60 years old, and young children. Haensch also reminded attendees to practice social distancing, and implored them to find alternatives for handshakes and hugs for the time being. 

When asked what could be done if you were already sick, Koukopoulos and Haensch were both adamant about staying home if you exhibit symptoms of COVID-19, which most commonly include fever, a deep cough, and trouble breathing, symptoms which often overlap with the common cold and flu. One significant difference they noted is the presence of body aches with influenza, not necessarily with COVID-19. It is also important to note that influenza is categorized as a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, while COVID-19 attacks the lower respiratory system. 

“Respiratory system issues, runny nose, headache, sore throat, cough, fever,” Haensch listed as COVID-19 symptoms provided by the CDC. “With more severe infections, you can get pneumonia, kidney failure, and even death. There is a lot of overlap in the symptoms, which is one reason why it’s very confusing and why people are very nervous about this,” Haensch empathized, attempting to calm a frustrated and confused audience with questions about treatment and the probability of a vaccine.

With the CDC estimating it will be another year before a vaccine is released to the public, it is no surprise that tension among the campus community is rising. 

Koukopoulos took this time to remind the audience that despite the widespread anxiety surrounding COVID-19, the coronavirus itself is not new. In fact, there are 7 different strains of coronavirus that have been identified, 4 of which account for cases of the common cold and influenza every year. 2 of them are the root of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome). The “coronavirus” currently spreading is simply a new strain, hence its name: novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. 

“The limitation with this particular virus is that there is no vaccine yet and there is no specific treatment,” Koukopoulos said. Once again, he and Haensch reminded the audience to be taking steps to ensure their own personal safety. Koukopoulos used this opportunity to discuss basic personal preparedness and reminded the audience that it doesn’t need to be something like COVID-19 that causes a personal change in lifestyle. 

“It can be anything!” he said. “What if it’s cold and you run out of gas? Do you have a bag of clothes in your car? Opportunities like this are a reminder that we cannot always expect the government to do something for us. We have to take our wellbeing into our own hands.” He advised the audience that they keep a “go kit” somewhere easily accessible, whether in their car, office, or dorm. “We need to start rethinking,” he said, citing a lack of preparation as one reason for widespread panic, “and we need to continue rethinking after coronavirus disappears.” 

He and Haensch closed the information sessions by answering specific audience questions, attempting to mitigate concerns. Housing staff and professors expressed anxiety about sick students, citing the university’s policy of reporting students as stopped attending after repeated absences. While they could not comment directly on whether or not a change in policy was coming, Haensch reassured the audience that they would bring the issue up in discussion. 

They also addressed concerns about resident students who might not be able to visit their primary care physician because of their distance from home. Koukopoulos advised students in this position to visit a walk-in clinic if they exhibit symptoms, which Haensch agreed with. She confirmed that the university does not have access to COVID-19 tests, but that if members of the campus community pass the checklist of symptoms from the CDC, they will be tested by the state department. 

This sparked concern over the limited number of test kits available in Connecticut, which received a second kit Monday morning, providing the ability to test 1200 individuals. Koukopoulos confirmed that as of March 6, Danbury Hospital did not have access to COVID-19 tests. As of March 9, QuestDiagnostics released a statement that they would begin offering COVID-19 tests at their facilities.

University officials reminded the audience at the close of each information session that the risk of dying from COVID-19 is relatively low for healthy individuals. The World Health Organization is currently marking COVID-19 with a mortality rate of 3.4% compared to 1% for seasonal influenza.

Koukopoulos said that the university would continue to monitor the situation as it develops and that the Emergency Management team would be in constant contact with members of the community. The university has reportedly been following the situation for approximately the last five and a half weeks and will continue working with the State Department of Public Health, the Board of Regents, and contacts from the Center for Disease Control. Members of the campus community should watch for updates on the Emergency Management page.  

“There is no magic pill that we can take to make the Coronavirus go away,” Koukopoulos told the crowd at one of the university forums. “Right now, it’s all about managing the symptoms.”