Coronavirus Updates

At this time, SHS is operating under normal business hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.- 5p.m. Hours and availability of certain services may be limited or change depending on staff availability.

The below services are available to students:

Medical Visits

To make an appointment at SHS, call ahead at 940.898.3826. If you are experiencing any high-risk symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, chest pain), you may web book a telemedicine appointment with a clinician.

Telemedicine appointments are available for students who are physically located in the state of Texas. Telemedicine appointments are available for a variety of patient complaints and can be scheduled by appointment at 940-898-3826.

For students needing assistance after normal business hours or holiday campus closings, the following services are available.

Medical Care

• ACL Houston
• ACL Dallas

Mental Health

• Student Assistance Program Overview (pdf)
• Student Health Services Health Promotion Online Health Hub

Texas Woman’s University continues to work with governmental agencies, professional health and security organizations, and our academic partners to monitor worldwide coronavirus developments. Please see the latest developments at the TWU coronavirus page.

• Texas Woman’s University updates
• Denton County Health Department
• Dallas County Health Department
• Harris County Health Department
• Department of State Health Services updates
• CDC updates regarding the COVID-19 virus in the U.S.
• World Health Organization (WHO) updates

• Call your healthcare provider in advance. Please do not show up at a clinic, urgent care or other healthcare facility without calling first. Your provider may need to take special measures to protect other people in the clinic.
• Depending on your primary complaint, telemedicine may be available for you. Telemedicine enables you to consult a provider from home. Check with your health insurance provider, or call SHS at 940.898.3826 to schedule an appointment.
  
  • If you are a student enrolled in the TWU Student Health Insurance plan, MD Live is available for you (a medical visit copay applies).
• If you have symptoms such as a cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your primary care doctor first. Do not go to an emergency room. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.

• Wash hands often for 20 seconds and encourage others to do the same. Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
• Wear a properly fitted face covering in public and during any gatherings.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Disinfect surfaces, buttons, handles, knobs, and other places touched often.
• Stay six feet apart from others.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Social gatherings among family and friends are a significant contributor to the spread of COVID-19. Anyone that does not live in your household can potentially expose you to COVID-19. The holidays are a time for gathering, but with COVID-19 transmission increasing across the United States, the risk of being exposed to infection during a gathering is greater. Everyone should carefully consider the risks of traveling and gathering with family and friends and determine whether plans should be adjusted during this pandemic. Information about how to assess risk and safely plan for social gatherings is included below.

• Location: an indoor location, a small space, a crowded or poorly ventilated space all increase risk of exposure to COVID-19.
• Time: the longer the time spent in a space or around people, the higher the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
• Number: the larger the number of people attending the event, the higher the risk of exposure to COVID-19; the greater the number of people attending from areas with higher COVID-19 transmission, the higher the risk.
• Activity: Events that include eating, drinking, dancing, close interaction, singing or shouting increase risk if exposure to COVID-19

Tips for Social Gathering

• Families with elderly members or persons with chronic medical conditions should avoid gathering with persons outside their household; consider virtual gatherings with extended family
• If inviting friends or family that are not part of your household, have everyone wear a face mask while together; have extra face masks should someone forget to bring a face mask
• Plan to spend part of the gathering outdoors to decrease the time indoors
• Invite some of your friends or family to gather at different times of the same day or on different days to reduce the total number of people who will be together at one time
• Avoid inviting so many people that the space will be crowded—allow for more room to physically distance
• Greet each other verbally rather than with handshakes and hugs
• Keep face masks on unless eating or drinking
• Dine outdoors if possible
• Plan to seat persons from the same household together and physically distanced from others when dining
• Have persons attending the gathering bring prepared food items to decrease the amount of time people will be cooking together
• All persons cooking or preparing food should wear face masks and wash hands often
• Assign a group of people to serve the food to others
• Use disposable plates, glasses and utensils
• Serve snacks that are pre-packaged rather than self-serve

Tips for Traveling Safely

• Avoid traveling by plane, bus or train because of potential for exposure to COVID-19
• If traveling by plane, bus or train, wear a face mask throughout travel; physically distance as much as possible; use hand sanitizer often; avoid eating or drinking while traveling because it requires removing your face mask
• If traveling by personal vehicle, take food or drinks to eat during the trip; use drive-throughs to pick up food to eat in your vehicle; avoid dining in restaurants; wear a face mask when inside stores or gas stations; use hand sanitizer when back in your vehicle
• If riding in a car or taxi with persons who are not part of your household, everyone should wear a face mask

Hotel Stays

• Wear masks when not in your room
• Avoid dining in the restaurant
• Consider outdoor dining, room service or pick up food to eat in your hotel room
• Avoid the bar and any other areas of the hotel if crowded
• Wait for an empty elevator or use the stairs
• Wipe down high-touch devices or surfaces with a disinfectant wipe

The incubation period for COVID can be 5-14 days. Waiting until at least day three after exposure will increase the reliability of the test. While awaiting your testing date/time, please follow the CDC guidelines regarding what to do if you are sick/think you may be sick.

All currently enrolled students are eligible for testing with SHS. 

You can be tested for COVID more than once, if needed.

If you are sick and/or had a potential exposure to COVID, visit the Texas Woman’s University coronavirus page for detailed guidance.

1. Stay home when sick or after possible exposure
2. Get tested for COVID-19
3. Complete the COVID-19 Self Reporting Form
4. Notify appropriate campus members
5. Self-monitor and get support
6. Follow guidance from your medical provider or contact tracer on when to discontinue isolation or quarantine.

For general questions regarding SHS COVID symptoms and testing, please contact SHS Patient Services at TWU Patient Portal or 940.898.3826.

For questions regarding the COVID reporting process, contact risk@twu.edu.

SHS COVID tests: There is a charge associated with SHS testing, yet insurance may reimburse fully or partially for the cost of the test. Please contact Student Health Services at 940.898.3826 for more information.

SHS COVID tests are available for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Please note that symptoms may be due to influenza or other respiratory illnesses. If you are experiencing symptoms, it is recommended that you consider making an appointment with a medical provider. Appointments can be made with TWU SHS at 940.898.3826.

Stay home after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms.

Watch for fever (100.4), cough, shortness of breath or other symptoms of COVID-19.

If possible, stay away from others especially people who are at high risk for getting sick from COVID-19.

Follow guidance from medical provider or contact tracer on release from isolation or quarantine.

SHS COVID Testing: SHS Medical staff will administer an anterior nasal swab collection that involves inserting a small swab into each nostril and the entire process typically takes less than 5 minutes.

SHS COVID Testing: Results take 36-48 hours during the week, but there may be a delay on tests done late in the day on Fridays. Results will be sent to you from an SHS medical provider via secure message on the Patient Portal.

If you have not received your results within 72 hours after your test date/time, confirm that the contact information included when you registered for a testing window is accurate. If your contact information is correct, please contact SHS Patient Services at 940.898.3826.

If you receive a positive test result, you will be contacted by an SHS medical provider via secure message. This message will provide you with medical information and links to campus support services; the provider can also answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.

Seek emergency medical care immediately if you show any of these signs: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face.

For now, stay in isolation in your residence and away from other people. Follow the CDC guidance for home isolation. Representatives from TWU Risk Management may be contacting you soon. Their number may indicate "unknown" on the phone, but it should still be answered. They will give you more information about isolation duration and ask about any close contacts. Gather the following information to have ready when they contact you: how you may have been exposed, recent attendance at events (gyms, bars, salons, events such as houses of worship, sporting events, and classes), household members, and close contacts (less than 6 feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes in 24 hours).

You are required to self-report to the university through the COVID Reporting Portal. This act of Selfless Service will help the university to understand and control the virus on campus and give you help through the Division of Student Life.

If you tested negative but had a confirmed close contact (less than 6 feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes in 24 hours) with an individual who has an active case of COVID, it is recommended you quarantine and stay home for 14 days since last contact.