Coronavirus Update -- January 29, 2020

The below message was sent to the Cooper Community on January 29, 2020.

This communication is meant to provide you with important information regarding coronavirus, its symptoms, and current recommendations for prevention and care, if necessary. As of now, there are no confirmed cases in New York City. Cooper Union is closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated. For the latest information, you can also consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

The CDC has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) since the December 2019 outbreak of the virus in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The CDC recommends that travelers avoid all non-essential trips to Wuhan, China. You should allot for extra travel time at airports and transportation hubs throughout Asia and in major US cities as health screens are being performed.

What is coronavirus?

The 2019 Novel (new) Coronavirus belongs to a family of viruses called “coronavirus,” which can cause illness in humans and animals.  Effects are varied and range from mild illness (such as a cold) to severe pneumonia. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. This particular coronavirus has not been previously witnessed in humans, and as such there is no vaccine available.

How is it transmitted?

Health officials and experts are carefully monitoring the spread of this coronavirus, which is possible from animals to humans as well as between humans. Current estimates of incubation times range from 5-7 days, but it is possible for it to take up to 2 weeks for symptoms to manifest themselves.

Prevention Recommendations:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, if soap and water is not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Wear a mask if you need to leave your home when sick.

For more information please see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/prevention.html

What should I do if I think I may have the coronavirus?

If you have any of these symptoms, and have been traveling (or in contact with someone that has been traveling) in the Asia-Pacific region, please seek medical attention. 

For Cooper faculty and staff:   Contact your primary care provider. 

For Cooper students: 

Through Cooper Care, you have 24/7 online access to medical professionals who can assess and diagnose your concerns, prescribe medication/treatment, and/or refer you to in-person medical visits, as necessary.   Cooper Cares is a telehealth service that is accessible via an app on your mobile device or computer. To access Cooper Care, you must be registered at www.cooper.care. There is no cost for this service to Cooper students, and you do not need to use health insurance for this.

You can also visit local Urgent Care Centers, including: Mount Sinai Doctors, City MD, and Northwell Health Urgent Care.  The costs for receiving care vary per site. The Providers will be able to tell you the costs associated with your visit and if your insurance will cover a portion of the medical care costs associated with the visit.

If you have been seen by a medical provider, stay home, avoid contact with others until you are well, and please notify your academic dean and/or supervisor.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.