In March, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) created universal recommendations for respiratory viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus (“COVID”), Influenza virus (“Flu”), and other respiratory viruses. The information below is based on the CDC guidance for people with respiratory viruses with some specific information for Princeton undergraduates included.

If you have a runny nose, cough, sore throat, body aches and/or a fever, you probably have one of these viral illnesses:

• COVID
• Flu, if it’s December through April in New Jersey or you are a returned traveler from a place with different flu season.
• Other viruses that clinics typically are not able to test for (for example: rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, enterovirus, adenovirus, and human metapneumovirus)

Unless you have an underlying condition, finding out which virus causes these symptoms may not be important for your individual care. The same precautions to protect others should be taken for all of these viruses.

Learn more about:

• General symptom management
• OTC medications to manage symptoms
• Protecting others while symptomatic
• Protecting others with improved symptoms
• When to seek healthcare
• Precautions to reduce the spread of illness
• Accessing COVID or flu tests

How to care for yourself if you have symptoms of viral illness:

• Take your temperature with a reliable thermometer to see if you have a fever (temperatures above 100.4 F or 38 C). Data shows that it is difficult to know whether or not your core temperature is elevated beyond normal, based on how you feel. A thermometer gives you (and your care provider) objective diagnostic information that is helpful in your care. A thermometer will also help you be sure when a fever has resolved.
• Stay hydrated by drinking extra water. Recommended daily water intake ranges from 95-125 ounces (2.7-3.7 L) and you may need more if you are exercising and/or if you have fever. Avoid alcohol which can cause dehydration.
• Get regular and adequate amounts of sleep. Avoiding alcohol will also help with the quality of sleep.
• Use a cool mist vaporizer or saline nasal spray to relieve congestion. Hot liquids and hot showers can help. There are also a variety of over-the-counter medications that help with nasal congestion, that are listed below.
• For sore throats, ice chips, sore throat spray or lozenges can help symptoms.
• Use saline gargles for sore throat 2-4 times per day. Mix 1/2 a teaspoon salt into 1/2 a glass of water.

Over-the-Counter Medications to Manage Symptoms

The following medications can assist in reducing symptoms and discomfort. Avoid products containing multiple medications, instead, treat specific symptoms. Use medicines according to package instructions or as directed by your healthcare provider. Stop medications when symptoms get better.

• For fever or body aches (Usual dosages for adults listed here. Use according to package instructions or as directed by your healthcare provider.):
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 500mg-650mg every 4 hours, not to exceed 4000mg in 24 hours
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 400mg-600mg every 6 hours
• To ease nasal and sinus congestion, try one:
  • Antihistamine (Benadryl - sedating; Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec - non-sedating
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed original formula - inquire at pharmacy counter with an ID)
  • Nasal Spray (Nasacort, Flonase)
• To lessen cough and chest congestion:
  • Dextromethorphan - cough suppressant
  • Guaifenesin - thins mucus and relieves chest congestion; or
  • combination of both (Mucinex DM, Robitussin OM)

What to do to protect others if you have a respiratory viral illness with symptoms

If you have a virus, then you can spread the virus to others, especially while you have intense symptoms. If you have a fever and or significant respiratory symptoms (for example, frequent cough), take these precautions to minimize spreading viruses:

• Stay away from others as much as possible, in your room, while you have intense symptoms.
• Do not attend class, meetings, athletic practices, etc. 
  • Notify your professor or instructor that you will be absent from class and let your Dean/Assistant Dean for Studies know about your absence from classes. 
  • Notify your coach or athletic trainer that you will be absent from practice. 
  • If you are having difficulties communicating with your professors about missing class, please reach out to your Dean/Assistant Dean for Studies in your Residential College.
• If you have to be around others, even for very short periods of time, wear a well fitted mask. If you need a mask, email or call your Residential College office.
• While wearing a well fitted mask, you may leave your room to pick up your meals (Campus Dining offers a lunch-to-go program) and take out your trash.
• It’s best if your friends can bring meals, snacks, and/or over the counter medications to you. If your friend is picking up a meal from the dining hall for you, they should have your PUID number, but not your prox card (giving your prox card to another person is against policy).
• If you are sharing a bedroom/sleeping space, it is best to stay apart from others as much as possible for while symptoms are more pronounced. It is a good idea to have discussions with your roommates ahead of time about this possibility and to make plans regarding who might move out temporarily. 
  • Moving out might mean that one of you uses a common space within your dorm suite to sleep, instead of sharing the sleeping space. The University does not move students into emergency spaces and/or other rooms for these respiratory viral illnesses.

What to do to protect others if you have a viral illness and your symptoms have ended/improved

The following precautions should be taken for 5 days after you are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medicine (Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen) for 24 hours and your respiratory symptoms have started improving:

• Wearing a well-fitted mask when around others and when you go to class or the dining hall.
• Other precautions you can take include frequent handwashing, socializing outside, and keeping a distance from others.

When to call or go to University Health Services (UHS)

Contact UHS (609-258-3141) or Public Safety (609-258-1000) promptly if you experience:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Inability to stay hydrated or signs of dehydration, such as significant dizziness
• Confusion or severe headache
• High fever for more than three days

General Precautions to Avoid Spreading Any Illness

• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze. If you cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, properly dispose of used tissues and use hand sanitizer afterwards.
• Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Do not share things that come in contact with your nose or mouth while sick.
• If you are sick and you are unable to stay home/limit contact with others, wear a mask to reduce spread.
• Get vaccinated for flu and COVID this fall. 
  • Free flu vaccines are available at UHS by appointment. 
  • COVID vaccines are available at local pharmacies.

Accessing COVID or flu tests

• If you want to know if you have COVID in order to protect others around you from this particular infection, COVID tests are:
  • Available at local pharmacies, sometimes at no cost depending on your insurance (Students on the Student Health Plan can check with OptumRx Member Services at 1-877-615-6319). 
  • Free COVID tests are available through the mail from COVIDTests.gov. 
  • UHS has a limited number of tests available to students as well.
• During flu season, flu tests are available at UHS by appointment only. These are not self-tests. Students will need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider and meet specific clinical criteria for testing.