Yes. Frequently washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs and viruses and protect yourself from COVID-19, but if that is not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol will work.
UCF ordered an additional 1,200 hand sanitizing stations and 2,000 cases of refills. The stations are strategically placed around campus in high-traffic areas and near commonly touched surfaces, such as near the doors at building entry points.
Related FAQs
Will there be additional attention paid to cleaning?
Yes, additional and enhanced cleaning will take place in common spaces and areas where there are frequently touched surfaces, including hallways, stairways, restrooms and elevators.
Employees will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining their individual workspaces, including desks, chairs and computer equipment.
What measures will be taken to clean classrooms?
Classrooms will be cleaned daily. Additional and enhanced cleaning will take place in common spaces and areas where there are frequently touched surfaces, and disinfecting wipes will be available so that students can clean individual work spaces.
In addition, UCF has ordered an additional 1,200 hand sanitizing stations and 2,000 cases of refills. The stations will be strategically placed around campus in high-traffic areas and near commonly touched surfaces, such as near the doors at building entry points.
Will I need to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus?
Some groups will be required be tested upon return to UCF, including:
- All students returning to university-owned housing
- All students and staff residing in on-campus Greek housing
- All student-athletes whether living on or off campus
There will be no out of pocket costs to students. UCF will bill students’ insurance provider, and if insurance does not cover, UCF will cover the cost of the COVID-19 test.
For others, COVID-19 testing is available at the main campus in Garage A, but is not required to return to campus.
What if I have concerns about disregard of safety precautions?
Immediate concerns should be brought to your supervisor’s attention. If it is not possible to elevate concerns at the department level, the IntegrityLine is a secure system to report suspected misconduct.
You can reach the IntegrityLine 24/7 at compliance.ucf.edu or 1-855-877-6049. All reports are reviewed by the University Compliance, Ethics and Risk Office, and investigated as discreetly and promptly as possible.
What assistance is available to me to help me cope with COVID-19 or other life events?
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is UCF’s mental health resource for students. You can visit CAPS’ website for information about and resources for coping during this time. Students can also schedule phone or virtual consultation with CAPS by calling 407-823-2811 or visiting their website.
Student Care Services continues to work remotely with anyone who needs additional academic or personal support during this time.
UCF offers our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to all non-student employees. This program provides resources to help employees and their dependents cope with these types of life events. The EAP, administered by Health Advocate, provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost to the employee.
Health Advocate Toll-Free Number: 877-240-6863
Health Advocate Website: HealthAdvocate.com/members
What measures are being taken to reduce COVID-19 transmission through the university’s heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems?
Measures being taken address ventilation, filtration, administrative controls and sterilization technology. Ventilation and filtration provided by HVAC systems can reduce the airborne concentrates of SARS-CoV-2 and, thus, reduce the risk of transmission through the air.
Filtration: UCF’s research facilities utilize MERV 9 pre-filters and MERV 14 final filters. UCF will continue to adhere to the maintenance schedules for quarterly, semi-annual and annual filter changes for all HVAC systems on campus.
Ventilation: UCF will continue to maintain design ventilation rates that are determined by ASHRAE standards for air change rates based on each building’s application.
Administrative controls: UCF is working with the Registrar’s Office on class start times and cleaning schedules, and will provide further updates when the Fall Classroom Seating Task Force further refines the model for opening in fall semester. This will result in an increase in overall ventilation effectiveness per occupant, as the design ACH rates will remain in place or increase where possible, while the population in each building is anticipated to decrease.
Sterilization technology: The university is installing additional ultraviolet-bandwidth energy (UV-C) lighting in air handler units serving instructional and administrative offices. While UV-C will not mitigate transmission risk of SARS and COVID-19 within campus buildings’ HVAC air streams, the ultraviolet energy will help inactivate the DNA and RNA of most viral, bacterial, and fungal organisms so that they are unable to replicate. The kill rate for UV-C is based on a factor of time and exposure to the light. Note that even with high-intensity UV-C irradiation, the deactivation rate will not be 100% for all biological particles.
Is ultraviolet light technology currently used to sterilize the air in campus buildings?
The energy of ultraviolet light (UV-C) filtration is currently used in some air handlers on campus, as it is effective in disrupting the reproductive DNA and RNA of infectious pathogens and helps maintain a clean and sterile environment inside the air handlers. UV-C technology is currently being installed in select high-density instructional, administrative offices and operational support buildings. Buildings that are already 100% outside air, single pass airstream by design are not currently slated for UV-C lighting rollouts as none of those air systems have any return air from the occupied spaces. AHU systems in research buildings that do utilize mixed return and outside air (offices, classrooms) are slated for UV-C lighting.
How can I access the self-checker in the UCF Mobile app?
Detailed instructions on how to access and utilize the COVID Self-Checker are available online for employees and supervisors.