Staying up to date on vaccines and following health and safety guidelines are the best way to protect yourself from upper respiratory infections.
The Student Health Center experiences a significant volume of calls related to upper respiratory illness. Many questions related to COVID-19, influenza, and other upper respiratory infections are covered in the collapsible FAQs below. Please click through each and review the information prior to calling the Student Health Center (SHC). After reviewing this information, should you have remaining questions or concerns, then contact the SHC at (865) 974-5080 for additional assistance.
For more detailed information see the CDC’s website on respiratory illness.
Warning Sign Symptoms
If you have any of the warning sign symptoms below, you should seek emergency care immediately. Warning sign symptoms include:
- trouble breathing
- persistent chest pain or pressure
- new or worsening confusion
- inability to wake or stay awake
- pale, blue, or grey nail beds or skin, depending on your skin tone
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious COVID-19 or flu. Vaccines are safe, effective, and in most cases free. Visit tiny.utk.edu/vaccines for more information and appointments. This site will be updated beginning early September.
If you are ill, please avoid coming to or being out on campus and call your healthcare provider for any symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Staying home while you are ill is an important way to prevent the spread of illness in the community.
- For guidance on quarantine and isolation, see the CDC’s guidance on preventing the spread of respiratory viruses..
- For university resources on self-isolation, instructor notifications, and other support related to health or illness related absences, fill out the Health & Illness Support Form.
The Student Health Center Pharmacy has convenient at-home tests for COVID-19 and influenza. Testing early can improve your treatment options and interrupt transmission so that fewer community members get sick. If you think you may have a different upper respiratory with good treatment options such as strep throat, call the Triage Nurse at (865) 974-5080, option 7
If you test negative for influenza or COVID-19, you may still have a respiratory infection that you can transmit to others. If you have symptoms, you should re-test after 48 hours to verify that you remain negative. Even if you test negative, you should consider staying home and away from others. If your symptoms worsen or persist for more than a few days, you may have another respiratory infection like the flu. Contact a healthcare provider to discuss testing and treatment options.
There are things you can do to manage mild symptoms at home*.
- Be sure to rest and drink plenty of fluids.
- You may use over-the-counter fever and cough and cold medications to help but first, check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to make sure you are using the right ones and that they are safe for you. You can reach the Student Health Center Pharmacy at (865) 974-5932.
- Stay home except to get medical care or basic necessities that cannot be delivered to you.
- Students can submit a Health & Illness Support Form to have their instructors notified of their absence. Faculty & staff should work with their healthcare providers and supervisors to determine isolation duration and working arrangements.
- Separate yourself from other people as much as possible.
- Monitor your symptoms and if they are becoming severe or not responding to home care, contact your healthcare provider.
- Always call ahead before visiting your doctor.
- When around others, wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Clean your hands often.
- Avoid sharing personal household items.
- Clean all “high-touch” surfaces every day.
*To view more detailed information about managing your illness, click here to go to information on the CDC’s website.
If your symptoms worsen or persist for more than a few days or do not respond to over-the-counter medication, you should seek healthcare. Call (865) 974-5080 and select option 7 to leave a message for the Triage Nurse. Your healthcare provider will discuss appropriate treatment options for you based on your diagnosis.