Patient and Visitor Frequently Asked Questions About Coronavirus

COVID-19 is a virus caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new virus in humans causing a respiratory (lung) illness that can be spread from person to person.

COVID-19 is mostly spread from person to person through droplets from the lungs. These droplets are spread when someone with COVID-19 sneezes, coughs, or talks. Contagious droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs, which can then cause an infection in that person. Droplets can land on surfaces and objects that when touched, the virus enters through touching the eyes, mouth, and nose, causing a new infection.

People who live, work, or travel in the regions where coronavirus is spreading are at risk of catching the disease. So are people who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

People of older age and with medical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, appear to be at greater risk if exposed to the virus.

About 2 to 14 days after you are exposed to COVID-19, you may get:

• A fever
• Chills
• A cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Body or muscle aches
• A headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• A sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

To prevent the spread of this virus:

Get vaccinated! Encourage your family members and loved ones to be vaccinated. To schedule for a vaccine, go to Vaccine.UPMC.com.

Whether you are vaccinated or not:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home as much as possible to avoid exposure.
• Ask others to cover their mouths and nose when they cough and sneeze.
• Clean and disinfect regularly used objects and surfaces.
• Avoid touching your face, mouth, nose, or eyes.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Be sure to wash your hands often, especially after the following activities:
  • Using the bathroom
  • Touching common surfaces, such as elevator buttons and phones
  • Blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Before eating

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that everyone wears facemasks when traveling in public for essential services. The general public should wear homemade cloth face coverings rather than medical-grade masks needed by front-line workers. Face coverings should shield the nose and mouth.

• If you believe you have been exposed to the coronavirus and do not have symptoms, contact your primary care doctor.
• If you are experiencing symptoms such as cough, fever, and/or shortness of breath, contact your primary care doctor.
• If you do not have a primary care doctor, you can use UPMC AnywhereCare.
• If you are having trouble breathing, visit an emergency room near you for immediate care. If you can, call ahead so they can plan for your arrival.

• Visit our Coronavirus webpage.
• Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at CDC.gov and search "COVID-19."
• Call your primary care doctor.

UPMC is monitoring the COVID-19 situation around the clock. We have implemented all recommendations from our local and state departments of health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you are under regular care for a chronic condition, have postponed necessary care, or are urgently ill, talk to your doctor about whether you need an office visit or a medically necessary procedure or surgery. If you do need to come to one of our facilities for treatment, we are taking every measure to keep you safe during this challenging time:

• Our facilities are safe, and we sanitize them regularly.
• Anyone entering a UPMC hospital or medical facility is screened for COVID-19 symptoms before being allowed entry.
• Masks are required for everyone inside our buildings. UPMC will provide masks to people who do not have them.
• All furniture, doorknobs, elevator buttons, and other high-touch items in our hospitals and outpatient areas are cleaned and sanitized regularly with hospital-grade disinfectant.
• Our medical staff is trained to recognize patients who may have COVID-19. UPMC also is offering pre-testing to all patients before procedures to prevent spread of the virus.
• Each hospital has a skilled and experienced Infection Prevention team. The team is always working to minimize the possibility of infectious disease spreading.
• We have trained clinical teams who are fully equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to care for patients with serious infections, including COVID-19.
• In-hospital patients who test positive for COVID-19 are isolated and treated with the highest standard of care. We have a thorough testing process to make sure all our patients are safe.
• Although we know the importance of support from family, friends, and loved ones, we are temporarily restricting visitors at all hospitals and facilities to limit the risk of infection. Visitors are not permitted in most facilities unless they receive special approval. Rare exceptions are made in end-of-life situations and when the visitor is essential for the patient’s care. No visitors under age 18 are permitted.
• UPMC offers several telemedicine options for patients. Most providers, including primary care physicians (PCP) and specialists, are available for video visits. All you need is an appointment, a smartphone or tablet, and the free MyUPMC app. If you do not have a primary care provider, you can find one in our online directory or use UPMC AnywhereCare.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act requires providers to list the “cash price” of COVID-19 tests on their public websites. UPMC’s standard charge for a COVID-19 diagnostic lab test is $125 and the standard charge for the specimen collection is $30. If you have insurance, most plans will waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing, so there should be no out-of-pocket cost to you for this test.

Please contact your insurer if you have questions about your plan. Similarly, if you do not have insurance you will not have an out-of-pocket cost for the COVID-19 diagnostic lab test. The CARES Act provides a financial support mechanism for hospital and providers that conduct COVID-19 diagnostic testing on uninsured patients during the public health emergency.