Everything You Need to Protect Yourself (and Others) From COVID-19 on Campus

It shouldn’t be surprising thatface maskswere the most frequently recommended item among doctors, as public-health experts agree that well-fitting, multi-layerfabric face masksslow the spread of the virus by preventing the transmission of respiratory droplets. “Make sure your college student has multiple face coverings, enough to wash them daily and have backups ready,” says pediatrician Florencia Segura ofEinstein Pediatrics. Dr. Teresa Bartlett, medical director at technology-enabled risk, benefits, and integrated business-solution providerSedgwick, says, “This is key to preventing the spread of the virus and should be worn at all times when outside the dorm room.” This 24-pack will allow you to wear a new mask daily for over three weeks.Apostrophedermatologist Aanand Geria says the Gildan mask has “a soft cotton lining making it breathable and perfect for sensitive skin.”

“As we all know, a huge part of college is waiting until the last second to do laundry,” says Brian Galvin, chief academic officer atVarsity Tutors. So if you anticipate not doing laundry frequently, or just want to always have a clean mask on hand, our experts recommend buying in bulk. As Dr. Sandra Kesh, an infectious-disease specialist atWestmed Medical Group, says, “There needs to be this constant vigilance about [mask-wearing]. That is probably the number one intervention that’s going to keep things at bay.”

They’re pricier than the Gildan ones, but these Vistaprint masks (with four layers of protection and room for a filter) are among ourreaders’ favorites, and they come in a variety of colors and prints, like this ’90s-esque daisy style.

Steven Schnur, a family physician and founder ofImHealthyTodayandElite Health, says students can also look for masks that have been treated with an antimicrobial technology that prevents the growth of bacteria. This mask from Jaanuu, which also makes nurse-beloved scrubs, has a silver antimicrobial layer and comes in packs of five. Schnur says the antimicrobial properties should last six to eight weeks with regular washing. For even more face-mask ideas, we’ve rounded up theones health-care workers buy themselvesand the best ones fordifferent situations.

Since you should bewashing your maskafter every wear, you’ll want to have enough detergent on hand.Elizabeth Mullans, a dermatologist at Uptown Dermatology in Houston, told us hypoallergenic and fragrance-free detergents (like this one from Arm & Hammer) are best for avoiding rashes and breakouts — because you don’t need anything else to worry about. Leann Poston, a physician and content contributor for online prescription serviceInvigor Medical, advises that students should “have a system in place, where the mask is put into a bag at the end of each wearing until it can be laundered,” to keep dirty and clean masks separate. Registered nurse Kimberly Volk ofSouthwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, says you should also be frequently washing your clothes, too, to keep them sanitized. “Rather than wearing a hoodie or sweatshirt without washing, put it in the dirty clothes and don’t wear it again until it’s been washed,” she says.

While you should be avoiding shared surfaces like computer terminals (and washing your hands immediately after touching them) sometimes this is unavoidable on campus. In those situations. Schnur recommends throwing aportable UV lightin your backpack to quickly kill germs on common surfaces. As microbiologist Alex Berezow told the Strategist, “UV light is lethal to bacteria and viruses because of its high frequency that scrambles and damages their nuclear material.” Because they’re reusable (this one should last 10,000 hours according to the manufacturer) UV-light wands are a good alternative to sold-out disinfectant sprays and wipes.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve all beenwashing our handsmore than usual, and you should continue this practice on campus. “You will want to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after returning from class, after using the restroom, before preparing or eating food, and after coughing or sneezing,” says Segura. And fortunately all you need is soap and water. “Soap is the best thing to get rid of the virus,” says Poston. “It disrupts the lipid coating on the surface of the virus and kills it.” We have lots of picks for hand soaps according to bothcool peopleand those whowash their hands a lot, but this one getsrave reviews on Amazonfor being gentle on sensitive skin. With all that hand-washing, it won’t hurt to use a soap that’s easy on your hands.

Since you won’t always have access to soap and water, experts stress that you can’t pack too much hand sanitizer. “Campuses are full of doors to pull open, communal surfaces in cafeterias and classrooms, and shared books and other learning tools,” says Galvin. “Having hand sanitizer for quick cleaning is a must.”Amit Roy, an internal medicine physician and medical advisor foreMediHealth, adds that “hand hygiene should be performed immediately before and after any contact with your face covering,” too. Segura recommends to “look for a brand that contains at least 60 percent alcohol perCDC guidelines, and be on the lookout forFDA-recalled productscontaining toxic methanol.”

You won’t have to dig through your bag looking for your hand sanitizer (and contaminating everything else you touch) with these mini bottles that clip onto your backpack or keychain. This set even comes with a funnel for mess-free refilling.

Both Bartlett and Poston recommend bringing tissues — including pocket-size packs you can throw in your backpack — to encourage coughing, sneezing, and blowing your nose into them instead of into the air.

Because many coronavirus cases are asymptomatic (especially in otherwise healthy young people), taking your temperature isn’t a perfect way to tell if you’re infected, but if you’re feeling ill and also have a fever it could be a sign to self-isolate and seek out testng. “Recognize that only about 40 percent or so of COVID infections present with a fever,” says Poston, who still recommends bringing a thermometer for screening. “If the student feels ill, they should assume it may be COVID, if they have a cough, loss of taste and smell, joint pain, or other COVID symptoms.” This forehead thermometer has more than 3,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.

Tom Cotter, director of emergency response and preparedness at the healthcare non-profitProject HOPE, says to clean your thermometer with isopropyl alcohol (found in these wipes) after each use. They’re also handy for cleaning other surfaces in your dorm room or around campus. “Alcohol wipes are very helpful in disinfecting surfaces that could be possibly contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19,” says Omiete Charles-Davies, a medical doctor at the medical websiteOneDoctor. “Frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, and even mobile phones should be cleaned with these wipes very often.”

For tossing dirty tissues or cleaning wipes in your dorm room, Poston recommends a hands-free trash can. It’s an easy way to prevent germs from collecting on the lid. The Brabantia NewIcon style is aninterior-designer-favoritefor a sleek take on this not-so-glamorous item.

We were curious about whether fans would do anything to keep air clean in dorm rooms, and our experts say they do — but only if you have an open window for proper ventilation. “The main concern is that air needs to be fresh,” says internal medicine physicianSarma Velamuri. “It’s ventilation [that’s important], more than just moving air around in a closed space.” Volk cautions that in the absence of fresh air, fans could actually promote the spread of the virus. If you’ll be able to keep your windows open most of the time, it’s not a bad idea to get an affordable fan like this one. Otherwise, you can skip it.

From studying to socially distanced socializing, experts say it’s generally safer to do as many activities outdoors as possible, as the virus spreads more easily indoors. “Bring a beach towel or blanket and you can do your assigned reading outside on the grass and not inside a crowded library,” says Galvin. Cookbook authorAli Rosen(who wrote abook on picnicking) loves this blanket because it’s portable and easy to clean.

Instead of relying on public transportation to get around campus (or to commute if you live off-campus), Schnur recommends walking or biking. This hybridcommuter bikeis perfect for riding to and from class. Besides using your bike for transportation, cycling is also an ideal socially distanced, outdoor form of exercise — a good thing to have because, as Galvin explains, “gyms and rec buildings can be COVID hotspots.” If you’re not into biking, there’s alwaysrollerblading, which has become a bit of aphenomenonthis summer, and any of ourat-home workout gearrecommendations would be good for breaking a sweat in your room or on the quad.