Information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019)

At present, government agencies are recommending no large gatherings of 250 or more people. However, we have small campuses and small classes and no dormitories.  During any given time of day, all of our separate buildings and campuses have far less than 250 people (Students and Team Members combined) during any one section.  So again, please practice good hygiene using the tips referenced on this web page, which can also be found at www.CDC.gov.

Below are possible scenarios, which we hope will keep our community informed about how the College will be responding if needed:

Question:

If I know or have heard this information, what should I do with it?

Answer:

If you are a Student at the College, please contact your Campus Director ASAP and wait for direction.

If you are a Team Member at the College, please contact your Campus Director and a member of the College’s Executive Committee ASAP and wait for direction.

Question:

Once confirmed by our clinical or extern site, will we be sharing this information with our Students?

Answer:

Yes, a member of our Executive Committee and/or Campus Director will be informing the Students of this situation.

Depending on the type of facility (e.g., acute care hospital, skilled nursing facility, doctors’ office, etc.), this will dictate our path forward for a particular Student or clinical group. For example, if one of our acute care hospitals has infected patients, but those patients are in isolation rooms, with all health care providers using universal precautions, we may advise the clinical experience continue as planned. If one of our skilled nursing facilities has infected patients and that facility does not have the ability for isolation, then we most likely will cancel that clinical experience.

Question:

What will the College do in this case?

Answer:

We will remove our Students.

Question:

Will the College attempt to arrange an alternative clinical or extern site?

Answer:

Yes, we will attempt to make alternative arrangements; however, Students may need to travel much farther from their home campus to attend clinical. We ask for your adaptability and flexibility. In the case of an extern site, our Career Services Department will work on arranging a different site.

Question:

If the College cannot arrange for another clinical site, what will happen to my needed hours and expected graduation date?

Answer:

We are currently working with all regulatory authorities to see if we can continue your required clinical hours using alternative methods. These include clinical sites currently approved by our other campuses, which may be much further from your home campus. We are also looking at other modalities, such as skills lab and/or simulation. As we understand it now, most regulators are being very supportive of these alternatives. We need to stress that most, not all regulators are allowing for these alternatives.

Question:

What actions will the College take?

Answer:

Depending on whom that Student or Team Member interacted with, the College may choose to send a particular class home for a specific period of time. In addition, the College may choose to close a particular campus(es) for a specific period of time in an abundance of caution. Note that the identity of the infected individual(s) will be kept confidential, but SEC will notify you of location and timeframes as to where this individual was located so you can determine if you had contact with this person and then follow up with your health care provider.

Question:

If my class is sent home or my campus shuts down, how will I get my hours and will my graduation date be affected?

Answer:

We are confident we will be able to continue to deliver instruction in some form. For example, we are working on conference calling options, whereby Instructors will be delivering lesson plans while on a conference call with Students. In addition, our Education Department is working on solutions and options with our Learning Management System (Moodle), as well as virtual online meeting spaces like Google Hangouts. For clinical hours, we are hopeful that we will have alternative delivery methods (e.g., alternative sites, simulation, and skills lab). However, we are working with our regulators to see if they will support these modalities for clinical time.

Furthermore, depending on the program and length of disruption to the class schedule, your graduation date may be affected.

Question:

As a Student, will I be able to receive my didactic course work and continue with my program?

Answer:

Yes, we are working on accommodating Student(s) in this situation. You need to contact your Campus Director ASAP, so that we can work on a plan of accommodation.

Question:

As a Student, will I be able to make up the clinical, skills lab, or laboratory time?

Answer:

Yes, once your self-quarantine time has completed, we will work on an individual plan to make up the clinical, skills lab, and laboratory time that you missed.

The College’s Executive Committee and Coronavirus Task Force continues to discuss and plan for a disruption as outlined in the scenarios listed above. However, this is not an exhaustive list of these scenarios as this is a rapidly developing situation. It is our intention to continue to publish updates as needed on this web page.

We remain committed to ensuring our Students continue to receive a high-quality education, along with superior support services, despite world events.

The current outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was first identified in China but has now spread internationally, impacting an increasing number of countries. Sustained community spread is occurring in China. Limited person-to-person spread, most associated with close contact with a patient with confirmed 2019-nCoV, has been seen outside of China. No community spread of 2019-nCoV has been identified in the United States at this time.In the coming days and weeks, we expect more confirmed cases in the United States, including some person-to-person spread. The goal of CDC’s aggressive ongoing public health response is to prevent spread of 2019-nCoV in in the United States.

STAY INFORMED

CDC is updating its website daily with the latest information and advice for the public. (www.cdc.gov/ncov)

REMEMBER TO TAKE EVERYDAY PREVENTIVE ACTIONS

that are always recommended to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

• Avoid close contact with sick people.

• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.

• Stay home if you are sick.

• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; germs spread this way.

• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.

IF YOU FEEL SICK

with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and have traveled to China or were in close contact with someone with 2019-nCoV in the 14 days before you began to feel sick, seek medical care. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

DO NOT travel to China.

DO NOT use facemasks. CDC does not recommend the use of facemasks for the general U.S. public to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV.

DO NOT show prejudice to people of Asian descent, because of fear of this new virus. Do not assume that someone of Asian descent is more likely to have

2019-nCoV.

All persons in the U.S.—including those of Asian descent—who have not traveled to China or been in contact with someone with a confirmed or suspected nCoV case in the last 14 days are at low risk of becoming sick.

For more information: www.cdc.gov/COVID19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Yes. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in parts of the United States. Risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members. Other people at higher risk for infection are those who live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Learn more about places with ongoing spread at

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html#geographic.

Yes. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020. The current count of cases of COVID-19 in the United States is available on CDC’s webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

The virus that causes COVID-19 probably emerged from an animal source, but is now spreading from person to person. The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Learn what is known about the spread of newly emerged coronaviruses at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html.

Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of

• fever

• cough

• shortness of breath

Some patients have pneumonia in both lungs, multi-organ failure and in some cases death.

People can help protect themselves from respiratory illness with everyday preventive actions.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you have traveled from an affected area, there may be restrictions on your movements for up to 2 weeks. If you develop symptoms during that period (fever, cough, trouble breathing), seek medical advice. Call the office of your health care provider before you go, and tell them about your travel and your symptoms. They will give you instructions on how to get care without exposing other people to your illness. While sick, avoid contact with people, don’t go out and delay any travel to reduce the possibility of spreading illness to others.

There is currently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to take everyday preventive actions, like avoiding close contact with people who are sick and washing your hands often.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 can seek medical care to help relieve symptoms.