January 28, 2020

2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): Update 4 [Beginning Bi-Weekly Updates]

Given the evolving nature of and subsequent concerns related to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the College will make every effort to provide you with verified, factual information to ensure the overall health and wellness of our community.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is low and the College does not foresee any interruption to our normal academic schedule. While we understand the severity of the situation, we are confident that if everyone in our community follows recommended, preventative guidelines, we can avoid any significant outbreak. That said, we encourage all individuals to note the following:

• Everyone is encouraged to secure a primary care physician (PCP) and be readily prepared to contact your doctor should you begin to experience symptoms, including fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Students enrolled in ArtCenter’s insurance plan are automatically assigned a PCP or have the option of choosing their own in-network healthcare provider and should follow-up accordingly.
  While there is no vaccination for 2019-nCoV, the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccination since we are still in the midst of cold and flu season.
  Everyone should always take daily preventative actions to stop the spread of germs (wash your hands, stay home when you are sick, cover your cough or sneeze, etc.)
  While not required by any public health agencies, general use surgical and particulate masks will be available from the security desks at each building entrance as well as security command centers at both campuses (suite 406 in the 1111 building and room 151 in the Ellwood building) for voluntary use.
  The CDC maintains a global map of locations with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases. Any individuals who have traveled from or through any of the regions highlighted on the global map are most at risk. If so, we encourage you to see your PCP whether or not you are symptomatic.
  Lastly, the College has increased janitorial services of high-trafficked and shared spaces at both campuses throughout the day and will perform a deep cleaning process at night. If you notice an increase in janitorial services, and if janitors are wearing masks, please do not be alarmed. It is a preventative measure to maintain a clean campus environment.

Rumor and speculation can be especially misleading during times of uncertainty. We encourage everyone to obtain updated information from verified news sources. ArtCenter will be reviewing updates provided by the CDC and other public health agencies throughout the week and we will, in turn, summarize the latest information in regular emails to our community, typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which will also be posted to Inside ArtCenter.

Additional information about  2019-nCoV can be found on the CDC website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Please don’t hesitate to contact the office of Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@artcenter.edu with any specific questions or concerns.

Please note, this Coronavirus update is the fourth in a series previously distributed by email. Retroactively, the email sent on Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 10:27 a.m. can be considered Update 1, the email sent on Friday, January 24, 2020, at 6:57 p.m. can be considered Update 2, and the email sent on Sunday, January 26, 2020, at 11:21 a.m. can be considered Update 3. Going forward, future updates will not only be sent via email but also posted to Campus News on Inside ArtCenter.