Northwest College eyes coronavirus situation

Posted 3/3/20

While the number of cases of COVID-19 remains low and fatalities rare compared to other illnesses in the United States, Northwest College is monitoring the situation and preparing response plans …

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Northwest College eyes coronavirus situation

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While the number of cases of COVID-19 remains low and fatalities rare compared to other illnesses in the United States, Northwest College is monitoring the situation and preparing response plans should the situation warrant escalation.

The college began sending out messages to students, staff and faculty at the end of January with precautions they could take to keep from getting or spreading the disease.

“It has been on our radar for a while now,” said Carey Miller, communications and marketing director. “The pandemic response team has been activated according to college policy and will be meeting regularly for the foreseeable future on this topic.”

Miller said the college is working with staff and Marneé Crawford, director of nursing, to keep everyone on campus informed of developments and proper responses.

The college’s statements provided information on the symptoms of the virus. The precautions given to those showing or experiencing the symptoms include avoiding close contact with sick people, limiting contact with others and staying home if showing symptoms, covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, disinfecting regularly touched surfaces and thoroughly washing hands.

The messages also refer people on campus to websites with more information and updates on the virus.

Spring break begins on Saturday, and with many students traveling, the college’s administration and staff held a Friday safety meeting and sent out another message. Miller said one of the outcomes of the meeting was the addition of a task force to monitor the situation.

“We urge caution and careful consideration when making plans to travel,” the most recent message stated. “Across the nation, we continue to hear and learn more about the coronavirus, urging us all to consider the risks involved and consider cancelling trips that are not absolutely necessary at this time.”

In 2006, the college adopted a Pandemic Response Plan, which would guide campus responses should there be a serious epidemic in Powell. In light of the coronavirus, the college is reviewing the plan to see if any updates are needed.

The plan has four levels of action based on the spread of a disease. Level one is triggered when there are regional confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission of a communicable disease. Once suspected cases on campus impact 15% of students, staff or faculty, the level rises to 2 and so on as the percentage grows.

If the levels rise, the college begins planning appropriate responses, which may include activating the Incident Command System, a procedure developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

According to reports from national media, six people in the United States had died from COVID-19 as of Monday. For comparison, CDC statistical models estimated 80,000 people died of common strains of influenza in the winter of 2018. On average, the models estimate annual deaths range from 12,000 to 56,000.

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