Update on Campus Response to Ebola
The following message was sent to the Skidmore community today by Rochelle Calhoun, dean of students and vice president for student affairs. It details new protocols for travel to certain Ebola-affected regions, detailing a key role for Health Services in pre-departure consultation and after-travel monitoring.
The Ebola crisis in West Africa is an increasing concern worldwide as there are now confirmed cases in Germany, Norway, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ebola outbreak currently poses no substantial risk to the United States; however, we want to keep the Skidmore College community informed about it, what we are doing on campus and how each of us can work to keep ourselves and our community healthy.
First, remember that Ebola is not spread through the air, water, or food; it is only spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola or through objects that are contaminated with the virus. Individuals who do not have symptoms are not contagious. Symptoms of the Ebola virus include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite and abnormal bleeding, and can occur up to 21 days after exposure to someone with the active disease.
The CDC continues to warn individuals to avoid nonessential travel to Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Skidmore College strongly discourages faculty, staff and students from traveling to these affected areas. If travel to the region is unavoidable, you must contact Skidmore Health Services at 518-580-5550 for a pre-departure consultation. Faculty, staff or students who return from any of the affected areas, or had contact with someone who has, or had a known exposure to a person with Ebola must contact the Skidmore Health Services by phone before returning to campus to establish plans for monitoring your health and protecting others.
The Skidmore Emergency Management Team has developed a fact sheet based on the recommendations of the CDC, National Institutes of Health (NIH), World Health Organization (WHO) and New York State Department of Health. You can find the fact sheet here.
Finally, let us not forget that the Ebola crisis in parts of West Africa is grave, causing tragic and devastating loss of life. If you would like to donate to Ebola relief efforts, the following agencies are active in West Africa:
Keeping our community healthy is our shared responsibility. We will continue to actively monitor the situation and keep the Skidmore community informed.
Sincerely,
W. Rochelle Calhoun
Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs
