March 28, 2020 (11:10 am) Central Time
Dear Simpson College Community,
In today’s daily update, I wanted to share information that was distributed yesterday by Simpson College Director of Health Services, Katie Lee. I wish to thank Katie for her knowledge and guidance during this time. As she notes below, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to her.
COVID-19 prevention and symptom management
Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) are recommending the following best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- 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.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth with your upper arm or tissue when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Practice social distancing, which means remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings of 10 people or more, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.
The symptoms to monitor include:
- Fever 100.4 or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
If you develop these symptoms within 14 days from being on campus, faculty, staff, and students can contact Katie Lee, Director of Health Services at Katie.Lee@simpson.edu. Students may also contact Luke Behaunek, Dean of Students at Luke.Behaunek@simpson.edu and faculty and/or staff may reach out to Mimi Bartley-Nancarrow, Director of Human Resources at Mimi.Bartley-Nancarrow@simpson.edu.
It is essential to notify us of your illness so we can monitor the general health of the campus community. Please know your health information will remain confidential.
If you should develop a fever, cough, OR shortness of breath, it is recommended you stay home and isolate yourself from others. Approximately 80% of people infected with COVID-19 will experience only a mild to moderate illness. Most mildly ill people do not need to go to their healthcare provider or be tested to confirm they have COVID-19. If you are sick, stay home until:
- You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers), AND
- other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved), AND
- at least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.
If you think you may need health care, call your provider or use telehealth first. Your health care provider can assess whether you need to be seen in the office or if you can recover at home.
Per IDPH (3/22/20), mildly ill people will not be tested in an effort to preserve health care resources such as COVID-19 tests and personal protective gear for health care providers. If you should require more emergent care, such as a visit to the emergency department or the use of 911/ambulance, please call first and inform them of your symptoms and any recent travel.
The emergency warning signs include:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or unconsciousness
- Bluish lips or face
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Katie Lee, Director of Health Services at Katie.Lee@simpson.edu
Connect with Us
We continue to maintain and respond to all questions submitted through our dedicated email address. Please email, COVIDResponse@simpson.edu However, for students with specific questions related to course work, we encourage you to contact your individual professor and or advisor. For faculty with academic-related questions, please contact Cheryl Jacobsen, academic dean.
Please continue to monitor your emails and check the Simpson College COVID19 webpage for updates.
We thank you for your commitment to Simpson College. #ONESimpson.
Thank you,
Bob Lane ‘81
Interim President