A Message form the President on COVID-19 / Coronavirus

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:  

Your health and safety are our top priority. Central Penn College’s leadership team is closely monitoring the latest information related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19 or “coronavirus”). The college is working to ensure that you have current information to stay healthy.  

We have a new page on our website (www.centralpenn.edu/covid) that has detailed information about the virus, preventative measures and important links to health organizations. We will continue to update this page, as new information becomes available.  

In addition, we will publish a series of articles written by our Health Science faculty in Student Central and Central Station about disease-prevention measures that we all can take.  

At this time, no cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the state of Pennsylvania.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that the coronavirus spreads––similar to the flu or common cold––through person-to-person contact:  

• 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.
• Touching surfaces with the virus and then touching your mouth, noise and eyes also may spread the virus.

The CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that the most important thing you can do to prevent getting sick is to wash your hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds.  

Other preventative measures include:  

• Avoid close contact with people who are ill
• When sick with a respiratory bug, limit your contact with others
• When sick with the flu, stay home for at least 24 hours AFTER your fever is gone without the help of a fever-reducer
• Frequent hand-washing with soap and water (for a minimum of 20 seconds)––one trick is to sing or hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice in a row to time your hand-washing
• If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Remember to “cover your cough” with a tissue or the bend of your elbow (be sure to throw the tissue away)
• Whenever possible, disinfect commonly touched areas (door knobs, elevator push buttons, computer keyboards and mouse, telephones, etc.)

Please be assured that the College Continuity Response Team is monitoring this situation closely and will provide you with information as it become available.