Sent on behalf of Mun Choi, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs;

and John Biancamano, Interim Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

To the UConn Community:

 

As global citizens, we cannot help but be moved by the suffering we are witnessing elsewhere in the world as families and communities are torn apart by the spread of the Ebola virus.

 

While UConn hasn’t been directly touched by this illness, be assured that the University is closely monitoring information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We are using that guidance to continuously refine our protocols for monitoring risk, preparing for a response, and providing clear and timely updates to our campus communities.

 

Currently, the CDC says the outbreak affecting several West African countries does not pose a significant threat in the U.S. However, the CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and to practice enhanced precautions for travel to Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

In Connecticut, Governor Malloy and the state Commissioner of Public Health have issued guidance that is more stringent than the CDC’s guidelines to date, and have launched a detailed informational website at www.ct.gov/ebola.

 

Any UConn employees who believe they may have been exposed to a person with the illness – or who recently visited the affected countries – should contact their physician and local health department immediately so they can be monitored for symptoms.

 

We also encourage you to notify the UConn Office of Global Affairs at 860-486-3152.

 

Per the state’s guidelines:

 

·         If you have visited Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea in the last 21 days or have contact with a person who has Ebola, and you develop a fever and/or any symptoms of Ebola -- such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea -- you will be sent to a hospital for evaluation and placed in a room separate from other patients. This is called isolation.

 

·         If you are not sick, but have traveled to affected areas or been in contact with an infected individual, you must stay at home for 21 days and take your temperature twice a day. Public health workers will contact you twice a day by phone to see how you are doing. This is called quarantine.

 

·         If you develop a fever or other symptoms suggestive of Ebola virus during the quarantine, you will be sent to a hospital for evaluation under the isolation procedures outlined above.

 

In light of the guidance from the CDC and the Governor, all University-sponsored travel and all travel on state time to countries where the CDC has issued a travel warning is prohibited without the permission of the Provost and the Executive Vice President for Administration.

 

Specifically, you may not travel on state time to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone without first obtaining permission. If the CDC issues travel warnings for other countries, the requirement to obtain permission before traveling will extend to these countries also. In addition, personal travel to these areas is strongly discouraged.

 

Anyone who travels to these areas on either University or personal business will be required to quarantine themselves in their home for 21 days prior to returning to campus, in accordance with the Governor's guidance. Thus, employees who decide to travel to these areas must first secure an approved leave to accommodate the quarantine period.

 

The University also is not approving student travel to Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone and does not participate in Study Abroad programs in those nations.

 

The Governor's direction on screening, quarantine, and isolation procedures also applies to travelers whose destination is Connecticut. Thus, it will apply to any visitor coming to UConn from Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone.

 

Any unit planning to host such visitors should inform them of these requirements and restrictions. Also, please notify Global Affairs at 860-486-3152 or [log in to unmask] if you are aware of any visitors planning to come to UConn from any of the affected countries.

 

A compendium of “Frequently Asked Questions” about Ebola and preparedness planning specific to the UConn community can be found at www.alert.uconn.edu under “Campus Information.” UConn’s Student Health Services has also compiled an easy-to-understand listing of Ebola symptoms, information about its spread, and ways in which it is diagnosed.

 

As both a medical and teaching facility, UConn Health has also taken significant steps to respond to potential Ebola cases that may be presented at John Dempsey Hospital.

 

The University will continue to update the online FAQ and other existing resources and to provide new information as events warrant.

 

Thank you for your cooperation in helping UConn safeguard your health and that of others.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mun Choi

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

John Biancamano

Interim Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer