PUC Update 2
Update Posted: February 28, 2020
As coronavirus continues to be a growing worldwide concern, the PUC campus MD and Health Services Director are in regular contact with Napa County Public Health and their Communicable Disease Unit. At this time, the college remains at low risk and there has been no change to the recommended protocol.
Both non-resident patients who were being monitored in Napa County have now been transferred out of the county, but an active case is being treated in Sacramento County. The patient is the first reported case in someone who has not traveled from China or had any known direct contact with someone who has traveled from China..
Preventative measures are especially vital in a communal living environment like the PUC campus. The same precautions that keep the incidence of illness on campus low are recommended to prevent the spread of coronavirus. They include the following:
- Washing hands with liquid soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds
- Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing
- Staying home if you are sick
The virus typically causes a mild-to-moderate respiratory illness, though the elderly or those with conditions that make viruses of greater concern (e.g. cardiovascular, chronic asthma, diabetes, kidney failure, pregnant women, and infants) may be at increased risk. Symptoms are very similar to the flu and include fever, runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and/or shortness of breath.
It is still recommended that if you have traveled from China yourself, or been in close contact with someone who has, and develop a fever and lower respiratory symptoms like a cough or shortness of breath within 14 days of leaving the area, do not report to an emergency room or clinic - please call Health Services at (707) 965-6339.
The college is also in contact with students abroad and are monitoring updates from the countries where they are studying and serving. For higher risk regions, PUC is working with host organizations and families to ensure the safety of PUC students.