Dear Members of the UMBC Community,
We know that many in our community continue to be concerned about the potential impact of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. We want to assure you that the university is staying informed about the potential threat, planning for the health and safety of all in our community, and taking steps to curb the spread of influenza on campus. For additional information on COVID-19 and the University’s response, please visit this website, which will be updated regularly.
We are regularly monitoring information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on this virus and its effects in the United States. Currently there are no suspected or confirmed cases of coronavirus at UMBC and no confirmed cases in the state of Maryland. In addition, the CDC believes that this virus is not currently spreading in the United States.
As directed by the University’s Emergency Operations Plan, UMBC has convened our Incident Management Team, which is now meeting regularly to coordinate UMBC’s response to both the COVID-19 virus and influenza, a current health concern in Maryland. The university is currently implementing a range of precautions in response to influenza, including:
- Elevated cleaning protocols across campus to minimize the spread of communicable diseases,
- Prevention education posters and digital signage, and
- Increased campus communication.
We want to remind our community members of the following health and safety tips:
- If you are sick, please stay home and rest. Avoid crowded places like dining halls, classrooms, restaurants, and the RAC or other fitness centers to prevent spreading illness to others.
- Community members with underlying health conditions or who take medicines that suppress their immune system who have cold or flu symptoms should contact their health provider immediately.
- If you are sick and unsure if you need medical attention, please contact University Health Services at 410-455-2542.
- If you have not already done so, please consider getting a flu shot, which should be available at local pharmacies or from your primary care doctor.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the university’s response to this important issue.
Philip Rous, Provost and Nancy Young, Vice President for Student Affairs
