Respiratory Virus Policy
On March 1, 2024 the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released new guidelines for responding to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The most significant change is that the CDC includes COVID-19 with other respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in their guidance.
Keuka College follows the updated CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses.
Taking steps to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses when you are sick is a core prevention strategy to lower the risk of illness from respiratory viruses. It is your responsibility to manage your diagnosis for your own health and the health of others in our college community.
Procedures to help decrease the spread of respiratory illnesses within the College community are as follows:
- When you have symptoms of a respiratory illness that are not better explained by another cause (including, but not limited to, fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and headache), it is recommended that you stay home and away from others.
- You can go back to your normal activities, when for at least 24 hours, both a and b are true:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
- If you develop a fever or you start to feel worse after you have gone back to normal activities, stay home and away from others again until, for at least 24 hours, both a and b are true.
- After you return to normal activities, it is recommended that you follow these added prevention strategies over the next five days:
- Avoid close contact with others,
- meet outside if possible,
- frequently wash your hands,
- cover your mouth and nose (with a tissue or your inner elbow) while coughing or sneezing,
- wear a well-fitting mask indoors, and
- get tested for respiratory illnesses.
Students are responsible for contacting their instructors to let them know if they will not be attending in-person class, just as they would for any other illness or absence.
Students are encouraged to be evaluated and tested if necessary in the Health and Counseling Center by the nurse practitioner, their primary care provider, or an urgent care facility for any illness they suspect they may have contracted.
Employees are responsible for contacting their supervisor to let them know if they will not be reporting to work, just as they would for any other illness or absence.
Here is the link to the CDC guidance with examples of illness guidelines.
Here is the background for the CDC’s updated respiratory virus guidance.
Effective March 2024