NYFA COVID-19 Health Alert

NYFA COVID-19 Health Alert

March 24, 2020, 6:59pm

NYFA COVID-19 Health Alert

Dear NYFA New York,

It remains our mission to keep our community informed and prepared. We shall continue to provide you updates regarding the health of our community, guidelines for limiting exposure to the coronavirus, and local and state response plans designed to mitigate virus transmission.

Yesterday we received word that a faculty member tested positive for COVID-19.

This faculty member is an instructor for the Fall 2019 One Year Documentary program. The instructor has had no contact with NYFA students, staff, or faculty since March 6, 2020. On March 18, the instructor started experiencing symptoms of concern. The instructor sought medical assistance and received, on Monday, March 23, a positive test result for COVID-19. The instructor is presently in self-quarantine and experiencing moderate symptoms. She is showing signs of slight improvement and we hope she will soon celebrate a full recovery.

As recommended by New York State and New York City public health departments, NYFA contacted all members of our community who had probable contact with this instructor and advised each to follow CDC directives for self-isolation and self-monitoring for symptoms of concern.

HEALTH GUIDELINES FOR NYFA NY

NYFA recommends all faculty, staff and students comply with CDC and state and local public health department directives, shared and updated as new information emerges. These directives can be quickly accessed via The NYFA HUB and in previous NY CAMPUS HEALTH ALERTS AND COMMUNICATIONS.

As of the beginning of this week, everyone living in New York City is being advised by the NYC Department of Public Health to act as if they have been exposed to COVID-19! This means monitoring one's health closely and staying home as much as possible.

Monitoring Your Symptoms and Seeking Medical Guidance:

Call your medical provider, an urgent care facility, or engage in Telehealth with a virtual medical resource should you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Sore throat

Follow all medical directives received, which may include continued self-monitoring and self-isolation, or referral for COVID-19 testing.

Please refer to The NYFA HUB for guidance on accessing medical care. Please contact Dean Sandra Schein (sandra.schein@nyfa.edu) in the event you are experiencing symptoms of concern and you cannot connect with a medical care provider for screening and guidance.

The NYC Department of Health advises that anyone who is ill with fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, OR other cold or flu-like symptoms should assume they have COVID-19 and do the following:

  • Stay home. Do not leave home unless to seek medical care.
  • If you must leave your home, maintain distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).
  • Take your temperature twice daily.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid sharing household items. Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people in your home. After using items, wash them thoroughly with soap/detergent and water.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or cough and sneeze into your sleeve. Dispose of the tissue in a lined trashcan and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your home (TV remotes, computer keyboards, phones, refrigerator and doorknobs and handles, counters, tabletops, faucets, light switches, etc.). Clean surfaces and objects with detergent and water and then disinfect with diluted bleach or EPA-registered household disinfectant (https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2)
  • Wear a mask should you need to leave home to seek medical care.
  • Do not visit friends and family members who are older adults, have weakened immune systems or are chronically ill (lung disease, heart disease, cancer).
  • Do not have visitors come to your home.
  • Avoid traveling via public transportation, taxis or ride-shares.
  • If you live with others, stay in a designated “sick room” and if possible, use a separate bathroom. Disinfect surfaces after each use.
  • Stay connected with family and friends through email, Skype, phone, and social media to ward of feelings of loneliness and isolation.
  • Reach out to NYFA staff for assistance and guidance (see NYFA Resources)

For additional information on protecting yourself and others from COVID-19, please read the information posted and updated routinely by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NYC Department of Public Health.

Also, to assess your risk for COVID-1, based on best clinical practices, CDC guidelines, illness severity and risk factors, such as age and preexisting conditions, use this Coronavirus Checker, developed by Emory University.

FLATTENING THE CURVE FOR NEW YORKERS

Sadly, there will come a time, sooner rather than later, when more members of our community become ill with COVID-19. There is community spread in NYC and confirmed cases of COVID-19 are increasing daily. For up-to-date information on the incidence of COVID-19 in NYC, please consult the COVID-19 TRACKER.

New York State is taking drastic action to mitigate the transmission of coronavirus among its residents. Governor Cuomo has mandated strict social distancing measures --NEW YORK STATE ON PAUSE--for New York, effective March 22, 8:00pm.

COPING WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY RELATED TO COVID-19

We are living through an unprecedented time. In confronting potential threats to our health, our finances, our freedoms, our education and employment status, etc., it is normal and understandable to feel worry, fear, sadness, grief, frustration and a host of other troubling feelings. Yet even during times such as these, there are skills and attitudes on can practice and apply to feel hopeful, capable, engaged, and well.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES to help you cope during this challenging time:

  • NYFA Counseling Services (students): To schedule an appointment, send an email to counseling@nyfa.edu
  • Employment Assistance Program (EAP) for Faculty/Staff: no cost support can be accessed through Life Balance
  • Disaster Distress Helpline: Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TALKWITHUS to 66746

For additional and immediate guidance on coping with COVID-19, Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 and Coping With Stress and Social Distancing During Disease Outbreaks are both excellent resources, published, respectively, by the CDC and the NYC Department of Health.

STAYING CONNECTED AND ENGAGED

Staying home and learning or working through online platforms is taxing on our bodies and our spirits. It is important to stay active, eat healthfully and maintain an optimum sleep schedule. It is also important to stay connected! The Student Life departments on the NYFA Campuses in LA, NY, and South Beach are offering students opportunities for connection through digital platforms. Upcoming events include yoga, meditation, stretching, virtual hangouts, virtual game nights, and so much more.

CONCLUDING MESSAGE

We hope that you have read this email carefully. Should you have any questions about its contents, please contact Dean Sandra Schein (sandra.schein@nyfa.edu). Also, since New York City, is being labelled as the nation’s epicenter of the coronavirus, it is likely that your family and friends living elsewhere are concerned for your well-being. If you so choose, please share with them this correspondence. Perhaps others outside of NYC can help you take the proper precautions in staying healthy and safe. And should you feel ill, your family and friends may also be able to offer you support in accessing the help you need.

It is our sincere hope that anyone contracting COVID-19 experiences mild symptoms and recovers fully and quickly. We also hope that many of us remain healthy for the duration of this pandemic. To achieve this hope, each of us must comply with the new state mandate: stay home. By staying home, you save lives- possibly the lives of strangers, possibly the lives of your neighbors, possibly the lives of your colleagues and friends.

Please reach out to your campus resources to report concerns for yourself and others experiencing symptoms of concern.

Students:
Sandra Schein, Dean of Students, NY: sandra.schein@nyfa.edu

Faculty/Staff:
Domingo Morales, Associate HR Director (NY, SoBE): domingo.morales@nyfa.edu

Together, we will endure this challenge of resilience by sharing our strengths and uniting for the common good.

With appreciation for you all,

Sandra Schein, PhD
Dean of Students, NYFA New York