PLEASE SEE UPDATED INFO HERE
PHASE INFORMATION | SUMMER 2021 | RE-OPENING STUDENT RESOURCES | ARCHIVED COVID COMMUNICATIONS
A message to the Chesapeake College community regarding the novel coronavirus.
Chesapeake College is closely tracking information around Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We are monitoring reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and are in communication with public health officials at both the state and county levels.
Please know that the health and safety of the Chesapeake College community is our top priority. We recognize our role as a community hub and that our location brings together people from across the region. We are prepared to take appropriate action to support and safeguard our community.
FALL 2020 REGISTRATION & RESOURCES
Please note, Chesapeake College is currently operating remotely for nearly all operations. This includes classes, registration, student services, placement testing and more. For the most current information about the upcoming Fall semester, visit this page. For general information, including Frequently Asked Questions, Resources for Students, Quick Contact Information, and more, visit our Student Resource Page.
EMPLOYEE RESOURCES & CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DEPARTMENTS
Resources for Faculty & Staff
Quick Contact Information:
Admissions: admissions@chesapeake.edu
Advising: advising@chesapeake.edu
Registration: registration@chesapeake.edu
Financial Aid: finaid@chesapeake.edu
Business Office: BusinessOffice-WMC@chesapeake.edu
Payroll: payroll@chesapeake.edu
Academic Support Center (Tutoring & Online Learning): asc@chesapeake.edu
Testing Services: testing@chesapeake.edu
Library/LRC Desk: lrcdesk@chesapeake.edu
IT Help Desk: cchelpdesk@chesapeake.edu
IT Phone Support: 410-304-2224
Bookstore: SM683@bncollege.com
Dual Enrollment: Angela DenHerder, adenherder@chesapeake.edu, Tammi Stricker, tstricker@chesapeake.edu
Skilled Trades: SkilledTrades@chesapeake.edu
Non-Credit/Workforce Health Care: Lisa Widmaier, lwidmaier@chesapeake.edu
General CE/Workforce Questions: Vanette Seals, vseals@chesapeake.edu
Institute for Adult Learning: Lois Thomas, lthomas@chesapeake.edu
Human Resources: hr@chesapeake.edu
General Questions: info@chesapeake.edu
Human Resources Questions:
Please refer to your Chesapeake email for information from HR, including frequently asked questions and answers.
Connecting to WiFi Securely:
During this unprecedented pandemic, there are people who wish to exploit and take advantage of others who are already anxious, stressed and unsuspecting. Chesapeake College realizes there are many people in the local community with limited or no high speed internet access in their homes and will rely on public WiFi access. The college would like to provide some tips when accessing public WiFi.
- Always use caution when accessing Public WiFi. If it looks suspicious, it probably is. Remember, hackers utilize the same network.
- Avoid accessing bank accounts, credit cards, financial or any other sites that might have sensitive personal information.
- Avoid shopping online, often making online purchases requires bank account, credit card or other sensitive data including login credentials.
- Be sure to always access websites using HTTPS (SSL) connection.
- Do not set your device’s WiFi connection for automatic connectivity. You should always make sure you are prompted or must manually make connections to public WiFi.
- Disable Sharing on your device.
- Make sure your device’s OS (Operating System) and Apps are up to date with all bug fixes and patches.
- Make sure your anti-virus software is up to date.
- Consider enabling your device’s local firewall if it has one.
EVENTS
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, in Wye Mills, Cambridge, or in the region, are canceled through December 31, 2020. This date may be extended.
COMMUNITY SERVICES & RESOURCES
- We recognize that these decisions can create challenges and anxiety as this is an unprecedented global public health issue.
- If you are in need of counseling services or support, we have compiled a list of mental health providers and organizations within the five-county service area. The Mid-Shore Behavioral Health website also lists many resources for residents in our service area, including phone numbers, websites, service provider information, insurance resources, and much more..
- If you are food insecure, we have compiled a list of food pantries for each of our five counties. Additional information for Talbot County residents can be found here as well.
- Throughout this process, we must work together to avoid the stigma that can accompany illness. We should not make assumptions about individuals we believe may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19.
- In keeping with our college values, discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated. Learn more about stigma and resilience related to COVID-19.
- COVID-19 Crime Prevention Tips for Easton Police & Talbot County Emergency Services:
- While at public WiFi locations, maintain awareness of your surroundings. If you're in a vehicle, lock the doors. If you're on foot or bicycle, occasionally look away from your device and check your surroundings.
- When picking up food, limit your time within the business, limit touching surfaces or other people, and remember to sanitize before & after.
- When travelling to essential locations, maintain awareness of your surroundings. If refilling the gas in your vehicle remember to sanitize before & after.
- For businesses closed during this time, please remember to lock all doors and ensure surveillance equipment is working properly.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation as we work together. Please stay informed through this webpage and its related links, and support one another.
PAST COMMUNICATIONS
06/01/2020
As anticipated, major developments continue across the state and region, underscoring the seriousness of this continuing health crisis. As one of the largest employers on the Eastern Shore it is imperative for us to take aggressive action to protect our students, our employees and their families to mitigate the spread of this disease within our community. Please check this page, follow us on social media (links below), and be sure to check your email often for the most current College communications.
In an effort to “flatten the curve,” and prioritize the health and safety of our community, Chesapeake College has made the following decisions effective June 01, 2020:
STUDENTS
- Classes continue to take place with ONLINE ONLY instruction as of June 2020
- Starting June 10, extremely limited face-to-face, lab, and hands-on instruction will resume in HPAC for students currently enrolled in a few Health Professions programs. Those students are currently aware of the procedures in place for resuming this summer, and no other courses will be permitted on campus at this time.
- During the statewide safer-at-home order, students are still permitted to access WiFi for instructional purposes from our designated parking lots on campus at this time.
- Registration for our fall classes is currently open. Visit this page to learn more about our fall registration process. In the meantime, feel free to browse our fall offerings by using the Search for Courses feature on our website.
- Buildings such as the LRC (library), Early Childhood Education Center, Bookstore, Fitness Center, Higher Education Center, etc. will be closed until further notice.
- Academic Support, Advising, Registration, Financial Aid, Bookstore and other student services will remain available remotely for students. Additional contact information and resources are available on our student resource page.
- Our Wye Mills and Cambridge locations will be closed to the public until further notice.
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, are canceled through December 31, 2020. This date may be extended.
- All athletic events and activities, including training, conditioning and practices are cancelled for the summer. Additional information will be forthcoming.
- Students will not be returning to our Wye Mills Campus or Cambridge Center for the duration of the Summer 2020 semester.
- Please continue to monitor this page for updates, as this is an unprecedented and extremely fluid situation. We ask for your patience and trust.
FACULTY & STAFF
- Staff should be prepared to work remotely until further notice, unless otherwise directed by your supervisor.
- Faculty should be working with the Teaching and Learning Center to address any questions or issues as they migrate to an online environment.
- All employees should be prepared for the extension of working from home beyond the planned return date.
- If you have questions or concerns, please DO NOT contact Public Safety, please reach out to your direct supervisor. Our Public Safety staff are fully occupied at this time.
- Employees who are, by exception, permitted on campus by their supervisors MUST notify Public Safety (410-758-7275) when they arrive and again when they depart.
- Those faculty or staff who wish to visit campus for any reason need to seek prior authorization from their supervisor, and Vice President. Employees must check in at the MTC building with Public Safety for our screening process prior to being granted access to campus. You can download and print the screening form here.
TRAVEL
- All official employee (faculty and staff) interstate travel is prohibited indefinitely. If you can conduct official business via phone or email please do so
- Personal travel should be restricted.
- Should you choose to travel on your own disclose any international travel plans to your supervisor and Human Resources Director as soon as possible.
04/28/2020
As anticipated, major developments continue across the state and region, underscoring the seriousness of this continuing health crisis. As one of the largest employers on the Eastern Shore it is imperative for us to take aggressive action to protect our students, our employees and their families to mitigate the spread of this disease within our community. Please check this page, follow us on social media (links below), and be sure to check your email often for the most current College communications.
In an effort to “flatten the curve,” and prioritize the health and safety of our community, Chesapeake College has made the following decisions effective April 27, 2020:
STUDENTS
- Classes, including the start of our Spring Accelerated courses, have resumed ONLINE ONLY instruction as of March 30, 2020
- Starting March 30th, only courses which can be delivered remotely with the aid of technology will continue through the end of the spring semester. Face-to-face, lab, and hands-on instruction have ceased. Please continue to monitor your email for additional information.
- During the statewide stay-at-home order, students are still permitted to access WiFi for instructional purposes from our designated parking lots on campus at this time.
- Registration for our fall classes has been postponed. More information regarding registration dates for current and new students will be issued within the week. In the meantime, feel free to browse our summer and fall offerings by using the Search for Courses feature on our website.
- Students will be contacted by their instructors directly about how their classes will proceed, where applicable.
- Buildings such as the LRC (library), Early Childhood Education Center, Bookstore, Fitness Center, Higher Education Center, etc. will be closed until further notice, in accordance with state ordinances.
- Academic Support, Advising, Registration, Financial Aid, Bookstore and other student services will remain available remotely for students. Additional contact information and resources are available on our student resource page.
- Our Wye Mills and Cambridge locations will be closed to the public until further notice, in accordance with state ordinances.
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, are canceled through June 30, 2020. This date may be extended.
- All athletic events and activities are cancelled for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
- Students will not be returning to our Wye Mills Campus or Cambridge Center for the duration of the Spring 2020 semester.
- Commencement 2020 will take place virtually, on May 20, 2020 at 6pm. Graduates are encouraged to submit photos for the virtual ceremony here, and we welcome their participation in an in-person event tentatively scheduled for May 2021. Check your Skipjack email for more information, and visit this page to learn more.
- TEAS testing is now available online! Please visit the nursing page for more information, or reach out to the testing center for more information. Available dates are May 4-7, and the deadline for completing admission requirements is May 25, 2020. More info.
- Please continue to monitor this page for updates, as this is an unprecedented and extremely fluid situation. We ask for your patience and trust.
FACULTY & STAFF
- Staff should be prepared to work remotely until further notice, unless otherwise directed by your supervisor.
- Faculty should be working with the Teaching and Learning Center to address any questions or issues as they migrate to an online environment.
- All employees should be prepared for the extension of working from home beyond the planned return date.
- If you have questions or concerns, please DO NOT contact Public Safety, please reach out to your direct supervisor. Our Public Safety staff are fully occupied at this time.
- Employees who are, by exception, permitted on campus by their supervisors MUST notify Public Safety (410-758-7275) when they arrive and again when they depart.
03/20-27/2020
As anticipated, major developments continue across the state and region, underscoring the seriousness of this continuing health crisis. As one of the largest employers on the Eastern Shore it is imperative for us to take aggressive action to protect our students, our employees and their families to mitigate the spread of this disease within our community.
In an effort to “flatten the curve,” and prioritize the health and safety of our community, Chesapeake College has made the following decisions effective March 20, 2020:
STUDENTS
- Spring Break will be extended through March 27th for STUDENTS ONLY
- Classes, including the start of our Spring Accelerated courses, are scheduled to resume on March 30, 2020
- Starting March 30th, only courses which can be delivered remotely with the aid of technology will continue through the end of the spring semester. Face-to-face, lab, and hands-on instruction have ceased. Please continue to monitor your email for additional information.
- Registration for our summer classes has been postponed. Beginning April 6, 2020 current students may register for online courses, and new students may register starting April 13, 2020. In the meantime, feel free to browse our summer offerings by using the Search for Courses feature on our website.
- Students will be contacted by their instructors directly about how their classes will proceed, where applicable.
- Buildings such as the LRC (library), Early Childhood Education Center, Bookstore, Fitness Center, Higher Education Center, etc. will be closed through April 10, 2020. This date may be extended.
- Academic Support, Advising, Registration, Financial Aid, and other student services will remain available remotely for students at this time. Additional contact information and resources are available below.
- Our Wye Mills and Cambridge locations will be closed to the public through April 10, 2020. This date may be extended.
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, are canceled through May 31, 2020. This date may be extended.
- All athletic events and activities are canceled for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
- Students will not be returning to our Wye Mills Campus or Cambridge Center for the duration of the Spring 2020 semester.
- Commencement events will not occur on-campus on May 20, 2020. A virtual ceremony is being considered. Updates will be communicated to students directly.
- TEAS testing has been postponed at this time. Those students impacted by this change should continue to monitor their email and this website for additional information as it becomes available. All possible efforts are being taken to address your concerns, and more information will be forthcoming in the days and weeks ahead.
- Please continue to monitor this page for updates, as this is an unprecedented and extremely fluid situation. We ask for your patience and trust.
FACULTY & STAFF
- Staff should be prepared to work remotely through April 10, 2020, unless otherwise directed by your supervisor.
- Faculty should be working with the Teaching and Learning Center to move their instruction online during the week of March 23rd - 27th
- All employees should be prepared for the extension of working from home beyond the planned return date.
- If you have questions or concerns, please DO NOT contact Public Safety, please reach out to your direct supervisor. Our Public Safety staff are fully occupied at this time.
- Employees who are, by exception, permitted on campus by their supervisors MUST notify Public Safety (410-758-7275) when they arrive and again when they depart.
03/19/2020
03/19/2020
As anticipated we have seen major developments across the state and our local region in the past 48 hours, underscoring the seriousness of this continuing health crisis. We were informed by state medical authorities yesterday that community spread of the virus is most likely occurring now in our region, although we have only just begun testing.
As one of the largest employers on the Eastern Shore it is imperative for us to take aggressive action to protect our students, our employees and their families to mitigate the spread of this disease within our community.
In an effort to “flatten the curve,” and prioritize the health and safety of our community, Chesapeake College has made the following decisions effective March 13, 2020:
EXTENDED SPRING BREAK
Students
- Spring Break will be extended through March 27th for STUDENTS ONLY
- Classes, including the start of our Spring Accelerated courses, are scheduled to resume on March 30, 2020
- Starting March 30th, the majority of courses will be delivered remotely with the aid of technology through the end of the spring semester. Please continue to monitor your email for additional information, especially for current healthcare and non-credit/workforce students.
- Students will be contacted by their instructors directly about how their classes will proceed, where applicable.
- Services, such as the LRC (library), Early Childhood Education Center, Bookstore, Fitness Center, Higher Education Center, etc. will be closed through March 29th. This date is likely to be extended.
- Our Wye Mills and Cambridge locations will be closed to the public through March 29th. This date is likely to be extended.
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, are canceled through May 31, 2020. This date may be extended.
- All athletic events and activities are canceled for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
- Commencement events will not occur on-campus on May 20, 2020. A virtual ceremony is being considered. Updates will be communicated to students directly.
- TEAS testing has been postponed at this time. Those students impacted by this change should continue to monitor their email and this website for additional information as it becomes available. All possible efforts are being taken to address your concerns, and more information will be forthcoming in the days and weeks ahead.
- Please continue to monitor this page for updates, as this is an unprecedented and extremely fluid situation. We ask for your patience and trust.
Faculty and Staff
- Staff should be prepared to work remotely from March 18th - 29th, unless otherwise directed by your supervisor.
- Faculty should be working with the Teaching and Learning Center to move their instruction online during the week of March 23rd - 27th
- All employees should be prepared for the extension of working from home beyond the planned return date.
- If you have questions or concerns, please DO NOT contact Public Safety, please reach out to your direct supervisor. Our Public Safety staff are fully occupied at this time.
EVENTS
- All college-hosted and college-sponsored events, on or off-campus, in Wye Mills, Cambridge, or in the region, are canceled through May 31, 2020. This date may be extended.
TRAVEL
- All official employee (faculty and staff) interstate travel is prohibited indefinitely. Local travel on the Eastern Shore is still permitted but is discouraged. If you can conduct official business via phone or email please do so
- Personal travel should be restricted.
- Should you choose to travel on your own:
- Disclose any out-of-state and international travel plans through the end of May to your supervisor and Human Resources Director as soon as possible.
- If you or a member of your household have recently traveled to another state or impacted area in Maryland, the college is asking you to self-quarantine, and contact your direct supervisor and Human Resources Director.
COMMUNITY SERVICES & RESOURCES
Thank you for your attention and cooperation as we work together. Please stay informed through this webpage and its related links, and support one another.
03/12/2020
Travel Policy and College Events
As you know the college has been monitoring and planning how best to respond to the novel coronavirus. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Covid-19 has officially been designated a pandemic. This designation underscores the seriousness of this crisis and the need for all employees and students to pay attention to information updates and approaches to minimizing risk in personal travel and behavior.
The college has implemented the following policies based on best practices around social distancing. These efforts are an attempt to reduce or limit the spread of the disease and help “flatten the curve.” Because this continues to be a fluid, rapidly changing situation, this information will be updated daily.
SPRING BREAK
Students
- An official announcement outlining the college's response to the governor's announcements, and related plans will take place before noon tomorrow (Fri. 3/13/20).
- Faculty are preparing to move instruction online where applicable, and adjust their instructional activities, should remote instruction become necessary.
Faculty and staff
- Report for work as scheduled. Look for additional information on Friday, March 13, 2020.
EVENTS
- All events scheduled to take place at our Dorchester and/or Wye Mills locations, from March 14th to 29th are canceled.
TRAVEL
- Effective immediately, all Chesapeake-related out-of-state and international travel is suspended until further notice, unless approved by division vice presidents as mandatory/essential.
- Personal travel should be at your own comfort level and discretion.
- Should you choose to travel on your own:
- Disclose any out-of-state and international travel plans through the end of May to your supervisor and Human Resources Director (Susan Cianchetta) as soon as possible.
- If you or a member of your household has traveled or will travel to any of the areas under a level 2 or 3 travel advisory, the college is asking you to self-quarantine for 14 days. However, if you have traveled anywhere where there is a possibility of exposure to COVID-19 and want to self-quarantine for 14 days, you must contact your direct supervisor and Human Resources Director, Susan Cianchetta.
COMMUNITY SERVICES & RESOURCES
- We recognize that these decisions can create challenges and anxiety as this is an unprecedented global public health issue.
- Please remember that community counseling resources are available. If you need more information, please reach out to our Accessibility Coordinator, Judy Gordon for more information.
- If you are food insecure, we have compiled a list of food pantries for each of our five counties.
- Throughout this process, we must work together to avoid the stigma that can accompany illness. We should not make assumptions about individuals we believe may have come into contact with someone with COVID-19.
- In keeping with our college values, discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated. Learn more about stigma and resilience related to COVID-19.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation as we work together. Please stay informed through this webpage and its related links, and support one another.
03/11/2020
Update 3/11/2020: 11:15am
This is the latest update regarding our campus status related to the ongoing concerns around Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). Since the last update, not much has changed regarding our campus status related to the ongoing concerns around Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). However, across the state of Maryland, there have been cases identified relating to individual travel. We can expect those numbers to grow. It is inevitable that the virus will present itself on the Eastern Shore. We are following our Pandemic Plan and the Crisis Management Team is now meeting daily to monitor events and determine any changes we should make in our operations to protect our employees and students as much as possible.
Maryland Four-Year Colleges Closures
As recent as last night you may have heard that Salisbury University, UMES and a number of the University System of Maryland (USM) institutions are closing this week. The Chancellor of the University System “strongly encouraged” all 12 USM institutions to close for three weeks after Spring Break, in part because the students who are going home or traveling during Spring Break could be visiting communities where COVID-19 is active. Under an abundance of caution, the university system is in essence creating a buffer period, like a quarantine, to minimize the spread of the virus that could be caused when the students return to campus. As a commuter campus, most students are not traveling out of our region to areas where incidences of the virus are prevalent. SU and UMES' closing do not affect our decision whether to close or not. All decisions are subject to change as the situation develops so we will update the community regularly to keep you informed.
For the duration of the situation we will send out regular updates on a weekly basis and more frequently if warranted. We do understand that students, faculty, and staff have questions regarding direct impacts on our campus of the virus and planning for contingencies related to these events and Chesapeake. We understand why those questions are being asked. General updates will be provided on the college website and through the college portal (MyCampus). More specific information, when needed, will be sent directly to employees and students via email.
For more information about the coronavirus and prevention measures, please visit the following links:
MD Department of Health: https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Pages/Novel-coronavirus.aspx
MD Department of Health, Frequently Asked Questions: https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Documents/coronavirus_FAQ.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
What is our plan to continue instruction and critical operations for students if a faculty or staff member is quarantined or campus is closed?
Our efforts will focus on continuing to serve our students in the classroom and lab. We are monitoring our campus as well as information from our lead Queen Anne’s County Department of Health, Maryland State Department of Health and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention). The Crisis Management Team is following our Pandemic Plan and making changes as needed from our state and federal agencies.
How is the College preparing for the possible disruption of class schedules?
In the event on-campus instruction must be curtailed, all faculty are working now to convert their classes to distance education where possible. For students with difficulty accessing broadband or any other on-line resources, contact your instructors. Our priority through the duration of this event is to do all possible to facilitate student completion and success. Be sure to monitor our website (https://www.chesapeake.edu/coronavirus) for the most up to date information regarding the potential impact on students.
What else can I do to protect myself?
We encourage all students to follow the guidelines that have been provided by our local and state health departments and the CDC. Wash hands regularly and completely, avoid touching your face, and practice appropriate social distancing to avoid exposure in communal environments. It is also recommended that individuals in high-risk categories (those over the age of 60 and those with existing health problems) reduce exposure in large communal events as well as unnecessary travel. We are closely monitoring conditions and responding as necessary if student-focused trips should be cancelled as necessary. We are working closely with athletic and organizational leadership on those concerns.
And Finally
We understand the importance of this matter and are taking every precaution to ensure for a campus environment that protects the health and well-being of our faculty, staff, and students. If the college needs to make any changes to our college operations, we will communicate that immediately. Please continue to consult this webpage for regular updates. This link will serve as the college’s official communication source and is updated constantly. Please direct any questions that you may have to the Office of the Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management (410-827-5858). Rest assured that the college is preparing to take action as needed.
03/06/2020
Original Communication: 03/06/2020
Chesapeake College is closely tracking information around Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We are monitoring reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and are in communication with public health officials at both the state and county levels. Please know that the health and safety of the Chesapeake College community is our top priority. We recognize our role as a community hub and that our location brings together people from across the region. We are prepared to take appropriate action to support and safeguard our community.
The situation with COVID-19 is changing on a daily basis, and we continue to stay informed through reports provided by the CDC, state and county health officials. We would like to echo those officials, reiterating that common sense and protective measures like proper hand-washing are the most effective at preventing any virus—whether influenza or coronavirus. We encourage you to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash your hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty.
At this time, we do not anticipate schedule disruptions or operational changes. Should any changes become necessary in the future, those will be announced through our student portal, the college website, radio and television outlets as appropriate, as well as our social media accounts. We encourage the community to take necessary precautions and to follow the recommendations of our local health departments, the state health department and the CDC.
Maryland Department of Health: https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Pages/Novel-coronavirus.aspx
CDC COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Chesapeake will continue to monitor the situation, review related policies and take all necessary steps to keep our campus community informed. We will continue to update the college website as new information becomes available.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PREVENTION
Prevention
Below are simple everyday actions you can do to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Keep a buffer of six feet between yourself and others when possible.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your inner elbow. Immediately throw any used tissues in the trash and wash your hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Follow the directions on the disinfectant label to effectively kill illness-causing organisms.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 present as mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19, through recent travel or close contact with someone who is sick with the virus, should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM
The college’s crisis management team is meeting daily and actively monitoring developments around the coronavirus to coordinate the college’s strategic response, resources, communication as needed, and overall emergency preparedness. We are operating in accordance with our Pandemic Plan. Please return to this page for continued updates and college briefings.
COUNTY AND STATE GUIDANCE
We are in regular contact with the Queen Anne’s County Department of Health (who has taken the lead in our five-county service area) to ensure that we are aware of any county and state updates concerning COVID-19. We continue to consult with the Queen Anne’s County Department of Health and Maryland Department of Health for guidance, as well as the Caroline, Talbot, Kent, and Dorchester County Health Departments. You can view a list of these Health Departments and their contact information HERE.
ONGOING COLLEGE EFFORTS
The college continues to follow best practices regarding campus sanitation and our food services on campus. Our staff are working hard around the clock to ensure proper sanitation is taking place at both our Wye Mills and Cambridge locations. This includes the utilization of appropriate concentrations of cleaning products, and methods. Our food service partner, Sodexo, has also taken extra measures to reduce the transmission of germs by individually wrapping, or no longer offering where appropriate, many self-service items. Please use our hand-washing and sanitizing stations around campus to help prevent the spread of germs.
OUTREACH AND PREVENTION
We are promoting Centers for Disease Control (CDC) evidence-based non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) recommendations for reducing the spread of illness. These recommendations include frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when sick and social distancing.
In addition to COVID-19, flu activity is high in the U.S. and expected to continue for weeks. Anyone who has not received a flu vaccine this season should consider getting the vaccine.
HELP STOP THE SPREAD
Share CDC information and facts on COVID-19. We encourage anyone who is ill or thinks they may be ill to stay home from class and work. Please seek medical care, as needed.