Dear Unity College Students, faculty and staff.
We are a few weeks into the spring semester and while it is not yet spring, it is definitely winter! Cold days and even colder nights bring with it an increase in common colds and the flu. These respiratory viruses can wreak havoc on the infected and those who come in contact with them. If you have been watching the news or surfing the web you know that there is a new virus which is causing concern While the cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus or 2019-nCoV in the USA are relatively low, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is monitoring and providing status updates on it. We here at Unity College are staying apprised of the 2019-nCoV situation and our health services team have an action plan ready should we need to deploy it. At this time the risk to our students, faculty and staff is minimal as the virus and its spread is limited.
For updated information on the spread of the this particular virus I’ve included the link here, https://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus2020.html. Of course, if you think you might be at risk please take the necessary steps to limit your exposure to others while you seek medical attention. The link above provides information on the best way to do this. In the meantime the traditional cold and flu season is upon us, so we encourage you to take the following preventative actions as recommended by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/prevention.htm).
There are of course some simple actions you can take daily to reduce the risk of infection, including: Covering your mouth when you cough Wash your hands with soap and water Staying home if you’re sick. The Unity College Wellness Center can be reached by calling 207-509-7126 during the week, or if you need care after hours you can contact your R.A. or the Director of Residence Life. If we all take care of our health and follow some basic preventative tips, we should be able to survive flu season and be ready to enjoy the rest of the spring semester!
In Unity,
Dr. Melik Peter Khoury
