WCC Health Professions Education Center employee tests positive for coronavirus
A Whatcom Community College employee in the Health Professions Education Center has tested positive for COVID-19 — the first known case of the new coronavirus on campus — the school reported Friday, March 27.
The employee is in isolation at home and is recovering, according to a letter from WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown, and the school is following guidance from the Whatcom County Health Department. Individuals who are known to have been in close contact with the employee will be contacted by the health department.
“I recognize this is very difficult news to hear and may generate anxiety and fear,” Hiyane-Brown wrote in the letter to the campus community. “I want to assure you that our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our campus community.”
The employee has not been on campus since March 20, Hiyane Brown said, but “out of an abundance of caution” custodial staff will deep clean areas where the employee worked and visited.
WCC, which serves more than 11,000 students annually, moved all classes online on March 12 and announced Wednesday, March 25, that its physical campus was closed for a minimum of two weeks in accordance with Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order. All student services have been moved online and students and employees were instructed not to come to campus at this time.
Spring quarter classes are scheduled to begin online April 15.
As of Sunday, March 29, the health department reported that 116 Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and seven of those people have died.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Although most of the cases have been mild, the disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
Click the drop-down icon in the upper right of this card for more information on symptoms and how to stop its spread.
What you can do
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
▪ Keep six feet between yourself and others when in public.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with hands that haven’t been washed.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
▪ Stay home if you feel sick. Avoid others who are sick.
▪ If your symptoms are severe and require medical care, call your doctor first.
