SPRING BREAK AND COVID-19 – MARCH 4

Published Mar 04, 2020 by
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As students depart campus for Spring Break next week, East Carolina University encourages everyone to remain informed, take proper health precautions and be aware of existing travel restrictions.

For those traveling domestically as well as internationally, be sure to check your travel plans and confirm that your flights remain scheduled and your destinations don’t require additional safety and security procedures.

All ECU students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to exercise the same reasonable precautions used to prevent the spread of viral illnesses, including but not limited to:

  • Wash hands regularly with warm water using soap.
  • Don’t share food and beverages with others.
  • Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue or your elbow.
  • Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Practice social distancing – Maintain distances of 3-7 feet from others when possible.
  • Say no to the handshake – Choose fist bumps or other non-contact greetings.
  • Avoid contact with sick persons.
  • Clean commonly used surfaces and objects.

Upon return from Spring Break, anyone who is sick should stay away from others until he or she is fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine). If a student feels ill and has other medical conditions such as asthma, pregnancy, diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, etc., or if illness symptoms are severe and not improving after several days, they should call ECU Student Health Services, their doctor or, if an emergency, call 9-1-1.

Additionally, if you have chronic illness or are sick, it is recommended that you not travel.

Before arriving at Student Health Services, students should call at 252-328-6841 to explain the illness, and staff will provide additional instruction and information prior to the visit.

In most cases (80%), contraction of COVID-19 results in mild or no symptoms. Self-quarantine is recommended for people who have come in direct contact with someone who has confirmed COVID-19 illness or who has traveled from areas where COVID-19 has demonstrated widespread sustained ongoing transmission. ECU strongly requests that students, faculty and staff returning from CDC Level 3 areas self-quarantine for 14 days before participating in campus activities.

Communication is also a very important component. If you are sick, communicate early with your professors about the illness. For those with the flu, you can use the “Flu Self Reporting Form” on ECU Pirate Port. This is not an excuse – it is merely a notification tool that is monitored by Student Health Services, and students are expected to communicate with faculty members regarding making up missed assignments.

Visit these websites to stay informed and connected during Spring Break:

ECU wishes all students, faculty, and staff a safe and healthy Spring Break!

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