The recent outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States has led to many campuses and companies closing their doors. With this week’s latest updates, it is clear that SFCC will be no different, as classes following Monday, March 16, will be shifted to online with no more physical classes being held on campus. Spring quarter for CCS has been pushed back to April 13, which on a positive note will give all students an extra week of spring break according to the vice president of Student Affairs Chrissy Davis. The policy of the Falls will follow the lead of the state’s advice and safety measures to protect its students.
The first recorded infection of the current strain of COVID-19 was on Nov. 17, 2019, in Wuhan, in the Hubei province of China, according to Chinese government reports.
It was only a month and a half later that the virus had spread not only within China but internationally, causing the WHO (World Health Organization) to begin treating the situation as a pandemic. COVID-19 is a new strain of an existing virus family which are commonly found in human and animal species. The spread of the virus is known to be person to person. Coronavirus has been found in over 100 seperate nations internationally. This includes the United States, and on Jan. 31, the Health Services Secretary Alex M. Azarll declared a public health emergency. The sequences of the virus found in all patients has been a singular strain meaning that this outbreak more than likely came from a singular animal reservoir near the original outbreak site.
The effects of the recent outbreak have been evident with toilet paper being purchased in large quantities to the point that many stores no longer have any in stock. Some stores have had to take the measure of limiting the amount an individual customer can purchase. People have been stocking up on toilet paper despite many government officials urging them to do the opposite. Face masks have also seen a surge in their purchasing and scarcity. The outbreak of panic purchasing is nothing new; Hong Kong has been undergoing it since mid-February, with Tokyo not too far behind.
Feelings among students remain mixed with some believing the response to the coronavirus to be overblown and others saying that enough is not being done. Regardless of feelings, the effects of the virus are present and not going away anytime soon. So what can be done in the meantime?
Not panicking is the first solid step many governments have been requesting of their own populations. Washing your hands at every opportunity. However, the CDC says that the best way to avoid the virus is to not be exposed in the first place. This means only leaving the house when necessary. Hand sanitizers of 60% alcohol or more are effective measures to take. It’s also advised to not touch your eyes, nose and mouth. The CDC also advises to stay away from groups of people.
Despite the dreary state of things, it’s important to note that the virus has a 98% recovery rate. If you believe yourself to be infected, seperate yourself from others and alert your doctor to the situation before arriving for a check up.
To stay up to date with CCS’s response to COVID-19, you can visit SFCC’s homepage and click on “Coronavirus updates” at the top of the page. 
