Murabito Sends Message to SUNY Niagara Community on Coronavirus

March 9, 2020

SUNY Niagara President Dr. William J. Murabito has issued a statement to employees and students on the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak and how the College was taking proactive measures in dealing with situation. His email letter reads as follows:

Dear SUNY Niagara Community,

Because of the recent outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus (2019-nCoV), SUNY Niagara is monitoring the situation carefully and is taking proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of all members of the SUNY Niagara family.  As of today, there have been no reports of any members of the campus or local community contracting the coronavirus disease.

            Earlier this week, SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson announced the suspension of study abroad programs in China, Italy, Japan, Iran and South Korea, all of which have been issued a Level 2 or 3 travel notice from the CDC.  Currently, we do not have any SUNY Niagara students participating in any study abroad programs.

SUNY has also canceled campus-sponsored travel outside of the United States to impacted countries for the spring semester.  If you are planning to travel internationally over spring recess, I strongly encourage you to review the latest information on travel advisories at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.  Because the coronavirus situation is rapidly changing and impacting a growing number of countries, please be aware travelers may not be able to easily return to the U.S. and to campus.

            The College has an established Coronavirus/Pandemic Response Planning Ad Hoc Committee that has representation from all areas of the College. The team is in contact with Niagara County health department officials, local emergency response personnel, as well as SUNY.

            For our part, the College has purchased additional disinfectant products to be used on all touch surfaces (e.g., tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures), and custodians have been instructed to focus on these areas while cleaning to help provide a germ free environment.  In addition, new freestanding dispensers of hand sanitizers have been ordered and will be allocated to various locations across campus.

            While there is currently no vaccine to prevent this virus, these simple steps can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• 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.

Additional information about the virus can be found at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/

            If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Wellness Center at 716-614-6275

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and follow the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Niagara County Department of Health, and the State University of New York (SUNY). 

            Please know that the health and safety of our campus community remain our highest priority. We will keep you updated on any new developments.