Sent on Behalf of the Superintendent:
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff:
As you may have heard, in the name of excessive caution, Southwestern College responded to a possible health scare at its campus today. This touched off a number of rumors and misinformation disseminated in traditional media and social media. As it turned out, the student who was reportedly ill at Southwestern College did not exhibit any flu-like symptoms. The college’s nurse thoroughly examined the student and there IS NO EXPECTATION OF EBOLA (college’s emphasis) in this case.
We want to take this opportunity to educate our community about the facts about Ebola. The transmission (spreading) of Ebola occurs with:
- Direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth) with a person who has Ebola.
- Contact with blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola.
- Exposure to objects (like needles and syringes) that have been contaminated with the virus.
- Exposure to infected animals.
It is important to know that Ebola is not spread through the air or by water, or in general, by food. Best practices for protecting yourself from Ebola are similar to those recommend for staying safe from many illnesses, including the seasonal flu:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Deputy Public Health Officer for the County of San Diego, Dr. Eric McDonald, has been very reassuring that at present we have nothing to worry about in the way of Ebola in San Diego. We will continue to work with our County of San Diego Public Health officials and take measures as needed to protect our students, staff members, and families.
For more information about Ebola you may visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov.
Sincerely,
Francisco Escobedo, Ed.D.
Superintendent