Ebola Update          Ebola Faculty-Staff Email 10/10/2014

Texas A&M University – Commerce, the City of Commerce, Hunt County Emergency Management, Hunt Regional Healthcare agencies, and multiple other local agencies are monitoring the situation and coordinating situational updates together. 

There are many resources available for education, recommendations, and status updates. Following are a few of those available:

CDC    

www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization (WHO)    

www.who.int/en

Texas Department of State Health Services     

www.dshs.state.tx.us

The university is taking several preventative steps for both the Ebola situation and seasonal influenza.

• Additional sanitization efforts are beginning in common areas and areas of high traffic.
• Situational updates are shared between Texas A&M University – Commerce, City of Commerce Emergency Management, Hunt County Emergency Management, the Hospital District, and State and Federal agencies.
• Public Service statements are being prepared for informational updates for our faculty, staff, and students
• Guidance and recommendations from the CDC and local health agencies are being followed and monitored.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood and body fluids. Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with:

• Blood and body fluids (like urine, feces, saliva, vomit, sweat, and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola.
• Objects (like needles) that have been contaminated with the blood or body fluids of a person sick with Ebola.
• Ebola is not spread through the air, water, or food.

To protect yourself from Ebola

• DO wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Do NOT touch the blood or body fluids (like urine, feces, saliva, vomit, sweat, and semen) of people who are sick.
• Do NOT handle items that may have come in contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, like clothes, bedding, needles, or medical equipment.

Many of the prevention methods for other illnesses (such as seasonal influenza) provide similar prevention assistance:

• Practice good hygiene; wash hands often, avoid contact with bodily fluids of those who are sick
• Get a flu vaccine each season
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

The university will provide additional updates and information as new developments and situations change.