Coronavirus and flu prevention
While Life Chiropractic College West promotes and adheres to a vitalistic view of health and well-being, we also have a responsibility to our wider community and regulators to share information from multiple sources. At all times we seek to promote the health and wellness of our community including our students, faculty, staff and patients. The world health community continues to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 virus (CoronaVirus). Currently, there are only three confirmed cases in Alameda County and our area is still considered low-risk. We are taking proactive steps to ensure that we comply with public health standards and protect the health of our community. To that end, this document seeks to communicate preventative action that we all should take, the steps the college is taking, our existing policies, and recommendations for travel and moving forward.
Preventative steps to reduce transmission
We ask all employees and students to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases in the workplace. Employees and students are reminded of the following health standards that are compiled from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Alameda County Health Department.
- Stay home if you experience an unusually high temperature or respiratory symptoms such as difficulty breathing, a stubborn cough, wheezing, lingering chest pain, chronic mucus and coughing up blood.
- Avoid people who display respiratory symptoms.
- Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers are available in common areas including restrooms and technique labs.
- We are a chiropractic culture; however limit physical contact and be sure to wash your hands after you participate in technique labs and in between patients visiting the Health Center.
- When you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth with tissue. Cough or sneeze inside your elbow or clothing. Discard used tissues in the trash.
- Health Center faculty and interns: if patients are expressing flu-like symptoms of illness (especially if they have a fever), have them stay home until they are no longer displaying symptoms of illness. Patients are allowed to come back to the Health Center 24 hours after the fever has broken.
It is critical that employees and students do not report to work while they are experiencing cold and flu-like symptoms. Currently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or once signs of a fever have resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications. Many times, with the best of intentions, employees report to work even though they feel ill. Life west will consider, on a case-by-case basis, a request from employees to work from home during this time. A note from your primary health care physician will be required.
Employees
BENEFITS & POLICY REMINDERS (As per the Staff Handbook)
If you are actively enrolled in Anthem’s health plan, this plan will cover the cost of COVID-19 screening. Please call the number on the back of your identification card to confirm benefits.
SICK LEAVE
Life West provides paid sick/personal leave benefits to all employees for periods of temporary absence resulting from illness. Paid sick/personal leave can also be used to care for and to diagnose and treat the illness, personal injury, and medical condition of a child, spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling.
Employees who are unable to report to work due to illness or injury must notify their direct supervisor or designee no later than one-half hour before the scheduled starting time unless circumstances preclude notification. If an employee is absent for three (3) or more consecutive days due to illness or injury, a physician’s statement must be provided verifying the absence, and the expected return to work date. If an employee expects to be off work due to an illness or injury for more than five consecutive days, the employee must request a Leave of Absence from the Human Resources Department.
Please contact the Human Resources Department with any reasonable accommodation requests, questions, or concerns at (510) 780-4541 or via email at taddison@lifewest.edu.
FACULTY AND STUDENTS
CLASSES AND EXAMINATIONS
At this time, classes and examinations will continue as scheduled. Current policies for missing classes and making up examinations and other assessments are in place (see current College Catalog and Student Handbook, Attendance Policy). Contact the Office of Academic Affairs or the Academic Success Center if you need to miss an exam due to illness.
In the unlikely event that the campus has to close for a period of time, faculty will continue to upload and provide materials online via Canvas. Labs will of course be discontinued. When the campus reopens, every effort will be made to make up this lost time.
TRAVEL
As of March 11, 2020, the Center for Disease Control has the following travel recommendations in place.
CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy.
CDC recommends that older adults or those who have chronic medical conditions consider postponing travel to Japan.
Travelers should practice usual safety precautions recommended by the CDC when traveling to Hong Kong.
For up to date information, please visit the the CDC website.
As the spring break is upon us, Life West recommends that our students, employees, and others take all precautions to protect themselves while traveling. If you plan on traveling to any of the destinations which are on the CDC destination list now or in the future, it is recommended that you self quarantine at home for up to 14 days upon your return. If you develop any symptoms following travel abroad, you should immediately contact your health care provider for consultation.
Life West is monitoring the situation in Fiji as a transit point, and Tonga as we have planned a service trip during the spring break. As of March 11, 2020, there are no restrictions or increased risks in either of these areas. The College will continue to monitor the situation and consider appropriate action as indicated either by the CDC or in conjunction with the Tongan Minister of Health.
HEALTH CENTER
The Health Center will remain open providing services to the public and encouraging health and well-being.
Interns, please advise your patients that if they are expressing flu-like symptoms of illness, especially if they have a fever, to stay home until they recover. They can also call their primary care physician and make arrangements to be tested. The Life West Health Center does not offer COVID-19 testing and is not considered a place for those who may have been infected. If you are expressing flu-like symptoms of illness, please stay home.
Information will be posted at the Main Reception desks on both ends of campus, the Health Center Reception Desks, the Health Center TV monitors, and distributed to Interns and mentors to relate directly to patients.
COVID-19 TASKFORCE
The college has established a taskforce to regularly review and update the college community on the situation. Members include Tarsha Addison, HR Director and chair, Dr Scott Donaldson VPCO, Dr Anatole Bogatski EVP, Dr Pardeep Kullar VPAA, Dave Straub, Chair of Basic Sciences, and Antoinette McGill, College Attorney.
QUESTIONS
Employees, reach out to the Human Resources Department if you have questions or concerns.
Students, if you are concerned about your attendance, exams, or other assessments, please contact OAA.
Interns, please direct questions regarding patient care to your Faculty Mentor or one of the Health Center Administrators. If you are concerned about your attendance or upcoming competency exams, please contact the Health Center Administration.
Life Chiropractic College West espouses the traditional chiropractic philosophy that the body is a self-healing and self-regulating organism. We also wish to promote optimal health and well-being throughout our community. At this time, please be considerate of one another and the differences we exhibit while we navigate this time. The Life West Administration will do its best to be proactive and share information and data from legitimate sources.
Other useful websites for more information:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Prevention and Treatment
Worried About the Coronavirus?