Communicable Diseases

Prevention

• Receive all required vaccines
• Practice prevention strategies for mosquito and tick borne illness until the first hard frost and after the last snow or frost in the spring
• Practice good respiratory hygiene (cough in your elbow) or cover your cough
• Practice consistent handwashing techniques as recommended by the Center for Disease Control

Treatment

Seek care for severe flu like symptoms or rash with blisters, joint pain or fever. See the list medical and nursing services provided at the Health Center.

Isolation

All families are encouraged to develop a contingency plan to manage communicable illness.

The college complies with the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommendations when a communicable disease occurs. In consultation with public health agencies, the Health Center conducts contact tracing, places students in isolation and requires preventative immunization or medication. The cost of required lab testing or immunization/medication which are not provided free of charge by the state will be billed consistent with our billing procedures.

Students who do not complete the series of required vaccines due to religious or medical exemptions will be required to leave the community, if an outbreak occurs. The period of exclusion will vary based on the outbreak but may last up to three weeks. Students who have been or will be a close contact of an ill students and cannot leave the campus, will be placed in isolation and restricted from all class and campus activities.

Students who reside within a 250 mile or four hour drive radius and require isolation are expected to return to their family for recuperation. Families will be expected to transport the student by private car. Students who cannot return home will be placed in on-campus designated isolation housing for the required period of time. They will be excluded from participation in classes and all campus activities.