COVID-19 Pamphlet

Press release provided by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention

What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Can people in the U.S. get COVID-19? Yes. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in parts of the United States. Risk of infection with COVID-19 is higher for people who are close contacts of someone known to have COVID-19, for example healthcare workers, or household members. Other people at higher risk for infection are those who live in or have recently been in an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Learn more about places with ongoing spread at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/ transmission.html#geographic.

Have there been cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.? Yes. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020. The current count of cases of COVID-19 in the United States is available on CDC’s webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html.

How does COVID-19 spread? The virus that causes COVID-19 probably emerged from an animal source, but is now spreading from person to person. The virus is thought to spread mainly between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Learn what is known about the spread of newly emerged coronaviruses at https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of • fever • cough • shortness of breath

What are severe complications from this virus? Some patients have pneumonia in both lungs, multi-organ failure and in some cases death.

How can I help protect myself? People can help protect themselves from respiratory illness with everyday preventive actions. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

If you are sick, to keep from spreading respiratory illness to others, you should • 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.

What should I do if I recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19?

If you have traveled from an affected area, there may be restrictions on your movements for up to 2 weeks. If you develop symptoms during that period (fever, cough, trouble breathing), seek medical advice. Call the office of your health care provider before you go, and tell them about your travel and your symptoms. They will give you instructions on how to get care without exposing other people to your illness. While sick, avoid contact with people, don’t go out and delay any travel to reduce the possibility of spreading illness to others.

Is there a vaccine? There is currently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to take everyday preventive actions, like avoiding close contact with people who are sick and washing your hands often.

Is there a treatment? There is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 can seek medical care to help relieve symptoms.

CAMPUS NEWS

By: Elizabeth Badalamenti Staff Writer

USF Celebrates Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month and USF, an institution filled with strong, educated women, certainly knows how to celebrate! Led by Dr. Joanna Kourtidis, the Assistant Director of the Academic Resource Center, the Women’s History Month committee worked hard these past few months to put on a variety of events, trips, and discussions to make this month’s celebration a success. Some highlights from the month include “Strong Coffee and Successful Women”, a panel discussion featuring three prominent female leaders from the community; the Clare Award Presentation, a ceremony honoring Roxiana Fuqua, the owner of Generation Dance Company; and an Open Mic Night featuring poems, photographs, paintings, songs, and non-fiction pieces honoring women. However, the month isn’t over yet and there are still two more opportunities to participate in Women’s History Month!

Drink tea and discuss the pride in being a woman at the HERstory Tea Event (March 26; 3:00 p.m.; Executive Conference Room) or travel to the Illinois Holocaust Museum (March 28; 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; shuttle departs from Rec Center) to view the Karkomi Holocaust and Ruth Bader Ginsburg exhibitions. After all, only through student and faculty involvement can we keep the spirit of Women’s History Month alive at USF! SGA’s VP of Diversity, Fernanda Sandoval states it best: “It is important for USF to celebrate women’s history month because women are the minority that is most discriminated against within each ethnic and racial minority, making it significantly harder for accomplishments to be highlighted and recognized. By having a month dedicated to women, we further push that empowerment to encourage continuous growth.”

Free Coding Workshop for Area Educators on April 2

Whether we like it or not, the days of computer classes being nothing more than introductions to Microsoft products and word-per-minute tests on bulky, fifty pound computers are of the past. Now, in order to keep up with the technological advancements that characterize every career path of the future, students need to understand computers on a much deeper level. To help bridge this gap between educators’ current understanding of technology and students’ growing need to know more advanced principles, USF will

offer a free coding workshop to educators from the surrounding area who teach grades 6-12. The program will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 2 in the LaVerne and Dorothy Brown Science Hall in room B206. As an added benefit of participation, educators will also receive two professional development hours. Made possible by the USF Noyce STEM Educator Program and taught by the Director of Professional Development of CodeHS, Lea Sloan, the program will teach basic JavaScript coding principles within the platform CodeHS as well as share the importance of teaching computer science to students. On its current trajectory, technology shows no sign of slowing. Therefore, it is vital that teachers begin to familiarize themselves with how to use it so they are better equipped to prepare students for the world of the future. For more information and to register for the program, local educators should visit stfrancis.edu/real/professional-learning soon, as registration closes March 25 and space is limited.

SGA Legislation: Banning Smoking on Campus

The Student Government Association meeting on Monday, February 24 seemed to draw a little more attention from students than usual as Senator at Large Christopher Pagan presented a piece of legislation that sought to remove one of the three smoking areas on campus with the goal of completely banning smoking at USF by Fall 2021. Why? According to information brought to administration by Director of Counseling & Wellness, Dr. MaryAnn Andrade-Bekker, in order for USF to qualify for a six-figure mental health grant that would fund a variety of new counseling services and add another counselor to the staff, we must make plans to become a smoke-free campus.

Although the legislation was rejected by students with a final vote of 19 opposed and 16 in favor--the first rejection of any piece of legislation by the student body in almost three years--students vocalized they would like to revote on the bill provided certain changes were made. President of Pre-Health Care Association, Joshua Williams, admitted he thought “removing the smoking huts from campus [would be] a great idea”, but wanted to understand “how removing the smoking huts [and banning smoking] would affect the campus” first before he felt comfortable supporting the bill. Other points brought up during the meeting by a variety of students were the popularity of smoking among international students, the distaste

non-smokers have for walking through clouds of cigarette smoke on their way to class, and the possibility of using the grant money to fund services to help those trying to overcome nicotine addictions. Nonetheless, no matter the future outcome of this legislation, it is important to note that the passage of the bill through SGA most certainly will not guarantee the ban of smoking on campus. As explained by Damon Sloan, VP of Student & Alumni Affairs, during the meeting, this legislation piece only seeks to gain the opinion of the student body, which represents only one of three governing groups that make up USF. In order for administration to proceed with making as big of a decision as this, the opinions of the other two groups, Academic Assembly (e.g. professors) and Administrators and Staff Council (e.g. non-faculty) will also be considered before moving ahead. USF Announces New Full-Tuition Scholarship Opportunity for Underserved Populations Authorized by the Board of Trustees in consequence of the success of the 2020 Caritas Scholarship Ball, the University of St. Francis has officially established the “Will County Access Initiative”, a full-tuition scholarship that will begin to be available to incoming freshman for the 2020-2021 school year. This scholarship, which is focused on serving members of the Will County community from low-income families, will be awarded to all accepted students who meet the following criteria: reside in Will County; attend a Will County high school; have and maintain at least a 3.6 high school GPA; file their FAFSA by December 31 each year of anticipated USF attendance; qualify for financial aid with a $0 Expected Family Contribution (family income must total $50,000 or less with assets of $50,000 or less); be a U.S. citizen and Illinois resident and have parents who are listed on the FAFSA that are Illinois residents as well); be admitted to USF as a new freshman; not be coming to USF as a student-athlete with an athletic scholarship; and enroll and stay enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program full-time for the entire school year. In USF’s press release announcing the scholarship, USF president Arvid Johnson, Ph.D. described the scholarship as “a mission-inspired approach to offering a high-quality, private university education to students who may have never realized that this option was open to them” and will give “local students [the opportunity] to earn their college degrees without the worry of incurring student loan debt”. For more information on the Will County Access Initiative Scholarship, please visit stfrancis.edu/access.

LOCAL NEWS

By: Jacob Hubbs Sports Editor

University of St Francis Nursing Department Receives Five Thousand Dollar Grant

President Arvid Johnson with Midland States Bank Foundation Members

The College of Nursing department at the University of St Francis (USF) was given a five thousand dollar grant by The Midland States Bank Foundation. The Senior Vice President of Banking Dan Stevenson presented the to University of St. Francis’ President Arvid Johnson.

According to a USF press release, Stevenson said, “USF works tirelessly to make our Joliet community stronger through the power of education. We are invested in the communities we serve and want them to thrive. As partners in the community, we are able to see Joliet and the surrounding areas positively affected.” This grant will help the continued support for community nursing and primary nursing research for the local Joliet community. President Arvid Johnson was proud of the support given to the university stating, “As Joliet’s only four-year university, USF is proud of the support it receives from community-based organizations such as Midland States Bank and the Midland States Bank Foundation. This grant will support community nursing and primary care research for community health care and serves as a reminder of the power of partnership. We sincerely thank the Midland States Bank Foundation for its support of our university and our students.”

Brand New Sensory Room Now Available for Students to Unwind and Refocus The University of St. Francis (USF) has opened a new opportunity for helping students relieve stress throughout the year thanks to the school’s Schmitt Scholars. USF recently opened a sensory room at USF’s main campus. Located on the third floor of the LaVerne and Dorothy Brown Library, the room gives students and staff a place to unwind, refocus and more importantly relax in a stress-free environment. The sensory room went into development two years ago after USF nursing student Madelyn Rogge experienced one herself. The idea sparked a service project by USF’s Schmitt Scholars. Once the idea of a sensory room was finalized, the Scholars got to work researching and developing where and what the room should look like. With the help of USF administration, the project was moved from just a concept to being a complete project. The room’s opening was promoted through the use of flyers, social media and other on-campus advertising. Since the sensory room’s launch, it has received very positive feedback from students and staff alike. The Schmitt Scholars put out a survey so they can get feedback from USF students and staff on the new space. The responses favored positively towards the room’s lighting, as well as the over impact of the sensory room itself.

Local High School Students Program Draws Large Participation from Local High Schools Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors high schoolers around the Joliet area are invited to the University of St. Francis’ Pay It Forward service program this summer. This is a great opportunity to learn about USF’s core values and to give back to the community, all while earning some service hours. The Pay It Forward program runs daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from June 22nd to the 25th. There are four different sites within the Joliet community students will spend time at each day. Those sites include Will County Forest Preserve, Habitat for Humanity, Joliet Hope Center and Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home. Students will work in teams along with a USF staff member and will travel to each site by buses provided by USF each day. Every student and team will go to and participate in activities at each site. Rev. Terry Deffenbaugh, one of USF’s Theology instructors and commonly known as Father Terry, acts as the Pay It Forward program coordinator. Father Terry states, “Service learning at USF provides the opportunity to incorporate the university’s values into learning experiences.” He also added, “These values include service (building community and caring for the needs of others); compassion (promoting empathy, forgiveness and peace); integrity (fulfillment of responsibilities, commitment to truth and justice) and respect.”