Announcement concerning health risk prevention (27.02.2020)
Due to the epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus the World Health Organisation has declared a global public health emergency. The College of Rectors of Collegium Civitas has made a decision to suspend until further notice all travel of its staff and students to the countries indicated in the communication of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. Students who have visited within the last 14 days one of the following countries: China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Italy are advised to stay home for 14 days from the date of their return. Any absence in class due to the travel will be excused (based on the travel documentation).
We also recommend cancelling any private travel to the above mentioned areas. Persons planning to travel to the countries where the cases of coronavirus have occurred are requested to follow the communications at the website of the Polish Chief Sanitary Inspectorate and the recommendations for travellers at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning specific countries.
According to the information of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate of 21 February 2020 at this moment the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have not issued any instructions to extend epidemiological surveillance over all persons returning from Asian countries if such persons do not meet the criteria qualifying them for follow-up epidemiological investigation.
The epidemiological investigation shall cover any person who meets the clinical AND epidemiological criteria at the same time:
Criteria qualifying for further investigation for: 1) persons potentially exposed to the virus due to their return from regions with ongoing virus transmission OR 2) persons who have had contact with a person infected with the virus:
Clinical criteria
Any persons with at least one of the following symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection:
• fever
• cough
• dyspnoea
Epidemiological criteria
Any person who within the period of 14 days preceding the appearance of the symptoms has met one of the following criteria:
• has travelled or stayed in a region with suspected ongoing transmission of SARS-CoV-2
• has been in close contact with a person with confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 (contact with a confirmed or probable SARS-CoV-2 case)
• has worked or stayed as a visitor at a health care centre that treats patients infected with SARS-CoV-2
In case of doubts please contact your nearest Poviat Sanitary and Epidemiological Station and provide all necessary information (when and from which region the person returned, what kind of symptoms the person has and since when).
Powiatowa Stacja Sanitarno-Epidemiologiczna in Warsaw
ul. Jana Kochanowskiego 21, 01-864 Warszawa
Opening hours: 8:00 – 15:30.
In order to facilitate contact and access to information on coronavirus infection the State Poviat Sanitary Inspectorate in Warsaw has made available two hotline phone numbers: 223-107-936; 223-107-904, available from Monday to Friday (on working days) from 8.15 to 15.15 and e-mail address: koronawirus@pssewawa.pl
What you should know about Coronavirus – information by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Poland (in English): https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/coronavirus
Please remember about prevention measures!
Basic protection measures against the new coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease
(source: Chief Sanitary Inspectorate)
Wash your hands frequently
Wash your hands frequently using soap and water and if you have no access to soap and water, use cleaning liquids/gels containing alcohol (at least 60%).
Use proper protection measures when coughing or sneezing
When coughing or sneezing cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue – immediately throw away the tissue to a closed thrash bin and clean your hands with soap water and if you have no access to soap and water, use cleaning liquids/gels containing alcohol (at least 60%).
Keep safe distance
Maintain at least 1 metre distance between yourself and other persons, especially those who cough, sneeze and have fever.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Why? Your hands touch many surfaces which may be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose and mouth with contaminated hands you can transmit the virus onto your body. If you have fever, a cough or difficulty breathing, get medical assistance in accordance with the information published at the website of the Ministry of Health https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie
You can also find information on Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus at WHO website:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/areas-presumed-community-transmission-2019-ncov