Spring Break is upon Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD).  The yearly, second-semester break, includes travel and gathering in public places for many students, faculty and staff of colleges across the country.

Over the last several days, heightened awareness and concern by many over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) prompted nevalleynews.org to contact District Communications Director Mathew Hasson who talked about some of the steps MCCCD have taken in addressing concerns over COVID-19.

“We have a landing page on the District website and I know the colleges are also sharing some tips to keep people from spreading anything,” Hasson said in a phone interview on Friday.  “We have a CRT, which is a continuity team that is meeting regularly to monitor the situation that’s going on — working with County health officials to ensure that our students and faculty, staff is safe.  So we’re monitoring this just like everybody else is and making sure everybody knows there are resources and tools they can use to address this.”

Hasson indicated that a message would be going out later that day and at 4:02 p.m., MCCCD employees received an email message from the Office of the Interim Chancellor Steven Gonzales.

The email urged employees to refer to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Coronavirus web page for more information and guidelines for “social distancing” following travel to areas affected by COVID-19.  The email also alerted employees that returning after travel to certain high risk countries will require staying home for a period of 14 days.

Gonzales strongly recommended that everyone follow the U.S. Department of State travel advisories when making travel plans.

The message referenced an ongoing effort to “sanitize as many public spaces as possible” and urged employees to be diligent in sanitizing their work spaces, practicing good hygiene and self-quarantine if you feel you may have been exposed.

Hasson indicated that following Spring Break, students should return to classes us usual.