Following revised guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), fully vaccinated individuals at San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) will no longer be required to wear a mask.

Masks will continue to be available at each campus for those who need them. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will still be required for applicable programs on campus and at clinical or extern sites, as previously established.

We will continue monitoring federal, state, and county COVID-19 guidance and update our protocols as more information becomes available. We appreciate your continued support and cooperation in promoting a safe environment for all our students, faculty, and staff.

For more information on the CDPH’s revised “Guidance For the Use of Masks,” please visit: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx

COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need to Know

The safety of our students, faculty and staff is one of our top priorities. SJVC is closely monitoring the latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and have included some guidelines and tips below regarding the COVID-19 vaccination. Please review the resources to help keep our communities safe as we continue to work with local and state health authorities.

• 8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program
• Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
• Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines
• Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
• Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
• Who Gets Vaccinated First?
  • Healthcare Personnel
  • Residents of Long-term Care Facilities
  • People who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding
  • Individuals with Underlying Medical Conditions
• COVID-19 Vaccination: What to Expect Before Vaccination
• COVID-19 Vaccination: What to Expect After Vaccination
• Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination

California COVID-19 Vaccination

California is currently allocating COVID-19 vaccines as they become available to ensure quick distribution. Vaccine providers rely on a collaboration between local health departments and statewide organizations and associations. Allocation decisions are data driven with an emphasis on equity and protecting vulnerable populations such as healthcare workers and long-term care residents.

The California COVID-19 vaccination plan consists of several phases, and according to the California Department of Public Health, we can expect to have enough supplies to vaccinate most residents in all 58 counties by summer 2021.

At San Joaquin Valley College the safety of all our students, faculty and staff will always be a top priority. With ongoing concerns about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SJVC is closely monitoring the latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and have taken a number of precautionary measures. Included below are some guidelines, resources and tips to help keep our communities safe.

Recommended Preventative Measures

We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to make sure we are adhering to all the best practices in keeping our campuses and communities safe. We have implemented a number of health and safety measures on our campuses and are working with our state and local public health partners. Below are some personal health and safety tips to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. It is very important that we maintain a safe working environment, so please adhere to these preventative measures:

How to limit the spread of germs and prevent infection:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. It is recommended that you practice “social distancing” by remaining 6 feet away from others at all times.
• Avoid large crowds whenever possible. Try to limit your outings and traveling to only necessary excursions – grocery store, pharmacy and doctor visits are the priority. Everything else can wait.
• Limit contact (such as handshakes) as much as possible. Fist bumping or elbow connections are the “new norms” and preferred alternatives to the more traditional greetings.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If water and soap are not available, clean hands using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• If you are not feeling well, stay home from school/work. Contact your local medical professional if you exhibit any related symptoms.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. More information on how to disinfect can be found here.
• Know how your local public health agency will share information in your community and stay informed. Find more information here.

We understand this is a stressful time and people want to know what they can do to protect themselves and their families. While COVID-19 is likely to be more widespread than initial reports suggest, it is not as deadly as many fear with disproportionally far more cured cases than deaths.

Please remember to follow these guidelines and call your doctor if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop symptoms.

Guidelines for staying healthy:

• CDC guideline for handwashing
• Guidance on the use of hand sanitizers from the California Department of Education
• World Health Organization (WHO) video on social distancing
• Apple’s Updated iPhone Cleaning Guidelines
• Guide to Social Distancing

Public health agencies:

• Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• CA Department of Public Health

Please view these documents on our Student Consumer Information page. Thank you!

Important GI Bill® Update – Congress Passes New Legislation due to COVID-19

Over the past two weeks, VA has worked with Congress to preserve GI Bill® benefits for impacted students during this difficult time.  The Senate and House passed S.3503 and the bill will be headed to POTUS to sign, which will give the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the authority to continue GI Bill® payments uninterrupted in the event of national emergencies. The new law allows for VA to continue to pay benefits regardless of the fact that the program has changed from resident training to online training. Also, students will continue to receive the same monthly housing allowance payments that they received for resident training until January 1, 2021, or until the school resumes normal operations of resident training. VA is working to immediately implement the new changes to address current and future school terms to ensure students continue to receive their education benefits.

What should GI Bill® Students know?

There is no action required from a GI Bill® student. VA has scheduled several training sessions with all VA approved schools and training facilities over the next couple of days to provide further guidance. We will work closely with schools to ensure enrollments are accurately certified and processed timely.

We are committed to providing regular updates to you through direct email campaigns and social media about VA’s effort to implement these new changes.

If you have questions about your specific circumstance, please contact the Education Call Center at: 1-888-442-4551 between 8 AM and 7 PM Eastern Time, Monday-Friday.

Contact Us

Visit us on the web at gibill.custhelp.va.gov/

Call us at 1-888-442-4551

TDD: 711

Follow us on Social Media

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gibilleducation

Twitter: twitter.com/VAVetBenefits

If you know a Veteran who is in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line at

1-800-273-8255 and press 1.

For State and Local resources in your area, click here.

For up-to-date information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website for learning more about any risk to the health of our community. We will remain in close contact with campus leaders to ensure that there is a broad understanding of the complexities of this dynamic situation.

The New Rules of Grocery Shopping Under Quarantine

Coping with Stress During the Coronavirus Outbreak

COVID-19 Information and Resources from Google

How Amazon says you should handle your packages

For more information about how to protect yourself, please review these fact sheets from the CDC:

• Coronavirus Disease 2019: What You Need To Know
• Facts About COVID-19
• How To Stop the Spread of Germs
• Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease
• What To Do If You Are Sick
• Social Distancing 101
• 15 Days To Slow The Spread
• Dr Oz: How to wash your hands with a ‘Turkish twist’

Symptoms

COVID-19 symptoms can include a high fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, similar to what you may feel with influenza or a bad cold. The incubation period (how soon the symptoms appear from the time of first exposure) for this virus appears to be 2-14 days.

Any member of our community who has traveled to a potentially impacted area within the last two weeks or has come in contact with someone who may have the virus AND is experiencing symptoms such as those described above should immediately contact their health care provider and seek medical attention.

If you are sick with Coronavirus or suspected of being infected with it, follow the steps in this fact sheet to help prevent spreading it to people in your home and community.

In addition, we would like to address some important questions about the Coronavirus (COVID-19). These answers are based on the current availability of testing and may change once easier access to testing becomes available.

Common Questions

Q. Should you be tested for the Coronavirus?
A. If you have no symptoms – No.

Q. What if you were in a crowded area and are now having respiratory symptoms?
A. Contact a local clinic and they will do an assessment once you arrive. If you have flu-like symptoms, a staff member can swab you and run a rapid flu test.

Q. If I was at a conference where others were diagnosed with Coronavirus, what should I do?
A. If asymptomatic – Nothing. If symptomatic – The person needs to have been exposed to a person who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus or has had recent international travel to China, Iran, Italy, Japan or South Korea. Only if you have fever and lower respiratory symptoms (such as a deep rattling cough and wheezing/shortness of breath) will medical providers continue with testing. General cold symptoms will not warrant testing at this time. If you fit the criteria we suggest contacting the Health Department.

Q. Will the Coronavirus come to my community? What if there have been undocumented cases?
A. Public testing will be available in the next few weeks, however, there may be specific rules that apply due to the shortage of testing supplies.

International Travel

We are encouraging students, faculty and staff to avoid traveling to countries designated with a CDC Warning-Level 3, which currently includes China, Iran, Italy and South Korea. We also recommend students and employees avoid non-essential travel to countries in Asia and Europe where the CDC has identified a sustained transmission of COVID-19 or where the virus has spread. As this is an evolving situation, current information on risk assessment of international travel can be found here.