Timely Warning COVID-19

March 20, 2020, 10:00 p.m. CDT

This timely warning to all Texas A&M community members on all campuses and remote sites is issued to comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and Texas A&M University policies for compliance with that act.

To all Members of the Texas A&M University Community:

The welfare and safety of our community during this time is our primary concern. We are writing to inform you of recent developments relating to COVID-19. Over the past two weeks, President Young and Provost Fierke and other university leaders have communicated warnings and developments daily via mass emails, social media alerts, and a university COVID-19 central website dedicated to our response to COVID-19. We continue to work in concert with the guidance and response efforts of the federal government, the state of Texas and local authorities. This one-time communication provides the required warning related to these events. Ongoing updates regarding Texas A&M actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be posted on https://www.tamu.edu/coronavirus/. For Galveston campus, visit https://www.tamug.edu/covid-19/. For TAMU-Qatar, visit https://www.qatar.tamu.edu/coronavirus.

Yesterday, President Young issued a letter to campus in which he identified the first known case of a student living off-campus who tested positive for COVID-19. Today, the Brazos County Health District announced a total of six confirmed cases to-date of COVID-19 in Brazos County including a second case involving another off-campus Texas A&M student who followed appropriate protocols in seeking treatment at the on-campus Student Health Services (SHS). The SHS has separate staffed entrances and instructions on its page at https://shs.tamu.edu/coronavirus/ for reporting-for-treatment protocols related to COVID-19 symptoms. The individual was tested at SHS and directed to self-isolate at his off-campus residence. The Brazos County Health District has tracked contact patterns to be in communication with those with whom these individuals came in close contact.

The Brazos County Health District advised today evidence of community spread in Brazos County, as has been the case in other areas of Texas. This community spread case was not one of the aforementioned Texas A&M cases.

Since that time, we have learned of two more individuals associated with Texas A&M who have tested positive: one individual who works in a small area of the veterinary school and one individual at the Round Rock campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Health authorities have been notified and contact tracing begun.

We take this opportunity to remind our community of important information regarding COVID-19. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, we are requesting your immediate attention to and compliance with the following health-authority-recommended practices – not only to ensure your own well-being, but the well-being of others:

Engage in social distancing of six or more feet.

Stay home when ill or if other family members are ill.

Leverage telework options.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Get a flu vaccine.

Watch for cough, troubled breathing, or other signs of respiratory infection.

Monitor temperature for a fever above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C).

As stated above, ongoing updates regarding Texas A&M’s response to COVID-19 will be posted on https://www.tamu.edu/coronavirus/. For Galveston campus, visit https://www.tamug.edu/covid-19/. For TAMU-Qatar, visit https://www.qatar.tamu.edu/coronavirus.

Sincerely,

Chris Meyer

Office of Safety and Security

Texas A&M University