Hand sanitizers will be place by all elevators, the cafeteria, theaters, fitness areas, computer labs and other large gathering spaces.  Additionally, you can pick up a brochure entitled “Cover your Cough” - preventing infection through effective personal hygiene at the Health Services Office or any Public Safety desk. Posters are placed in common areas as a reminder that hygiene is the most effective way to stay healthy. Below are some tips.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. Young children and infants should only use non-alcohol based cleaners.
• To prevent the spread of infection, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person when infected individuals cough or sneeze.
• If you get sick, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Center for Disease Control recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them (social isolation).

For more information about the Swine Flu Preparedness at Hostos Community College, please contact Diahann McFarlane, Health & Safety Officer at  DMcFarlane@hostos.cuny.edu 718-518-4349 or via fax at 718-518-4452.

Swine Flu Preparedness - Printable Version

Protocol on Infectious Disease Notification

From time to time, CUNY students or employees may contract an infectious disease that can be spread through casual contact.  In such circumstances, which could impact the health and safety of the CUNY community, students and employees should follow this protocol. If a student or an employee is in doubt whether an infectious disease is covered, he/she should contact the campus Health Services office. 

When students contract an infectious disease that can be spread through casual contact, they should immediately report it to the campus Health Services Nurse.  If the campus Health Services Nurse is unavailable, they should report it to the campus VP for Student Development & Enrollment. If the Student Development & Enrollment office is closed, they should report it to the campus Public Safety office.

When employees contract an infectious disease that can be spread through casual contact, they should immediately report it to the Director of Human Resources, who is responsible for reporting it to the campus Health Services Nurse. If the Human Resources office is closed, they should report it to the campus Public Safety office.  Employees should also inform their supervisor or department chair.

Please note the following information for Hostos Community College:

• Health Services Nurse (Alejandrina Pena, 718-518-6542, alpena@hostos.cuny.edu, A-334C)
• VP for Student Development & Enrollment  (Nathaniel Cruz, 718-518-4264, ncruz@hostos.cuny.edu, D-102H)
• Director of Human Resources (Imelda Redito, 718-518-6655, iredito@hostos.cuny.edu, B-215)
• Office of Public Safety (718-518-6888, abernabe@hostos.cuny.edu, C-030)

Reporting should include as much information as possible, including:

• names of the individuals involved
• all available contact information for the individuals involved:

• phone numbers (e.g., cell, home, office)
• e-mail address(es)
• emergency contact information

• student information (if applicable):

• classes
• clubs
• friends and/or faculty members and their respective contact information

• the date and time of the following:

• diagnosis and/or symptoms
• treatment
• campus notification

Members of the University community who become aware of a student or an employee who has contracted an infectious disease that can be spread through casual contact are also encouraged to contact the campus Health Services Nurse or the Director of Human Resources, as appropriate, with that information.

The campus Health Services Nurse is responsible for notifying the NYC Department of Health (as required), other appropriate campus officials, and the University Director of Environmental, Health, Safety, and Risk Management.  If the Health Services Nurse is unavailable, the VP for Student Development & Enrollment is responsible for cases involving students.

Confidentiality of personal information, including medical information and the name of the individual, must be respected to the fullest extent possible. Such information shall be disclosed only on a need-to-know basis.

If contact tracking is required, the campus Health Services Nurse is responsible for coordinating with NYC Department of Health, the campus Registrar and the VP for Student Development & Enrollment, for students, or the Director of Human Resources, for employees. Once contact tracking is complete, or if contact tracking is not required, the campus Health Services Nurse must document the tracking or the decision not to track.

For questions about this protocol, contact Diahann McFarlane, EHS Officer at 718-518-4349.

Protocol on Infectious Disease Notification - Printable Version