Imperial Valley College Business Related Travel

To ensure the safety of the Imperial Valley College community, effective immediately, all business travel (in California, out-of-state, and international) for students and employees is suspended until further notice.  

If the travel was booked using Imperial Valley College funds, please attempt to process a refund on any travel already booked to include transportation, conference fee, and hotel. If attending a conference, please check with the conference organizer to see if there is a refund policy or if the conference will be rescheduled.

Personal Travel

With Spring Break quickly approaching, Imperial Valley College asks that you review all your personal travel plans and make an informed decision about travel.

The following links provide important travel advisory information to consider prior to traveling:

• CDC Travel Notices by Country with Level Definitions
  Travel Health Notices inform travelers and clinicians about current health issues that impact travelers' health, like disease outbreaks, special events or gatherings, and natural disasters, in specific international destinations.
• DOS Travel Advisories with Level Definitions
  Check the Travel Advisories for your intended destination.
• Review the states with Confirmed and Presumptive Positive Cases of COVID-19* 
• Stay home for 14 days from the time you left an area with widespread, ongoing community spread (Level 3 Travel Health Notice countries) and practice social distancing.
• Take these steps to monitor your health and practice social distancing:
  • Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also, watch for a cough or trouble breathing.
  • Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
  • Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
  • Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
  • Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).
• Prior to returning to work, please notify your manager/supervisor. 

As a Reminder

• If you are sick with flu-like symptoms, do not come to campus or class. Contact your faculty member(s), as they have been asked to work with you on any missed coursework or assignments.
• If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath, and have reason to believe that you may have been exposed, you should call your healthcare provider or the Imperial County Public Health Department before seeking care.
• Practice healthy hygiene habits such as washing your hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer, and refraining from touching your face with unwashed hands. 

For additional health-related questions, students can contact the Student Health Center, at #1536 on the south exterior side of the library building. If students are off-campus and would like to speak with a nurse, they can call Health Services at 760-355-6310. Additional health-related questions, students can refer to this contact link. https://www.imperial.edu/about/contact-ivc/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I protect myself from getting sick (flu and/or coronavirus)?

If you are sick, please stay home from school or work. To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, please follow these important tips as follows:

• 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 60% or more.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick and encourage others to do the same. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Seek immediate medical care if symptoms become more severe, e.g., high fever or difficulty breathing. 

What do I need to know about the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)?

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been identified starting in Wuhan, China. Some patients have had mild illness, while others have been more severe, and some have died. 

Although coronaviruses are a group of viruses that aren't new, this is a new type of coronavirus and we are still learning about it. However, the health risk to the general public in California remains low. 

Typically, human coronaviruses cause mild-to-moderate respiratory illness. Symptoms are very similar to the flu, including:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

In some cases, COVID-19 can cause more severe respiratory illness.

Imperial Valley College, the Imperial County Public Health Department, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are all carefully assessing the situation as it evolves. 

For the latest information on repatriation and federal management, please see this statement from the CDC. There is also helpful information on the California Department of Public Health website. 

What if I have symptoms?

If a person develops symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath, and has reason to believe they may have been exposed, they should call their health care provider or the Imperial County Public Health Department  before seeking care. Contacting them in advance will make sure that people can get the care they need without putting others at risk. Please be sure to tell your health care provider about your travel history. You can also take the following precautionary measures: avoid contact with sick individuals, wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, and get a flu shot. 

If you are having a medical emergency, please call 911. If you are feeling ill, please call the Student Health Center at 760 - 355 - 6310. 

What is the treatment for COVID-19?

Most people with illnesses due to common coronavirus infections recover on their own; there are no specific treatments for coronavirus infections. For patients who are more severely ill, hospitals can provide supportive care. We are continuing to learn more about this novel coronavirus and treatment may change over time. 

What is Imperial Valley College doing to protect students and employees? 

Imperial Valley College is continuing to work in conjunction with the Imperial County Public Health Department, California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor the news, review updates from local officials, and help protect the health of our campus community. Our plans are based upon local county guidance and state recommendations.

Imperial Valley College is also taking extended measures to ensure a hygienic environment, including disinfecting and cleaning common areas, and ensuring that soap and hand sanitizer is available throughout our campus sites. Handwashing with soap is the most effective way to reduce the spread of any infections.

How can I practice social distancing?

Social distancing, also called "physical distancing," means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing:

• Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from other people
• Do not gather in groups
• Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings

In addition to everyday steps to prevent COVID-19, keeping space between you and others is one of the best tools we have to avoid being exposed to this virus and slowing its spread locally and across the country and world.

When COVID-19 is spreading in your area, everyone should limit close contact with individuals outside your household in indoor and outdoor spaces. Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to stay away from others when possible, even if you have no symptoms. Social distancing is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.