INFECTIOUS DISEASE INFORMATION CENTER
INFECTIOUS DISEASE INFORMATION CENTER
Welcome to the Infectious Disease Information Center. This page provides important information on public health alerts and updates on what Southwest is doing to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases for employees and students. If you feel ill or have been diagnosed with an infectious disease, please stay home and contact your doctor and instructor or work supervisor for guidance.
Our Infectious Disease Policy
Students and employees who are infected with or suspected of having Covid-19, measles, rubella, mumps, chickenpox, pediculosis, scabies, tuberculosis (TB) and other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-identified diseases will be denied physical access to Southwest Tennessee Community College campuses and centers until released by a physician or the local public health department.
Southwest Tennessee Community College will follow and adhere to local laws, restrictions and mandates to promote good health and limit the spread of illness and disease. Southwest will also follow Center for Diseases Control guidelines and recommendations.
For example, if Shelby County Government passes an ordinance that requires all individuals to wear a mask while in public, Southwest policies and procedures will comply with this mandate.
See the full TBR Infectious Disease Policy (7.03.00.00) at:
https://policies.tbr.edu/policies/infectious-disease
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Shorter days and cooler temperatures mark the beginning of fall. It also signifies the official start of the Flu Season. The flu is a contagious virus infecting the nose, throat and lungs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza activity is already on the rise with Southeast and South-Central regions of the United States reporting the highest levels of activity. Federal health data indicate that this year’s flu season may be the worst in 13 years.
While the flu may not sound like a big deal to many, complications from the flu can be serious and even lead to death. What can you do to help stave off the flu? Take the precautions listed below.
INFLUENZA PREVENTION TIPS
- Get the flu vaccine – it’s the best way to protect against the flu
- Wash your hands frequently
- Cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing
- Stay home or away from others if you are sick
Click on the resource links below to read more about the flu, its symptoms and additional preventative measures you can take to keep yourself healthy during the flu season.
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/prevention.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/sick-with-the-flu.pdf
For information on getting vaccinated, contact your personal health care provider or the Shelby County Health Department for the Influenza (Flu) as well as COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Keep in mind in takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to kick in.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) recently reported nine presumptive cases in Shelby County and that all affected individuals are in isolation. While the number of cases in Shelby County is small, we are closely monitoring the situation and will respond according to recommendations from SCHD, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stay tuned to this page for news and updates.
How it Spreads
Monkeypox is quite different from COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox is spread primarily through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact. The virus also can be contracted by touching objects, fabrics and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox. The lesions or pox that appear on the affected skin are highly contagious.
Signs & Symptoms
People with monkeypox get a rash that may be located on or near the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth.
The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing.
The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.
Other symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Exhaustion
- Muscle aches and backache
- Headache
- Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
You may experience all or only a few symptoms
- Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash.
- Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms.
- Others only experience a rash.
Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms, they will usually develop a rash 1-4 days later.
Monkeypox can be spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has healed, all scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks.
If you feel ill or have been diagnosed with an infectious disease, stay home and contact your doctor and instructor or work supervisor.
Get more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html/.
NEWS AND UPDATES
Flu season is here; time to take precautionShorter days and cooler temperatures mark the beginning of fall. It also signifies the official start of the Flu Season.
Shelby County Health Department Monkeypox Update for Week of August 9, 2022
SHELBY COUNTY, TN – Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) reports a total of nine (9) presumptive monkeypox cases within Shelby County as of Tuesday, August 9, 2022.
USDA approves second COVID-19 booster shots for adults age 50 and older
Adults age 50 and older are approved for a second COVID-19 booster as early as four months after their first booster shot of any COVID-19 vaccine. In the U.S., that would be the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson products..
LINKS
Monkeypox News and Info (CDC) (NEW!)
Southwest Coronavirus News and Info
Shelby County Health Department
Tennessee Department of Health
Southwest Office of Student Affairs
Southwest Office of Academic Affairs
Southwest Office of Human Resources
TBR Infectious Disease Policy
Southwest Website
Southwest Academic Calendar
Infectious Disease Policy
Contact Us
- General Information Phone:
- 901-333-5000
- Public Safety Email:
- policeservices@southwest.tn.edu
- Macon Cove Campus Phone:
- 901-333-4242
- Union Avenue Campus Phone:
- 901-333-5555
