Tech Monitors Worldwide Ebola Activity

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

As the Ebola outbreak escalates in West Africa, Georgia Tech continues to vigilantly monitor the situation. While the chance of a significant Ebola outbreak in the U.S. is extremely small, Georgia Tech is taking steps to help ensure the well-being of our community, including close coordination with the Georgia Department of Public Health and other appropriate agencies.

Last week, Georgia Tech participated in a briefing for colleges and universities conducted by the Georgia Department of Public Health. We learned that as a precautionary measure, travelers to countries experiencing an Ebola outbreak will be actively monitored post-arrival for 21 days by public health authorities. As you may have heard, on Oct. 27 the Governor’s Office announced that anyone who has had direct contact with an Ebola patient will be “subject to quarantine at a designated facility.” Health care workers using proper protective gear who have treated Ebola patients will be “visually monitored” at home for 21 days, either by video or home visits.

Georgia Tech began implementing Ebola virus recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for colleges and universities last month. This advice includes avoiding non-essential travel, including education-related travel, to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Travelers are encouraged to visit the CDC Travel Health Notices Web page for up-to-date information specific to each country.

While the likelihood of Tech employees and students encountering an Ebola infection is extremely low, we are taking extra safety measures so that anyone who is suspected of having an Ebola infection is quickly evaluated and transferred for definitive care. Key health care professionals are appropriately trained on how to effectively handle a suspected case of Ebola in order to mitigate the risk of further infection.

Anyone who thinks they may have an Ebola infection should call Stamps Health Services for advice first. It may be advisable for a patient to go directly to a hospital without stopping at Stamps. In addition, information on Ebola, including information on protocols for faculty, staff, and students who have recently traveled internationally, is posted on the Stamps Health Services website.

As a reminder, the Ebola virus can only be transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected symptomatic person. Ebola is not spread through the air, water, or food. It is interesting to note that the common flu presents a greater health risk in our country, and in that regard, we have flu shots available at Stamps Health Services.

We also encourage you to take a common sense approach to staying healthy, especially as we enter the flu season. This includes avoiding contact with individuals who are sick, staying home and away from others if you are sick, and most importantly, contacting a health care professional immediately if you suspect a serious illness.

The safety of our faculty, staff, and students is paramount, and we will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation and provide updates as needed. Georgia Tech is also prepared to leverage the state-of-the-art resources available to us to care for our community.

Sincerely,

Gregory R. Moore, MD, MPH
Senior Director
Stamps Health Services
Georgia Institute of Technology