UC Merced, Merced College to take preventative measures, as coronavirus concerns rise
Merced County is still free of confirmed coronavirus cases as of March 12, despite infections in surrounding Madera, Fresno, San Benito, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties.
The nearby cases have prompted preventative efforts around Merced, aligning with the California Department of Public Health’s recommendation that gatherings with more than 250 people should be postponed or canceled.
Normal daily flow has, to say the least, been disrupted.
Merced Union High School District announced Thursday that other than class, all events are suspended until spring break, including sporting events.
Merced, Golden Valley, El Capitan, Atwater, Buhach Colony and Livingston high schools are among the schools impacted by the decision to cancel field trips, sporting events, rallies and others events.
With larger student bodies at single campus locations, Merced’s institutions of higher education are having to make difficult choices, too.
For example, UC Merced announced Thursday that all athletics events are canceled.
Events expected to draw more than 100 attendees and non-essential on-campus gatherings of more than 15 people are canceled as well, effective until April 20.
Faculty were strongly encouraged Thursday by the university to transition to teaching classes remotely, although doing so isn’t mandatory just yet . All classes are anticipated to have remote capability by spring break on March 20.
“I think it’s a good first step,” said UC Merced Assistant Professor Juris Grasis. Only time will tell whether further action is necessary, he said.
Grasis, an expert in molecular and cell biology, has been following the spread of COVID-19 since its inception.
Grasis said that while there have been similar outbreaks before, like SARS and MERS, the seven to 10 days individuals can have the virus without feeling symptoms mandate extra precaution.
“That’s what I see as a little bit dangerous,” he said. “You could unknowingly be spreading this virus.”
Faculty are making accommodations to their absence policies. The UC Merced campus is also receiving increased sanitation efforts, and hand sanitizer is available at more locations.
Grasis noted that while some fearful responses to coronavirus may be overblown, the amount of unknowns and spread of misinformation makes individuals reasonably concerned. “A lot of students are unsure what tomorrow is going to bring,” he said.
Accurate information and resources are available through Merced County, the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.
UC Merced is participating in the daily phone calls with the County Department of Public Health and other agencies, discussing best practices.
Merced College also taking precautions
Merced College announced Thursday that all classes other than labs will be held remotely. Face-to-face instruction will transition to online platforms on March 18, with complete remote accessibility by March 23, according to a Merced College release.
Faculty will allow students a one-week period to settle into the new teaching format, during which time assignments and testing due dates will be flexible.
Faculty are also asked to issue a grace period for absences, especially for students who are unable to immediately get access to online platforms.
“We don’t want anybody falling through the cracks at this time,” said Associate Vice President of External Relations Jill Cunningham.
Like UC Merced, Merced College is following the guidelines against non-essential events or gatherings. That means upcoming events, such as the 52nd Annual Future Farmers of America Field Day on March 14, are canceled.
“It was really hard for us to make that decision,” Cunningham said. “I think there’s some confusion (and) I think there’s some disappointment,” she added.
The event was set to bring thousands of high school students from across the state. The decision to cancel came down to keeping the community safe, Cunningham said.
Merced College is still deciding whether to continue with its production of “The Sound of Music.”
Merced College is also joining the daily phone calls with the County Department of Public Health and others.
“I really do feel like there’s a collective effort among all these institutions in Merced county,” Cunningham said.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 6:38 PM.
