UPDATE: Second PCC employee positive test for COVID – 19

The safety and wellbeing of the Pratt Community College campus community remains our highest concern.

Today, March 31, 2020, we were informed by the Pratt County Health Department of another positive COVID – 19 test for a second employee who works primarily in Chandler Hall. The employee has no travel history or underlying health conditions and has been home in quarantine since March 12, 2020. This is Pratt County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19.

PCC is working with the Pratt County Health Department and our employee to identify any possible exposures to close contacts. Those individuals will be contacted as soon as possible via telephone and given further instruction. The employee took all the right steps by practicing home-isolation and further distancing themselves since the onset of symptoms.

As an institution we have an immediate response for these events and have implemented them here: 

  • We have and will continue to communicate directly with co-workers and others known to have been in close contact with the individual. Current health guidelines state that people who have not been in close contact with a sick person are at low risk for the infection.
  • We have contacted the local health department and are working cooperatively with any additional direction given by them.
  • We are undertaking additional cleaning and sanitation protocols and will continue with our enhanced daily cleaning.

Please continue to practice social-distancing to the best of your abilities and good hygiene.

We share this information in the spirit of transparency; however, we also understand this can cause heightened anxiety. We also respect the privacy of each employee and ask that all employees are equally respectful of everyone’s privacy.

Discrimination or harassment against individuals that are suspected to have tested positive for, or been exposed to, coronavirus, is strictly prohibited. 
We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you informed as developments occur.

Pratt County residents can stay informed by visiting www.prattcounty.orgwww.kdheks.gov/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
 
Dr. Michael Calvert
President
Pratt Community College