The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

The Student News Site of Sacramento City College

The Express

World Health Organization declares coronavirus pandemic; City College reacts

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The quad during the afternoon at City College Wednesday, March 11, 2020. (Kelsey Brown/[email protected])

By: Rose Vega | Editor-in-chief | [email protected]

By: Ben Irwin | [email protected]

The Los Rios Community College District said in a March 10 email to staff and faculty that it could stop in-person instruction in favor of online instruction as early as March 17, if public health department officials deem it necessary. 

“The Los Rios Colleges are taking all appropriate measures and will continue to follow the expert guidance of the California Department of Public Health and county agencies,” the email said.

“However, we are accelerating our efforts to be ready for 100% remote operations in the event that there are confirmed case(s) in our district and health experts recommend immediate action.”

The email stressed, “This does not mean we will necessarily make this shift on March 17.”

The email came shortly after the Elk Grove Unified School District, the largest in Northern California, according to The Sacramento Bee, closed its campuses in efforts to mitigate the spread of the disease and the day before the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic March 11. 

Two City College students were exposed to the virus while working as medical professionals, according to RAVE alerts issued on campus Feb. 27 and 28. Two other students—one at American River College and one at Cosumnes River College—also medical professionals, were exposed to the virus. Both City College students were advised to self-quarantine, but one did return to campus before the quarantine advisory, according to the RAVE alert.

City College students, faculty and staff expressed their thoughts about dealing with the coronavirus and the potential campus closure.

Freddy Aguilar, architectural design major, voiced his concern with the overall transparency related to the virus. 

“I don’t feel like there’s enough information being put out, and I feel like there’s a lot of ignorance,” Aguilar said. “It kind of limits the power we have in protecting each other. There’s a lot of misconceptions about how not to spread the virus.” 

Child development major Alexa Mendez said she isn’t too worried about the virus. 

“It’s just not scaring me, because I know it only affects certain people with certain health issues, so I’m not super freaked out like everybody else is.” said Mendez. 

Danielle Lurrie, foreign language major, isn’t concerned for herself but is worried about older students who attend City College. 

“Since it is attacking elderly people, we don’t really need to worry because for us it’s a flu and it’s not really killing children. It’s if you’re above 60,” said Lurrie. “I’m worried for them.”

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Other students like Isiah Davis and Isiah Foxx were concerned about having access to the internet to turn in classwork. 

“I don’t have any Wi-Fi at home right now. So I’m not sure how I’d figure out getting to my work,” said Davis. 

“My teachers are talking about this every day,” said Foxx. “I don’t have internet or a computer at all.” 

For students who have children, access to child care might be a concern, according to Early Child Development Professor Laurie Perry. 

“If all of the classes do go to online classes, the parents will still need child care,” Perry said. 

Perry is hoping that the Berneice Clayton Child Development Center will remain open on the main City College campus, adding that children are not considered a vulnerable population. 

“They may not be as safe at other places their parents have to put them,” said Perry. “We’re all willing to work to take care of them.”

Perry said the child care center is already taking extra precautions, and the children get stickers for washing their hands. 

“We already do it,” said Perry about keeping the childcare center as clean as possible. 

Rina Espinosa, a Japanese and art double major, said she’s unsure whether instruction online would work for her.

“I’m someone who learns better by having a physical teacher there,” said Espinosa. “I’ve taken online classes, and it hasn’t really worked for me in the past.” 

Aerospace major Norma Munoz said she likes online classes but doesn’t know if it will work for all subjects. 

“Honestly, I’m rooting for online classes, but only because I commute to Davis. I want to save myself all those hours of commuting,” Munoz said. “I’m taking physics and properties of materials, and they have a lab for both. I don’t really know how that’s going to work.” 

Cosmetology major Anginae Robbins said she’s worried about the two students at City College who came into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. 

“My concern is that we are susceptible to getting it,” said Robbin. “We don’t know who those students are or where they have been. So wherever they went, they are probably here spreading it. I have a 6-month-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. I also have sick grandparents with weak immune systems. I don’t want to take it back home or spread it to anyone else.”

Reported by: Amelia Biscardi, Stephanie Montano, Kristina De La Torre, Casey Rafter, Priscilla Garcia -Pargas, Alicia Alcazar, Sydney Roll

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