COVID-19

COVID-19 Information:

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is closely monitoring the 2019 novel coronavirus-COVID-19. Guidelines have been put in place by the New Mexico Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is monitoring the situation and is actively planning for contingencies. Please continue to check this page for frequent updates based on guidance from the NM Department of Health and the CDC.

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19:  
 
If you are a first- or second-year student who tests positive for COVID-19, please be sure to fill out an excused absence request.  If you are an employee who tests positive for COVID-19, please be sure to work with your direct supervisor and record your absence in Greenshades.  Currently, if you test positive, there is still a five-day isolation requirement in effect with day 0 being the first day of the onset of symptoms (if asymptomatic, day 0 is the first day you test positive).
 
If you are a third-or-fourth-year student, please follow the guidelines of your local health department, the protocol of your clinical teaching sites, and submit for an excused absence.  

Please utilize this suggestion box as a place to provide feedback to the College on COVID-19 safe practices. Additionally, individuals can report when COVID safe practices are not being followed by Burrell employees or students:

COVID-19 Suggestions
Accordion Content

A list of locations can be found at: 

Testing at DACC via Currative.com

Per the NM Department of Health and CDC the College does not require individuals to wear a mask. We ask our Burrell Community to be respectful of each individual’s choice to wear a mask. 

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19:  
 
If you are a first- or second-year student who tests positive for COVID-19, please be sure to fill out an excused absence request.  If you are an employee who tests positive for COVID-19, please be sure to work with your direct supervisor and record your absence in Greenshades.  Currently, if you test positive, there is still a five-day isolation requirement in effect with day 0 being the first day of the onset of symptoms (if asymptomatic, day 0 is the first day you test positive).
 
If you are a third-or-fourth-year student, please follow the guidelines of your local health department, the protocol of your clinical teaching sites, and submit for an excused absence.  

If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID, please see the CDC for guidance on what to do after an exposure.

As of December 27, 2021, the CDC updated the quarantine protocols to the following:

If you test positive (regardless of vaccination status):

  • Stay home for 5 days.
  • If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
  • Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.

If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

If you:

Have been boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months

  • Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
  • Test on day 5, if possible.

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

If you:
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 5 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Are unvaccinated

  • Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
  • If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days.
  • Test on day 5 if possible.

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

Resources for coping with COVID-19 stress: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

COVID-19 Related SOP

New Mexico Resources:

Regional Information:

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Source: CDC’s Handwashing Information

[English]

[Spanish]

Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Providers

The Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Care Delivery in All Healthcare Settings recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) include the following strong recommendations for hand hygiene in healthcare settings.
Healthcare personnel should use an alcohol-based hand rub or wash with soap and water for the following clinical indications:

  • Immediately before touching a patient
  • Before performing an aseptic task (e.g., placing an indwelling device) or handling invasive medical devices
  • Before moving from work on a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same patient
  • After touching a patient or the patient’s immediate environment
  • After contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
  • Immediately after glove removal

Healthcare facilities should:

  • Require healthcare personnel to perform hand hygiene in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations
  • Ensure that healthcare personnel perform hand hygiene with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled
  • Ensure that supplies necessary for adherence to hand hygiene are readily accessible in all areas where patient care is being delivered

Sources: CDC’s Hand Hygiene in a Healthcare Setting

Laptop Hygiene:

  • Before you begin cleaning your laptop, it must be turned off and unplugged from the power cord and all attachments (dock, mouse, keyboard, etc).
  • If you use any wipes/cloths to clean your device, they should -barely- be damp. The wipes/cloths should not drip any liquid if wrung out.
  • Alcohol wipes may not be used to clean screens, but can be used for other parts of the device.
  • There are many wipes built specifically for electronics that can be used on the go, they can be found in most stores.
  • Device Specific Cleaning Advice can be found on most manufacture’s websites: Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft.

Additional Resources:

COVID-19 Information:

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is closely monitoring the 2019 novel coronavirus-COVID-19. Guidelines have been put in place by the New Mexico Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is monitoring the situation and is actively planning for contingencies. Please continue to check this page for frequent updates based on guidance from the NM Department of Health and the CDC.

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, please click the button below to report:

Report COVID-19 Diagnosis

Please utilize this suggestion box as a place to provide feedback to the College on COVID-19 safe practices. Additionally, individuals can report when COVID safe practices are not being followed by Burrell employees or students:

COVID-19 Suggestions

A list of locations can be found at: 

Testing at DACC via Currative.com

Order an at home COVID Test

Students can utilize the NMSU Aggie Health and Wellness Center

Per the NM Department of Health and CDC the College does not require individuals to wear a mask. We ask our Burrell Community to be respectful of each individual’s choice to wear a mask. 

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please complete a Burrell Incident Report. The Office of Compliance will respond to notify you of next steps per the most current CDC and NM Department of Health guidelines.

COVID-19 Positive Steps

If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID, please see the CDC for guidance on what to do after an exposure.

As of December 27, 2021, the CDC updated the quarantine protocols to the following:

If you test positive (regardless of vaccination status):

  • Stay home for 5 days.
  • If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house.
  • Continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.

If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

If you:

Have been boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 5 months
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months

  • Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
  • Test on day 5, if possible.

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home.

If you:
Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over 5 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted
OR
Are unvaccinated

  • Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
  • If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days.
  • Test on day 5 if possible.

If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

Resources for coping with COVID-19 stress: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

COVID-19 Related SOP

All employees and students are required to utilize the key card readers to access the building

What if I identify myself as sick while in a College facility?

  • Isolate to the nearest room and stay in the room
  • Contact security immediately at 575-674-2299 who will contact Human Resources for employees and Student Affairs for students.
    • The Office of Compliance or Assistant Vice-President of Administration will facilitate the individual’s exit from the building.
  • Contact tracing and cleaning will occur after individual has left the building.

New Mexico Resources:

Regional Information:

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Source: CDC’s Handwashing Information

[English]

 

 

 

 

 

[Spanish]

Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Providers

The Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Care Delivery in All Healthcare Settings recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) include the following strong recommendations for hand hygiene in healthcare settings.
Healthcare personnel should use an alcohol-based hand rub or wash with soap and water for the following clinical indications:

  • Immediately before touching a patient
  • Before performing an aseptic task (e.g., placing an indwelling device) or handling invasive medical devices
  • Before moving from work on a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same patient
  • After touching a patient or the patient’s immediate environment
  • After contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces
  • Immediately after glove removal

Healthcare facilities should:

  • Require healthcare personnel to perform hand hygiene in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations
  • Ensure that healthcare personnel perform hand hygiene with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled
  • Ensure that supplies necessary for adherence to hand hygiene are readily accessible in all areas where patient care is being delivered

Sources: CDC’s Hand Hygiene in a Healthcare Setting

Laptop Hygiene:

  • Before you begin cleaning your laptop, it must be turned off and unplugged from the power cord and all attachments (dock, mouse, keyboard, etc).
  • If you use any wipes/cloths to clean your device, they should -barely- be damp. The wipes/cloths should not drip any liquid if wrung out.
  • Alcohol wipes may not be used to clean screens, but can be used for other parts of the device.
  • There are many wipes built specifically for electronics that can be used on the go, they can be found in most stores.
  • Device Specific Cleaning Advice can be found on most manufacture’s websites: Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft.

General:

Question: What does it mean to be in “close contact” with someone with COVID-19 who is in their “infectious period”?

Answer: According to the CDC, a close contact is considered someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting from 2 days before they experienced symptoms (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date), until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation.

Question: What should I do if someone I am in close contact with was exposed to a COVID positive case (example: my spouse was exposed at work and now he/she has to quarantine)?

Answer: There is no required change for you since you were not directly exposed to the COVID positive case. Continue to monitor your health and attend campus activities as normal.

Question: Where can I get tested for COVID-19?

Answer: Click here for testing locations in New Mexico

Question: What does Quarantine, Self-Isolate, and Potential Exposure mean?

Quarantine: used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.

Self-Isolate: used to separate people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 and those with no symptoms) from people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others.

Potential Exposure: household contact or having close contact within 6 feet of an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.  The timeframe for having contact with an individual includes the period of time of 48 hours before the individual became symptomatic or received a positive COVID-19 test (if asymptomatic).

Student:

Question: Can I study on campus?

Answer: Yes, you can book a study room using the following link. Please be sure to follow the guidelines on the reservation page.

Question: What if I don’t have a PCP in Las Cruces and need to see a physician?

Answer: As part of your student fees you can to visit the NMSU Aggie Health and Wellness Center.

Employees:

Question: What should I do if a student or employee tells me they have tested positive for COVID or have been exposed (less than 6ft and longer than 15 minutes) to COVID-19?

Answer: If the individual informing you is a student, please contact Student Affairs immediately and keep the information confidential. If the individual is an employee, please contact Human Resources and keep the information confidential.

Remote Learning Resources for Students

What should I do if I have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, symptoms associated with COVID-19, or has potential exposure to someone with confirmed COVID-19

Match Day Update: 2020-03-12 – In an abundance of concern for the health and safety of our students and the College community, we find it necessary to cancel the Match Day festivities previously scheduled for Friday, March 20. In so doing we are joining medical schools around the country in the effort to promote containment of the spread of this novel infection.  Match Day results will be made available at 10 am MDT through a Facebook live stream on Facebook.com/bcomNM<. Any student not wishing to have their match result released to the public is asked to please contact the Office of Student Affairs no later than 9 a.m. MDT, Thursday, March 19. Faculty and staff will remain available on campus throughout match week to provide assistance where needed. This announcement does not affect the SOAP process that will still take place the week of March 16, 2020.