FTCC Shifting Classes to Online Instruction
Fayetteville Technical Community College to shift classes to online instruction on Monday, March 16
Out of an abundance of caution due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Fayetteville Technical Community College will shift its classes to online instruction starting Monday, March 16.
The school campus will remain open. FTCC will have supervised computer labs available for students who lack access to their classes. Appropriate health protocols will be observed, including cleaning computers and desks between uses and keeping individuals at least 6 feet apart.
Students will be contacted by their instructors through online class sites already in use.
FTCC athletics and other college events will be suspended during this time.
The college has suspended all official travel outside of Cumberland County.
FTCC President J. Larry Keen said the moves are being done in the interest of safety in the face of the spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. More than 1,300 cases of the virus have been reported in the United States, including 12 in North Carolina. None have been reported in Cumberland County.
FTCC already has about 7,000 students enrolled in courses that are entirely online and has provided all-online instruction to other students over the past two years after severe weather events. “We’re experts at this,” Keen said. “We’re still going to expect higher-education activities to take place.”
The college expects faculty, staff and students to follow guidelines by health officials aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19, including avoiding non-essential travel outside the area and gathering in large groups.
The Cumberland County Health Department advises anyone traveling in areas where coronavirus has been diagnosed to closely monitor their body temperature and to consult with their medical provider if they have a fever of more than 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), a dry cough and/or shortness of breath.
The Centers for Disease Control believes COVID-19 spread primarily in these ways:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another – within about 6 feet of each other.
- Through respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses or people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 and health authorities are encouraging actions that slow and prevent the transmission of the disease. Reported illnesses have ranged from very mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. The CDC says information so far suggests that most illness is mild but older people and people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications.
Here are ways you can protect yourself:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water aren’t readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community.
Here are ways you can protect others:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Clean your hands frequently and thoroughly, by washing with soap and water or with hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands when cleaning them.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
- If you are sick, stay home and take care of yourself.
- If you suspect you have coronavirus, call the doctor or health department before going in.
- If you are sick, wear a face mask when you are around other people.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear within 2-14 days of exposure. They include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
Anyone who has
For more information about COVID-19, check these sources:
- Cumberland County Department of Public Health
- N.C. Division of Public Health
- Centers for Disease Control
