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Latest

Follow the latest updates on coronavirus at IE University through this feed as well as our Instagram page at @ieustork.

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Total Confirmed Cases as of 21:00 9th of March:

Segovia Campus – 2 infected;

Madrid Campus – 1 infected;

Please follow the coronavirus.ie.edu for more detailed information

IE is constantly updating the webpage to inform its students on any changes in Travel, Class & Attendance policies. Find more information there. We will do our best to simplify and communicate official messages through here.

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16:14,20th of March – HST Students received the following message from HST Office

“Dear Students,

First, we would like to send you as much strength as possible during these difficult times and to let you know that we are aware of the effort you are making to continue your classwork. The priority is, and will always be, to protect your health. Likewise, we assure you that we will continue to provide you with the high quality academic experience to which you are accustomed.

Additionally, we aim to improve your experience and facilitate class participation in the following ways:

Classes that occur from 8:00 to 12:00 (noon) CET (Central European Time) and from 16:00 onwards CET will be recorded, so that students in time zones away from Madrid can continue following sessions without time constrictions.
Please keep in mind that students who are within 3 hours of the Madrid time zone are required to attend class via Adobe Connect and expected to participate synchronously and actively in class. We have this information saved and your professors are also aware of where you are located.
For students who are not able to attend sessions live, your professors will be in touch about alternative methods to evaluate class participation.
Now, as always, your contributions are essential and enrich not only your learning experience but also that of your classmates.
Exams and group presentations will always take place between 12:00 and 16:30, Madrid time.
Program management will provide specific details regarding schedule changes and session recordings for each program.
Recorded classes will have the same academic purpose as face-to-face or live sessions and thus cannot be shared, published, or used outside of their respective sections. The purpose of this is to respect intellectual property and the image rights of participating professors and students. We are counting on you to act responsibly and to respect this rule.
If a student does not want to be video recorded during class, no problem. We recommend s/he participate through the active chat during the session.
Once each session is over, we will upload the recording to Campus Online as soon as possible and always within 24 hours. When you enter the specific course/subject on Campus, you will find the recorded sessions uploaded on the left-hand toolbar under the section called Live Video.
Professors will expand the functionality of the platform in the coming weeks to include new discussion forums, interactive tools, and multimedia materials.
IMPORTANT: for upcoming exams or quizzes, we have an online proctoring tool called SMOWL. Your professors will notify you about whether or not they plan to use the tool to administer their exams. Prior to any exams, each student is required to register for the tool and it will be activated 48 hours before your first exam. We will send out the instructions for how to register for SMOWL as well as post them on Campus Online.
As you know, we have 20 years of experience in online training. That knowledge is more valuable than ever before because it allows us to replicate your classes online, across all programs, and to continually improve your experience. We can replicate everything but hugs these days!

Thank you all for your commitment and support, your generosity and understanding throughout this time. We hope that you and your loved ones are well and send encouragement to those students affected by COVID-19 including those who, an example to us all, are caring for people overcoming the virus.

All our best,

HST Management Team”

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19:10,15th of March – IE University President sends a message to IE Community

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17:30, 10th of March – IE University announces exclusive online courses until April 14th

IE University announced that all courses will remain online until Tuesday, April 14.

This was not an official decree by the Community of Madrid or the local Segovia government, but will apply in both campuses for the protection of students. Exams and other evaluations will occur remotely to the discretion of each program director.

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17:30, 10th of March – IE University announces policies for student clubs

While IE Madrid and Segovia Campuses remain open, until after March 26th:
o Any club or internal group meetings are to be conducted online or through a phone call.
o On campus regular practices or activities that can’t be conducted online (yoga classes, dance practices, etc) are to be put on hold.
o Any other club activities or events are to be considered for livestreaming or else postponed after March 26.
o Should you consider that one of your upcoming events could be livestreamed, please reach out to us to set it up.
o Should your club be working on a speaker conference or a major event taking place in the next two to three months, please contact Campus Life in order to evaluate the situation and work on the next steps.
o If you are a sports club, practices are to be put on hold.

We want to reinforce our values of diversity, tolerance, and empathy. We kindly ask for a state of calmness. We will continue supporting our community in this situation and are available to answer any questions that might arise.

Thank you all for your patience and collaboration.

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22:00, 9th of March – IE University announces all courses to go online in Madrid

Dear members of the IE Community,

We are contacting you again to inform you that, following the instructions of the authorities regarding all educational institutions, the programs on our Madrid campus will be delivered exclusively online from Wednesday 11 to March 26.

For this reason, starting this Wednesday, while our campuses in Madrid and Segovia will remain open, all programs will be delivered online.

As many of you know, we are working to fulfill a triple commitment: to protect your health, to communicate with transparency and to maintain our academic activity.

We would like to thank you all, students, faculty and staff, for your support during these past weeks. We appreciate your understanding during this difficult time and would like to share that, thanks to our 20 years of experience in online education, we have registered more than 30,000 online sessions in the last few days, with 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 140 countries.

We would also like to thank you in advance for your commitment. Together we will overcome this challenge.

19:00, 9th of March – Community of Madrid suspends all educational facilities for 15 days

The Community of Madrid has voted to declare closure of all educational facilities due to the coronavirus outbreak in the city. The closure will be aimed to reduce the risk of mass infection and will last from Wed.11th until March 26th.

19:30, 5th of March – No significant reportings so far

As the week is approaching its end, no significant updates have been reported by the end of 5th of March. The University, along with the Stork are monitoring the situation closely and handling joint communication, as well as educational sessions to ensure that the students are well-informed and remain vigilant about the situation.

14:00, 4th of March – BBA Madrid students send a petition to IE Office to have all Madrid courses online

Although there has been only one case confirmed case in the Madrid campus, many BBA students have decided to write an official petition to the BBA office, requesting to move all classes online. BBA office has still to respond. Follow the letter below:

“Dear IE,

Us, students of IE, believe that the necessary measures to ensure the maximum safety of us and our loved ones have not been taken. The virus might not be dangerous for us because we are young, healthy and have a good immune system. However, our older relatives are in a more precarious condition due to their age and weaker immune system that comes with it. As you already know most of the fatal cases of coronavirus have been recorded in elderly patients because of their already existing medical problems.
Easter holidays are just around the corner and most of us will be going home to our families and loved ones. We will be risking spreading the virus to our older relatives and putting them in a worse or life-threatening situation.
Forcing 40 people into a closed room for 2 hours with no windows just to take an exam is exactly how you get the virus to spread.
Please take our concern seriously and with the utmost care. Taking exams in a classroom environment is not a safe option. We request to attend classes and take exams through the online platform or to postpone them.

Best regards,

Students of IE”

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12:45, 4th of March – IE University confirms 2nd case in Segovia, moves all courses in the campus to the online format

Second case of a coronavirus infection has been confirmed at the Segovia campus. As a result, the Campus has been closed, with courses continuing in an online format. Madrid campus is still open to face-to-face format as well as online. Please read the email here below:

“Dear IE Community,

IE University has confirmed today, Wednesday, March 4th, that there is a new case of COVID-19 on our Segovia campus. The affected student had recently visited an at-risk country. His last class was on Thursday, February 27th and he began to feel light symptoms on Sunday, March 1st, at which point he began quarantine in his house. Today he continues under quarantine with medical supervision. We are happy to report that he is feeling well and continues his classes online.

Following the recommendations of the health authorities, our campuses remain open. However, we are taking additional precautions:

Segovia campus

As of today and during the next 14 days:

• All classes will be delivered only online.
• Extracurricular activities will be rescheduled.

Madrid campus

To date:

• Classes will be delivered face-to-face and online.
• Those students who are under quarantine or have underlying medical conditions must attend classes online exclusively.
• We advise students who are otherwise concerned to follow their classes online.
• Extracurricular activities will continue and streaming will be available.

IE University Travel Policy regarding COVID19

• IE University warns against traveling to the at-risk countries and regions https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov-China/areas.htm
• Anyone who returns from an at-risk country or region must observe a 14-day quarantine and seek medical advice.

Please take care of your health and protect others. According to WHO, most people who become infected with COVID-19 experience mild illness and recover. The majority recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.”

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15:00, 3rd March – Student Government postpones Spring Ball to May 8th

In a statement issued today in the afternoon, Student Government has decided to postpone the Spring Ball to May 8th. The decision came to be after careful consideration of potential risks, and despite no recommendations from Spanish Public Health Authorities, the Administration has proceeded to move the data to May 8th. The location and theme will remain the same. 

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13:20, 2nd March – 8th IE University email announcement – the first case in Madrid Campus

“Dear IE Community,

We are contacting you with some new information about the evolving coronavirus situation within the IE community.

We have confirmed an additional IE student who has tested positive for COVID-19. This student was visiting Madrid from February 17th to the 22nd to attend the residential period of a part-time Master’s program after which he traveled to Italy and then returned to Madrid. The student reported having felt the first symptoms on February 23rd, 1 day after completing his residential period on our Madrid campus. He is currently hospitalized in Madrid and being well-attended medically.

We are in touch with this student and closely following his condition. In conjunction with local authorities, we are also working to gather information about any fellow students, professors, or staff members who might have been in close contact with him.

Our Bachelor?s student in Segovia who tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a trip to Italy continues to be monitored in the hospital in Segovia and is doing well. We send each of these two students our support and best wishes. We also continue to monitor the members of our community who were exposed, during a basketball game, to an IE alumnus who tested positive for COVID-19.

For our part, we are working non-stop in close coordination with the Spanish health authorities, who are supporting the measures we have activated and are keeping us up-to-date about the situation.

The current plan is as follows:

Following the recommendations of the health authorities, our campuses in Madrid and in Segovia remain open and all face-to-face classes will continue be held. That said, we have made provisions for students to attend classes online, starting tomorrow, in the case that they are under quarantine, have underlying medical conditions, or are otherwise concerned. We want to assure all students that what is most important now is to make prudent decisions about their own health as well as the health of others. We ask students who wish to attend classes online to contact their program staff. Please find the link to access the online platform: https://sites.google.com/view/connectstudentguide

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. We are deeply touched by the way so many members of our community have rallied together and sent countless messages of solidarity. We would like to share a message of strength and positive energy with all of you in this challenging and uncertain moment. We continue to ask each of you for maximum professionalism and to read and carefully follow the guidelines we have sent ? and will continue to send as the situation evolves.

Again, we want to emphasize our commitment to protect the safety of our community, to keep you informed and to maintain the continuity of our academic activity.

Thanks for all your support, collaboration and understanding.

Please visit coronavirus.ie.edu for further details.”

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19:00, 28th Feb – 8th IE University email announcement – both campuses will remain open, and the schedule exams will not change

We are contacting you regarding COVID-19 to reassure you that our University continues to evaluate the situation with the priority of preserving the health and well-being of our community, consistently following the directions of the Heath authorities and the established protocols.

To date, we have acted quickly to minimize the possibility of additional infections within our community. The health authorities have been examining the facilities of our Segovia Campus and meeting our students there. They have indicated that the campus should remain open and that academic life continue normally. In any case and to be prepared for a range of possible scenarios, we want you to know that the University has developed a set of initiatives that may be activated under various situations with the aim of protecting our people.

One of these extreme scenarios (under the recommendations of the health authorities) would involve closing our campus in Madrid and/or Segovia for a limited period of time. Under this scenario, IE University has the technological and human resources necessary to continue teaching in a digital mode using Adobe Connect and the WoW Room. To prepare in advance for this scenario, next week we will provide 30-minute training sessions to help you properly configure your computers and learn you how to use this platform.

The schedule for the exams planned for the next week will take place on a regular basis. Please contact your program manager if you are under any special circumstance that may impede your attendance.

We thank you for your understanding and appreciate your responsibility and engagement as members of the IE community. We kindly ask you to follow the established protocols and to let us know any queries that you may have. In these circumstances, it is particularly important to avoid spreading rumors and fake news and, at the same time, let the program managers at IE of any piece of information that may be relevant.

We will continue to send updates as necessary as we monitor and act during this challenging period of time.

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15:30-17:00, 28th Feb – The President of IE met Student Delegates, Student Leadership and Organizations about measures to address the virus

There has been a meeting today at 15:30 between the President of IE, Santiago Iniguez, rectors of HST, Architecture & Design, and other directors with student delegates, student leaders and members of relevant organizations to talk and inform updates about the problem of coronavirus and the measures being taken by the university in this regard. Here are some of the highlights, if you have any additional question, make sure to address the official channels of the university listed below.

IE has stated that “everything is said to be under control”, IE is taken all the needed measures that have been recommended by the health authorities – it is key for students to stay calm and trust the institution that everything is being taken care of and all security measures are being implemented.

No cases in Madrid campus: the only case in Madrid is an alumnus who was in contact with members of the basketball team, but the club has been contacted along with its President to address and contain the rumor. None of the members have the symptoms and therefore there is no immediate alarm.

IE has been told by the Spanish health authorities to keep both campuses open. In Segovia, the authorities visited both the campus and the residence: at this stage, the operations of the campus will continue but are subject to change if the circumstances change. The students will be informed immediately if this is to occur.

Regarding the virus:

Key symptoms include: coughing, sweating, fever – in case of showing any of these symptoms, please get in contact with the university or/and the health authorities so that IE can be informed about the situation as soon as possible and act accordingly.

You will all be informed with all the live and available data that IE has collected and will distribute accordingly.
In case, you are planning to travel to Italy or any of the other affected areas or countries, please talk with the program to inform yourself about the necessary steps to take.

IE is working to make masks available for students: around 2,000 masks are expected for delivery next Tuesday or Wednesday

RELEVANT CONTACT INFO FOR INFORMATION:

– Website: coronavirus.ie.edu
– 24 hour medical assistance:
+34 932532283 (in Spanish) and +34 932593468 (in English)
– For academic requests:
+34 915689600

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14:35, 28th Feb – 6th IE Email – No new cases in both campuses after Spanish Health Authority Check

Dear IE Community,

We are contacting you again to confirm that there are NO new confirmed cases of coronavirus.As you know, to date we have one case of contagion from one of our students on the Segovia campus.

The Factory Residence Hall in Segovia, where the affected student lives, confirms that all the residents are well and there is only one student under surveillance, but who has displayed no symptoms of the virus.

The Spanish health authorities were on our campus and at The Factory this morning. They have gathered information and reassured the students. We have been told that the situation is under control and that it is being managed adequately. They have insisted that students, professors, and staff members lead normal lives. In the case of symptoms, they should remain at home and call 112 and to our institution to activate the health protocol. There is no need to go to the hospital.

On the other hand, as for the alumnus who tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday and who was with students in Madrid, they all confirm that they are well and have no symptoms.

We take this opportunity to confirm that we have activated several phone lines to support our community. They will also be available during the weekend.

24-hour medical assistance:
+34 932532283 (in Spanish) and +34 932593468 (in English)

For academic requests:
+34 915689600

We will keep you informed of any new developments that may arise in the next few hours.

Thanks again for your help, collaboration, and understanding. We thank you for remaining calm and we ask you not to spread any news without confirmation by our institution.

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12:00, 28th Feb – Unconfirmed AudioFile rumors spread in Madrid campus

At the Madrid campus, rumors and messages of an audio file from one of the students have been circulating. The rumor is currently being investigated by the university officials and confirmation is yet to happen. The audio file contains a message from a student, who has been diagnosed positively for Covid-19 and played basketball with other students, thus risking infection. This has been unconfirmed by the University and we request to refrain from labeling other students. We would like to remind you to stay calm and to not confide in unconfirmed allegations. Please follow the university instructions and stay updated through here. 

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28th Feb – IE University has released a separate page to manage information

The University has released a page on its website to help its students, staff, and faculty to receive official updates. The page addresses information about Covid-19, potential symptoms, treatment, and recommendations regarding the spread. For more information please follow the page – https://coronavirus.ie.edu

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For more information, check our timeline below!

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17:00, Feb 27: Statement from IE representatives

“We are hearing your concern about the virus and wanted to let you know that IE is preparing an official communication to the whole student body to be released very soon. It will be in line with what the local authorities recommend to us.  As you can imagine students wellbeing is our priority”

18:00, Feb 27

Rumors of a Covid-19 infected IE student spread through WhatsApp group chats. University representatives responded that they “are working on issuing an official statement” to the undergraduate and Master’s students.

18:30, Feb 27

Multiple screenshots of students referring to unidentified students being infected with the virus are circulating. Please be careful with these reports – these reports have not been confirmed and we recommend staying calm until an official statement from the University officials is released.

27th Feb: El Adelantado de Segovia

“An Italian student of “a private university” has been diagnosed positive for nCovid-19. As the source claims, the student had returned from his trip to northern Italy, which has been at the center of news for identifying the 2nd largest amount of infected victims of the virus. The student is currently located at Complejo Asistencial, and his state is stable.”

20:26, 27th Feb: El Pais

“Provinces of Castille and Leon, Barcelona and Valencia report new cases of coronavirus. 12 cases have been confirmed throughout Spain, including the case in Castille and Leon.”

20:40, 27th Feb: IE University Official Statement

“Dear IE students, professors, and staff,

We have just received the information that one of our students from the Segovia campus has been confirmed as a positive case of coronavirus. The student, who recently visited Italy, is at present stable and hospitalized in Segovia.

We are closely monitoring the situation and in contact with the Health authorities and we will be in contact with you again shortly.

Best regards

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Queridos alumnos, profesores y miembros del staff del IE,

Acabamos de confirmar que uno de nuestros alumnos del campus de Segovia ha dado positivo en las pruebas de coronavirus. El alumno, que regres? recientemente del Norte de Italia, se encuentra en buen estado y est? hospitalizado en Segovia.

Estamos monitorizando la situacion en tiempo real y estamos en contacto con las autoridades sanitarias. Estaremos pronto en contacto con vosotros nuevamente.

Saludos,

IE University”

21:00, 27th Feb

One officially reported case, possibly related to an IE Segovia student. No Madrid campus cases were reported. Be careful with unverified statements — these reports have not been confirmed and we recommend students stay calm until an official statement for the administration is released.

21:15 27th Feb

Several students have been sharing misleading messages about multiple cases. Yet again, we reiterate that these have been unconfirmed and only one case has been confirmed. Follow this thread to stay updated regarding official posts. 

21:44 27th Feb: Second Official  IE University Annoucement: 

“Coronavirus – Updated Information

Following the recommendations from the Health authorities, the Segovia campus will remain open tomorrow.

The Health authorities will visit our campus tomorrow to gather information about the students, professors and members of our staff who could have been in close contact with the student last Wednesday February 26, when the patient felt the first symptoms.

We remind you that, if you have symptoms of acute respiratory infection such as fever, tiredness, and dry cough
AND
You have travelled to affected countries in the 14 days before you developed the symptoms
OR
You have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed as a possible case of 2019-nCoV

We recommend to proceed as follows:

1. If you are in Spain, call 112, to inform of your recent trip and symptoms.

2. If you are abroad, follow local authority instructions.

3. For students, please also contact your program management team to make them aware and discuss academic support for you.

We also learned that an IE University alumnus who participated in a sporting event with other students has been diagnosed positively. We are contacting these students to recommend that they reach out to the medical authority in case they feel any symptoms. The health authority highly recommends acting normally in the rest of the cases.

Given these extraordinary circumstances, we kindly encourage you to keep calm and avoid spreading rumors that are not confirmed. We really appreciate your collaboration.

Best regards”

09:50 28th Feb – Third Official IE University Announcement 

“Coronavirus – Outbreak

 

With regard to the coronavirus outbreak, IE University follows the guidelines and protocols from the World Health Organization, the EU and the Spanish authorities. The Spanish Ministry of Health has recommended restricting travel to China, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Singapore and northern Italy – the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. IE University extends this recommendation to our community members. We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you informed if new measures are introduced of interest to our community related to the coronavirus outbreak. Here you will find information on the coronavirus outbreak provided by the World Health Organization. We take this opportunity to highlight some recommendations on prevention and advice on how to proceed in the event of symptoms manifesting themselves.

WHO – What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

 

According to WHO, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. About 2% of people with the disease have died. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

WHO – Protection measures for everyone

 

COVID-19 is still affecting mostly people in China with some outbreaks in other countries. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following: 1. Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands. 2. Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease. 3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick. 4. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately. Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19. 5. Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing and seek medical attention. Follow the directions of your local health authority. Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections. [*You will find recommendations for students/staff/faculty based in Spain at the end of this document]

Spanish Ministry of Health – Recommendations for travellers

 

Which are the risk areas?

Currently there is community transmission in mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Iran and Italy (regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont). Depending on the evolution of the situation, the risk areas can vary. What do I have to do if I travel to affected countries? The World Health Organization does not recommend any restrictions on travel or trade with the other risk areas. The Ministry of Health updates its recommendations to travellers on the web, which includes the specific recommendations on the new coronavirus. The same measures on travel to China are applicable to other areas where there is a transmission community: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/sanidadExterior/salud/home.htm The place where the outbreak started and where sustained transmission of the infection was initially observed is Hubei Province. It is recommended, in general, and especially in Hubei province, to avoid eating undercooked meat and close contact with live or dead, domestic or wild animals and; close contact with sick people should be avoided and hands should be washed frequently. Are there any special measures on goods received from risk areas? The European Commission has not taken any additional measures concerning official controls on individual goods for human use or consumption from areas where there is sustained transmission. Therefore, for the time being, the same recommendations will continue to apply as before, with no specific restrictions or recommendations concerning the movement of goods. What do I have to do if I have returned from risk areas? People who return from a risk area and who are in good health can lead a normal life, with family, friends and, in general, at school and work. If you develop respiratory symptoms (fever, cough and shortness of breath) within 14 days of returning from your trip, you should stay home and contact the health services by phone at 112. Health services will assess your health status and travel history and possible contact with cases of coronavirus.

 

IE University – Recommendations

 

IE University is monitoring official guidelines about prevention and spread of Coronavirus. Spanish Ministry of Health has released guidance for travelers visiting affected regions (text only in Spanish). Currently there are no additional measures recommended by the Spanish Ministry of Health beyond the WHO protection measures for everyone. IE University has revised its cleaning programme and rotation to include the wiping down of key surfaces in high footfall areas and hand sanitiser gels are available in all key locations. What can you do in the case of display of symptoms? If you have symptoms of acute respiratory infection such as fever, tiredness, and dry cough AND You have travelled to affected countries in the 14 days before you developed the symptoms OR You have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed as a possible case of 2019-nCoV We recommend to proceed as follows: 1. If you are in Spain, call 112, to inform of your recent trip and symptoms. 2. If you are abroad, follow local authority instructions. 3. For students, please also contact your program management team to make them aware and discuss academic support for you. To monitor the developments around coronavirus, a university-wide working group of senior decision-makers has been formed and is in daily communications. We will be sure to promptly inform you through our institutional channels as the situation evolves.”

12:09 28th Feb – Fifth Official IE University Announcement  with Q&A

“Q&A Coronavirus

How many cases of coronavirus have been confirmed?

We have one confirmed case of a student in Segovia until today, Friday, February 28th at 11:30am.

Will classes continue as normal?

The health authorities have recommended that we continue as usual with our teaching activities. However, IE is ready to activate a teaching continuity plan in order to guarantee the normal services through online channels. We will keep you closely informed through the regular communication channels.

Do I need to wear a mask?

The health authorities have indicated that only those affected need to wear masks.

Can I travel?

The WHO has so far not limited travel, but has recommended not traveling to affected countries unless this is absolutely essential.

The Spanish Ministry of Health has recommended restricting travel to China, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Singapore and northern Italy – the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto. IE University extends this recommendation to our community members.

I’ve travelled to countries at risk in the last few weeks. I feel fine. What should I do?

According to the health authorities’ recommendations, people with no symptoms can continue life as normal. That being said, our recommendation would be that you stay at home and communicate your decision to your professor and program management team.

What can you do in the case of display of symptoms?

If you have symptoms of acute respiratory infection such as fever, tiredness, and dry cough

AND

You have travelled to affected countries in the 14 days before you developed the symptoms

OR

You have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed as a possible case of 2019-nCoV

We recommend to proceed as follows:

1. If you are in Spain, call 112, to inform of your recent trip and symptoms.

2. If you are abroad, follow local authority instructions.

3. For students, please also contact your program management team to make them aware and discuss academic support for you.

Will the examination and class schedules continue as normal?

Following the health authorities’ recommendations, IE University will continue its academic activity as normal. If you have any academic questions, please contact the relevant department overseeing your program.

In any case, IE is a leading institution in online learning and we have prepared a plan that could be implemented immediately if needed. We will keep you closely informed.

Given the circumstances, I prefer to stay at home. What consequences might this have regarding my program?

The campus will remain open.

Students are allowed a margin of absences, although current circumstances will be taken into account. Professors and the program management teams have been requested to be flexible and mindful of the situation.

What actions have the university taken to address the situation?

IE has created a special task force to address the situation.

This task force is coordinating the collection of information, analysis of scenarios, decision-making, implementation of measures and internal and external communication. This task force is also completely aligned and following instructions provided by the competent authorities.

So far, IE has taken the following measures:

Maintaining a permanent communication with the national and regional health authorities
Placing hygiene information, as well as habilitating antibacterial hand sanitizers in all our campus premises.
Providing our students with health and psychological support through our counseling services, our infirmary & medical call center (number to be provided soon).
Providing periodic updates to our community through online communications and face to face sessions to staff and class reps.
Preparing a learning continuity plan through online channels.
Reduce trips to affected areas and working closely with our community to discourage personal trips to those areas.
Habilitated a special team to answer questions from students and parents.

Last version, Friday, February 28, 11:30am. ”

 

14:20 28th Feb – Student delegates and Club Leaders received the following e-mail:

“I hope my email reaches you well.

I would like to inform you that a meeting with IE’s administration for student leaders and delegates has just been summoned in Madrid and Segovia campus, in order to provide the community with more information about the situation at the university regarding the coronavirus. We think that it’s important for the Stork team to attend these meetings as well. I hope you can share this with your team members both in Madrid and Segovia.

Meeting times are as follows:

Madrid, TODAY 3:30 pm, V-603 (Velazquez 130). Santiago Íñiguez, Executive President of IE University.

Segovia, TODAY 3:30 pm, Refectory. Miguel Larañaga, Vice Rector of IE University and Gonzalo Garland, Vice President of IE.

Please let me know who is going to be attending the meetings in each campus.

Best regards,

“

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