What you should know

Key Facts About the Virus

Some key facts regarding this virus include:

• It is a new virus (COVID-19).
• Incubation period is 2-14 days.
• It can spread primarily through close contact with people who have the virus or by touching a surface/object (e.g., contaminated doorknobs, keys, phones, computers, armchairs, towels, tissues) and then touching your face.
• Symptoms include fever, dry cough, runny nose, muscle aches, tiredness, shortness of breath, diarrhea.
• Most patients will recover from the virus. However, some patients who suffer from other health issues (immunosuppression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, etc.) are considered at higher risk.

For more information and updates on the disease refer to:
Ministry of Public Health
WHO website

LAU Residence Hall Procedure

September 9, 2021

Policy

Ensure the safety of the residents and personnel by preventing the spread of respiratory diseases including COVID-19 within the facility. 

Objective

The objective is to provide guidance on infection prevention and control practices to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. 

Logistical Tips

• Remove water coolers from common areas
• Post visual recommendations
• Place hand sanitizers at the entrance and in public areas
• Turn off central air conditioningIncrease ventilation by opening windows 

General Tips

• Perform frequent environmental cleaning especially high-touch surfaces in common areas (every 2 hours)
• Clean the phones at the front desks frequently
• Encourage hand sanitization on entry and exit
• Prohibit the sharing of household items, laptops, clothes, etc.
• Do not allow visitors on the premises
• Prohibit group gatherings in common areas
• Keep track of student logs in/out on daily basis to monitor the level of exposure
• Send students instructions and advise them to actively self-monitor for fever or any symptoms of illness and to report them if applicable
• Put a schedule for laundry washing and clean the room laundry thoroughly after each use 
• Provide remote counseling services

Laundry

If you want to wash your clothes, take your alcohol-based hand rub, detergent spray, and laundry soap with you. Apply the following steps:

• Put your linen and clothes for washing in an impermeable bag
• Do not shake dirty laundry to prevent viruses from dispersing in the air
• Wash your hands
• Spray the laundry bag with a detergent solution
• Put your clothes in the washing machine, and operate it
• Wash your hands
• Wipe the washing machine and all the surfaces you have touched with the detergent that you brought from your room
• Take the used bag with you to your room
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Wipe the doorknob to your room with detergent before entering
• Dispose of the laundry bag in your garbage bin
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water

* Wash your hands before and after ironing

Food & Catering

• Avoid sharing food
• Avoid sharing household items (cups, towels, eating utensils, etc.)
• Limit ordering food
• Remove the outer package
• Throw it immediately into a closed bin
• Wash your hands
• Clean the food container
• Clean the table before and after you eat
• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after eating

Feeling Unwell: Suspected Case of COVID-19 

Call the dorm’s supervisor who will:

• Perform a screening assessment questionnaire 
• Ask the student to remain isolated
• Provide him/her with a mask
• Inform the Health Services office 
• If advised the Ministry of Public Health will be contacted on 1214 or 01/594459
• Transportation to a designated medical facility will be arranged

*Clean and disinfect the room thoroughly according to the terminal cleaning protocol

While waiting for the laboratory test results for COVID-19, other students should be quarantined in their rooms, usually for 24 hours

• If the test is negative, students should abide by the medical advice
• If the test is positive
  • Conduct a risk assessment to identify the group contact
  • Consult the infectious diseases team at LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital 
  • People identified to have been in contact are advised to be quarantined
  • Apply the self-quarantine guidelines for 14 days
  • Screen for fever and any respiratory symptoms daily
  • If anyone develops symptoms, the same procedure will be applied as above

Self-Quarantine Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Quarantine is defined as the separation and restriction of the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. 

In the case of COVID-19, the requirement for home quarantine is 14 days. 

If you were in a medical facility and you were asked to quarantine

• Keep on the surgical mask and head directly to your car
• Drive without passengers if possible
• Clean your car before others use it
• Wash your hands
• Remove your facemask in the room in which you will be isolated
• Discard the mask in a closed garbage bin
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water 

General tips

• Remain in a well-ventilated room with a window that you can open frequently
• Do not turn on central air conditioning 
• Always keep the door closed 
• Do not admit visitors
• Do not leave your room to sit with your family/visitor
• Wash your hands often
• Clean frequently with a regular detergent all high-touch surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, remotes, light switches, smart devices, handles, toilets, faucets, sink, etc.
• Check yourself for any symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, etc.
• If you feel unwell, call your doctor for further instructions 

Food Service

• Use disposable utensils 
• Avoid sharing household items (cups, towels, eating utensils, etc.) 

Your food should be brought to your doorstep. Please follow these steps:

• Remove the outer package
• Throw it immediately into a closed bin
• Wash your hands 
• Clean the food container 
• Clean the table before and after you eat 
• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after eating

Garbage Disposal

Put all used utensils including tissues and masks in an impermeable rubbish bag in your room.

If you want to put the bag in the waste area by yourself, take your alcohol-based hand rub and detergent spray with you. Abide by the following:

• Wash your hands and put on a facemask  
• Tie the bag
• Wash your hands
• Spray the bag with home detergent
• Take the bag to your front door and dispose of it in a closed bin 
• Wash your hands with the alcohol-based hand rub you got from your room
• Spray the handle of the bin with the detergent you got from your room
• Spray the front door handle and anything else you touched
• Go back to your room 
• Spray the doorknob to your room 
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub 
• Take off the facemask and discard it in a bin
• Wash your hands again

If someone is to collect the garbage from your room, follow these steps:

• Wash your hands and wear a facemask  
• Tie your garbage bag tightly
• Wash your hands
• Spray the bag with the disinfectant solution
• Place the bag in another bigger bag delivered at the door to your room without touching the bigger bag
• Spray the doorknob to your room 
• Wash your hands with soap and water
• Remove your facemask and discard it in a bin
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub  

Bathroom

• Use a separate bathroom
• If you cannot have your own bathroom
  • Wash your hands and wear a facemask before going to the bathroom
  • Clean anything you have touched with a detergent from your room
  • Wash your hands before going back to the room with an antiseptic solution or with soap and water, then spray the water tabs with a detergent
  • Return directly to your room 
  • Clean the doorknob to your room before entering
  • Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub
  • Take off the facemask and discard it in a bin 
  • Clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub
  • Don’t share towels with others
  • Keep your towels in your room; take them with you if needed

Laundry

If you want to wash your clothes, take your alcohol-based hand rub, detergent spray and laundry soap with you. Follow these steps:

• Put your linen and clothes for washing in an impermeable bag
• Do not shake dirty laundry to prevent viruses from dispersing in the air
• Wash your hands and put on a facemask 
• Spray the laundry bag with a home detergent solution 
• Put your clothes in the washing machine, and operate it 
• Wash your hands
• Wipe the washing machine and all the surfaces you have touched with the detergent that you brought from your room
• Take the used bag with you to your room 
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub
• Wipe the doorknob to your room before entering
• Dispose of the laundry bag in your garbage bin
• Wash your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
• Remove your mask, discard it in the garbage bin 
• Wash your hands again 

Someone should remove your clean laundry, iron it, and place it in a bag at the door of your room.

If someone is to collect your laundry, follow these steps:

• Put your linen and clothes for washing in an impermeable bag
• Do not shake dirty laundry to prevent viruses from dispersing in the air
• Wash your hands and wear a facemask  
• Spray the bag with the disinfectant solution
• Place the bag in another bigger bag provided at the door to your room without touching the bigger bag
• Spray the doorknob to your room
• Wash your hands 
• Remove your facemask 
• Wash your hands again with alcohol-based hand rub 

Travel Guidelines

LAU’s Vaccination Committee has reviewed its travel guidelines on September 20, 2021, following the changes introduced by the National Committee on COVID-19. 

In line with LAU’s Vaccination Committee approach to maintain a careful stance and increase LAU’s safety levels, members of LAU’s community returning from travel should follow the below guidelines:

• For those unvaccinated, the quarantine period continues to be two weeks, with a PCR required at the end of the period. 
• For those vaccinated, no quarantine is required however the person returning from travel should submit two negative PCRs:

o   the first taken on arrival (for most, this is the one taken at the Beirut airport), and,

o   the second to be taken 5 days after the return date. 

This reduces the chances of isolated outbreaks and enables a more effective and targeted contact tracing.

• Those sharing offices, those who had only one dose of the vaccine, and all other special cases should consult with the Health Services Office for the return-to-campus procedure.
• Those returning from travel, and who have been exposed to Covid-19 cases, should not come to campus until cleared by the Health Services Office. 
• All those traveling should be aware of exposure risks during travel and follow maximum precautions upon their return. This includes always wearing masks, frequently washing hands, avoiding in-person meetings until the results of the PCR tests are out and are negative, and avoiding sharing food or eating in the presence of others.
• All persons with upper respiratory illness symptoms (fever, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headaches, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, or shortness of breath) should not come to campus until cleared by the Health Services Office.

Please note that the costs of PCR tests that are requested by or coordinated through the Health Services Offices are covered by LAU. 

As usual, LAU continues to operate based on an honor system whereby Faculty, Students and Staff are called upon to volunteer the information and to coordinate with the Health Services Office for the related modalities.
 

Use a Mask

When to wear a mask (Even if you are vaccinated)

1. If you are quarantined showing symptoms or not, or if you were tested positive for COVID-19, put on a facemask whenever you step out of your room.
2. If you are taking care of a person with suspected COVID-19 infection.
3. At workplaces
   • If you feel ill at work, coughing or sneezing
   • If you are in close contact with outsiders except if behind a solid separation
   • If you are a gatekeeper and you had to step out of your secured area
   • If you are handling packages, throughout all handling times
   • If you are handling money (Business Office Cashier)
   • If you are a nurse working at a clinic
4. ​In the presence of others.
    

How to wear and remove a mask

Wear the mask properly

• Perform hand hygiene
• Locate the metal strip at the top of the mask
• Place the metal strip over the bridge of your nose 
• Secure the elastics around your ears or tie the strings behind your head. Make sure to tie the lower part properly around your neck
• Extend the mask to fully cover your nose, mouth, and chin
• While in use, do not touch the front of your mask.

Remove the mask

• Take the elastics from around your ears or untie the strings behind your head
• Unfasten the ties at the back of the neck first; then unfasten the ties at the crown of head
• Avoid touching the outside of the mask as it may be covered with germs
• Remove the mask and discard it in a closed bin
• Wash your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water 

Tips

• Hand hygiene should be done if you accidentally touch the front of your mask while wearing it
• If your mask becomes wet, replace it with a new dry mask
• Never reuse masks and discard them immediately in a closed bin after each use

Reference WHO