3/12 email

To All,

I hope this finds everyone well! I have been receiving numerous emails and communications filled with excellent questions, and I am following up and doing all I can to get answers and respond accordingly. But I hope I can offer this with respect and care for all our members.

We are all in this together! We all find ourselves facing a pandemic and many of us are searching for ways to take care of ourselves and loved ones, as well as, how to help one another here at CSI. I hope everyone understands how we can help one another through a time filled with uncertainty. However we feel about the decision to suspend in-classroom teaching for the remainder of the semester, we are now faced with taking care of ourselves, our colleagues and our students in new, and hopefully, innovative ways.

At the risk of repeating the obvious, there are things each of us can do to help protect ourselves and lessen the risk of infection. Please be sure to wash your hands continuously and vigorously throughout the day. Wash them for a minimum of 20 seconds and include cleaning in between your fingers. Soap and water are your best bets but it doesn't hurt to use hand sanitizer as well. But do NOT rely on using ONLY hand sanitizers.

Avoid touching your nose, eyes or mouth with unclean hands.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue away immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

Clean and disinfect your workplace surfaces, desks and keyboards.

It is very important for your immune system to get plenty of sleep!

Lastly, in speaking with students and colleagues, it is evident many of us are anxious and stressed. As best you can, and in order to avoid "coronavirus panic", it is important to stay informed, but not to over-stress. Too much stress or anxiety is not helpful or healthy. Self-care becomes ever more important in times when we are all experiencing such uncertainty.

I am following up with the administration to be sure that the campus workplaces are properly and efficiently cleaned. We are reaching out to make sure soap is available in all our restrooms. If there are any concerns regarding the cleanliness of your workplaces, please let me know immediately.

I will follow up with any updates as they come to my attention. In the meantime, let's continue to communicate and make sure all our members and students are safe, healthy and protected.

george emilio sanchez chapter chair