Monday afternoon, Fairfield University students, faculty and staff received an e-mail informing them that, “Fairfield University has been notified by the Connecticut Department of Public Health of a potential exposure to Tuberculosis by some members of the community.”
The Director of the Student Health Center, Judy Weindling, told The Mirror, “The Connecticut Department of Public Health notified us on the 13 of April that someone associated with the university had tested positive. We have been notified of one case.” The Health Center went over the procedure after being informed by the CDPH.
“The health center at any university has in place plans for a communicable disease on campus. [They] work in conjunction with the health department to make sure that the disease is not spread. Based on the history we received there was no longer any exposure risk on campus.” Weindling continued, “The person who had been reported has been treated and is no longer contagious.”
This means that the Health Center will now “be identifying people who might have come in contact with the [sick] person to see if they have any signs by means of a PPD,” said Weindling. “We sent letters out to students, faculty and staff who were tested. If they tested positive that does not mean they have [the disease] just developed active antibodies and they would be referred to a Tuberculosis center or an infectious disease doctor to determine the best course of action.”
Weindling wants students, faculty and staff to know that “the exposure would have happened probably prior to spring break…There has been no exposure after spring break therefore nobody has to panic that they are in contact right now.”
Students should still contact the Health Center immediately if there is any suspicion that they are feeling the symptoms of Tuberculosis.
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