Campus Communicable Disease Surveillance Policy, Jan. 3, 2019
The University of Maine follows state and national mandates regarding infectious diseases, notifiable communicable health conditions and community outbreaks as directed by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (MeCDC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition, UMaine has a standard operating procedure for outbreaks of communicable illness prevalent in college campus populations.
An outbreak is generally defined as when a disease occurs in greater numbers than expected in a community or region, or during a season. An outbreak may occur in one community, or extend to several regions or countries. Sometimes, one or two cases of a contagious disease is considered an outbreak, depending on the illness and its ability to spread.
In the event of an illness outbreak, UMaine will issue community health advisories, including prevention information and efforts, and relevant fact sheets, and will identify a UMaine contact person for more information.
UMaine community advisories related to health and safety are a component of the university’s emergency communications system. Advisory formats include email, social media and the UMaine website in a timely manner, providing emergent information and links to resources. Updates will be made as they become available, and through the guidance of state and federal authorities, when necessary.