S-ke:g tas students, faculty, and staff:

The COVID-19 Committee at TOCC is continuing to share information about the pandemic.  Unfortunately, the State of Arizona is currently experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases. As of July 10, 2020, the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) was reporting 116,892 cases in the state, with 11,172 cases in Pima County.  Arizona is now one of the states reporting the highest rise in cases of COVID-19 in the country.

As the State and counties continue to see a rise in cases, the Tohono O’odham Nation is also experiencing a rise. ALL community members are urged to take the following precautions:

• Limit your physical contact to ONLY your immediate household members.
• AVOID group activities. Groups and gatherings of any size increase your risk to be infected.
• ALWAYS – Keep at least six feet of distance from others when out in public
• ALWAYS – Stay home when you are sick
• ALWAYS – Stay home as much as possible when a household member has tested positive for COVID-19. Ask others to run your errands or get needed  food or supplies.

• FREQUENTLY – Wash hands with soap and water, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if  unable to wash hands

• ALWAYS – Wear a mask or cloth face covering in all public spaces where  physical distancing is not possible

Please monitor your health daily before going out.  If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below and/or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, STAY HOME and contact your physician for guidance and possible testing.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include:

• Fever or chills • Cough             • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue • Headache • Muscle/body aches              
• Sore throat • New loss of taste/smell • Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea

If you are showing/ experiencing any of the following signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

*This list does not name all possible symptoms. Please call your physician for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

If you are going in to seek medical attention because of suspected COVID-19, call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

If you have minor respiratory illness symptoms, you should do the same thing we should always do when we are sick:

•    Be prepared for a period of self-isolation for quarantine lasting 2 weeks, with your favorite foods and any medicines you might need in hand.

• Stay home from work or school
• Get plenty of rest
• Stay hydrated with clear liquids
• Limit contact with other members of your household
• Keep your home clean using approved cleaning products
• Contact your doctor immediately if your symptoms get worse

Otherwise, stay informed, practice good health hygiene, including thoroughly washing your hands. Get plenty of rest and pay attention to your health.

The Pima County Health Department and the Arizona Department of Health Services are good sources of information. For general information about COVID-19, including news, testing, prevention, and cleaning guidelines, call 2-1-1 from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm daily.  A COVID-19 hotline has been set up to answer any questions from the public about symptoms. Call (520) 626-6016 (Tucson) or 1-844-542-8201 (statewide).

TOCC employees should still be working remotely and only be on campus/site as approved by their supervisor.  For those employees on campus, the Operations Department distributes face coverings (as needed) and individual sanitizer bottles.   Operations has ordered handwashing stations for each of the campuses/sites.    If you notice that any communal sanitizer dispensers are low or need face coverings, please contact Jay Juan in Operations at ext. 1004. 

All employees were emailed the entry protocols and self-reporting procedures, which we have attached for your information.  If you have any questions about these protocols/ procedures or general questions about COVID-19, please contact any of the following staff members:

Avis Becenti

Alberta Espinoza

Grace Francisco 

Jay Juan  

Stacy Owsley 

Daniel Sestiaga

Gabriel Valencia

Ofelia Zepeda

Tim Foster

Linda Chappel

Thank you,

Stacy Owsley

HR Director