If a pandemic, such as the A(N1H1) virus, also known as the swine flu, was to hit Cerritos College, the campus is prepared to handle it.

“There plans in place so if something was to happen on campus, we can make decisions very quickly,” Acting President Bill Farmer said. “It is part of the school’s disaster preparedness plan that has been set up for a few years now.”

There are many steps the college will go through if an outbreak is to occur.

“The college would clean the rooms that are infected in accordance with the county health department standards,” Nancy Montgomery, coordinator of the Student Health Services, said.

In fact, the school has already begun cleaning classrooms as a precautionary tactic.

“We are cleaning the surface areas of the high traffic classrooms and classrooms that a high number of students in them,” Montgomery said. “If nothing else, we will have a cleaner campus because of this.”

However, if there was a student that became infected with the swine flu, there is little chance that by being in the same classroom as said student would lead to another student becoming infected.

“The swine flu virus can only survive for two hours on surfaces,” Montgomery said. “The only real way to get it is by direct contact with someone that is infected.”

There is one more advantage Cerritos College has if there was an outbreak of swine flu.

“On this campus we have medical providers,” Montgomery said. “A lot of other schools only have first aid.”

There have been a few campus closures in Southern California, again the campus hierarchy is prepared to make quick decisions.

“It would depend on when the closure would happen it what we do but,” Farmer said. “Our first priority is to ensure the safety of the students and our second to make sure student education continues.”

The decision for a campus wide closure would come from the County Health Department.

So far there have not been any confirmed cases of swine flu on campus.

“There has not been case in the immediate area of Cerritos College,” Montgomery said. “There hasn’t even been anyone in contact with someone that has swine flu.”

There are few ways students can protect themselves from getting swine flu.

“Students should wash their hands before eating or putting or hands anywhere near their mouths, eyes or nose,” Montgomery said.

The biggest thing to remember, she said, is that students don’t panic.