COVID-19 Information

Keeping our campus community healthy

We must work together to keep ourselves and our campus community healthy. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to protect your physical health and mitigate the spread of the virus to others. Thank you to everyone who has taken this important step.

Health Monitoring

To limit the spread of COVID-19, individuals should monitor their health every day before coming to campus and stay home if not feeling well. According to the CDC, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms:

• STAY HOME.
• Limit contact with others.
• Contact Thielen Student Health Center or your personal healthcare provider.
• Notify your instructor or supervisor.

If you test positive for COVID-19:

• STAY HOME except to seek medical care.
• Follow guidance from your health care provider.
• Consult this flowchart for additional guidance.

Face Coverings

Personal choice: Faculty, staff, students, and visitors to campus may choose to wear or not wear a face mask anywhere they deem appropriate.

CDC Community Levels for Masking

The CDC has developed new COVID-19 Community Levels to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. The three levels – low, medium and high – are based on the number of hospital beds being used, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. These data act as an early warning indicator of potential increases in health system strain in the event of a COVID-19 surge.

This link to the COVID-19 Community Levels allows you to check county level (Ames – Story County) and provides recommendations for masking and testing based on current level. For those in a low community level, wear a mask based on your personal preference and informed by your personal level of risk, the CDC states. People may choose to mask at any time. People should wear a mask if they have symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19. Be respectful of others’ choices and do not pressure anyone to wear, or not wear, a mask.

Public Health Monitoring

All positive COVID-19 test results are reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health and that data is included in the state’s COVID-19 in Iowa website. The state website is the most complete source for information as it includes test results from students, faculty and staff who use the IDPH at-home test kits or test through their medical provider.