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.
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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.