Northwest’s primary goals during the COVID-19 pandemic are to protect the health and safety of its employees, students and visitors.
The University’s plans are aligned and consistent with local orders and ordinances set by the city of Maryville as well as the guidelines set by the state of Missouri and the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As our knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve, Northwest’s policies and plans will be updated as appropriate.
To focus on health and safety, Northwest expects all students, employees and visitors to adhere to four basic workforce mitigation measures:
Employees should work with their immediate supervisor and the Office of Human Resources to address specific needs and circumstances.
In collaboration with the Nodaway County Health Department, Northwest is monitoring eight active cases involving University students or employees; 799 students or employees have tested positive since April 2.
According to the Nodaway County Health Department, there are 52 active cases of COVID-19 in the county, and 2,501 individuals have tested positive in the county since April 2, 2020.
2,428 of all individuals testing positive in Nodaway County are no longer in isolation.
163 individuals in Nodaway County have been hospitalized; five are currently hospitalized and 21 have died.
Click here for a detailed review of COVID-19 data in Nodaway County.
Click here for a detailed review of COVID-19 data related to Northwest.
Northwest has implemented a variety of measures to encourage social distancing on the campus that include moving and limiting the access to furniture in classrooms and gathering spaces as well as the installation of Plexiglas barriers in high-traffic workspaces.
While the mitigation measures and protocols in place at Northwest are focused on protecting our campus community and preventing spread of the disease, it is our shared responsibility as individuals to participate in protecting those around us by following Northwest’s recommended measures and taking responsibility for our personal well-being. By taking individual responsibility and holding each other accountable, we not only do our part to help protect our campus and local community but contribute to a successful learning environment at Northwest.
Northwest works with the Nodaway County Health Department to identify contacts of an individual who tests positive. Whether an individual is identified as a contact depends on the amount of time spent within a 6-foot radius of the positive individual, so it’s possible an entire class will not need to be quarantined.
By definition, a close contact is considered to be any individual who had a prolonged (at least 15 minutes) close contact (within 6 feet), or had physical contact (of any duration) with an individual who tested positive; a person may be considered a close contact regardless of whether either individual was wearing face coverings. A common misconception is that you should quarantine if you have been exposed to someone who is a close contact; that is not accurate. If you are in a classroom with someone identified as a contact, but they do not have a positive test or symptoms, you do not need to quarantine.
To assist Northwest conduct accurate contact tracing, all faculty are requested to maintain seating charts for their classes.
You do not need to quarantine unless the roommate has symptoms. However, the roommate needs to quarantine, and that means they should not have contact with anyone, including all roommates.
If your roommate develops symptoms, you should quarantine. A public health official or Wellness Services will contact you to provide guidance. If you are not contacted, there is no need to take additional precautions.
Northwest custodial services is sanitizing restrooms more frequently.
Foot "pulls" and touchless faucets have been installed to help reduce contact with high-touch surfaces.
Northwest has installed additional wall-mounted hand sanitizers in building locations and provided hand-pump dispensers for office settings and portable stations for large gatherings.
Sanitizing spray, called Bearcat Thunder, also is provided in areas throughout campus to help employees and students clean touch surfaces after use.
Northwest has intensified its disinfection efforts across the campus in accordance with guidelines shared by the CDC, the American College Health Association and other state universities.
Individuals who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should immediately isolate from others. Learn about COVID-19 symptoms by clicking here.
Face coverings are required in all hallways, common spaces, meeting rooms, classrooms and all other areas indoors. Face coverings are required outdoors when at least 6 feet of distance from others is difficult to maintain.
Individuals who do not have a face covering when entering a building should obtain one at designated stations located in all campus buildings or campus vending machines.
Exceptions to Northwest face covering requirement are as follows:
The appropriate use of face coverings is critical to minimize the spread of COVID-19 to others. Wearing a face covering not only protects you; it is us collectively protecting one another.
Students who do not comply with the policy may be reported in violation of Northwest’s Student Code of Conduct and be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Employees who are non-compliant may be reported and face sanctions in accordance with Northwest’s Disciplinary Action Policy.
Isolation is the term used for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who must stay home and avoid seeing any other people. Individuals who test positive are to isolate for 10 days, beginning on the first day of symptoms or the date of the positive test result. They are not to leave their home or return to campus until they are symptom-free and the 10 days have passed.
Quarantine is the term used for individuals who are identified as a close contact to a positive case, and that person must stay home and avoid seeing any other people. These individuals have not tested positive for COVID-19 but must quarantine for 14 days, beginning with the most recent date of exposure. Quarantine can last 14 to 24 days, depending on the situation. If an individual develops symptoms during this 14-day period or tests positive, their “quarantine” time ends and their 10-day “isolation” period begins. If, during quarantine, you receive a negative COVID-19 test, the quarantine time is not reduced.
Examples:
A close contact is considered to be any individual who had a prolonged (at least 15 minutes) close contact (within 6 feet), or had physical contact (of any duration) with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. A person may be considered a close contact regardless of whether either individual was wearing face coverings.
A common misconception is that you should quarantine if you have been exposed to someone who is a close contact; that is not accurate. If you live with someone who is a contact, but they do not have a positive test or symptoms, you do not need to quarantine.
Contact tracing is the process of identifying all close contacts of a COVID-19 patient and placing close contacts into quarantine. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or who are identified as a close contact will receive instructions from a health care official about the steps they need to take to prevent further spread of the virus.
Northwest or the Nodaway County Health Department begin their case investigation upon learning an individual has tested positive for COVID-19. It is the process of interviewing the patient to determine their symptoms and symptom onset, possible locations where exposure occurred and their close contacts.
A close contact is considered to be any individual who had a prolonged (at least 15 minutes) close contact (within 6 feet), or had physical contact (of any duration) with an individual who tested positive; a person may be considered a close contact regardless of whether either individual was wearing face coverings. A common misconception is that you should quarantine if you have been exposed to someone who is a close contact; that is not accurate. If you live with someone who is a contact, but they do not have a positive test or symptoms, you do not need to quarantine.
To assist with accurate contact tracing, Northwest has requested all faculty to maintain seating charts for their classes.
You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. For all of the following scenarios, even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should stay home (quarantine) since symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.
Quarantine time: Your last day of quarantine is 14 days from the date you had close contact.
Quarantine time: Your last day of quarantine is 14 days from when the person with COVID-19 began home isolation.
Quarantine time: You will have to restart your quarantine from the last day you had close contact with anyone in your house who has COVID-19. Any time a new household member gets sick with COVID-19 and you had close contact, you will need to restart your quarantine.
Quarantine time: You should avoid contact with others outside the home while the person is sick and quarantine for 14 days after the person who has COVID-19 meets the criteria to end their home isolation.
Individuals may choose their own face covering, which should be, at a minimum, made of a thick or multi-layered cloth material.
Northwest’s face covering guidelines are aligned with those provided by the CDC. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html for additional guidance and research supporting the importance of face coverings.
With the assistance of an external team, the ventilation systems throughout campus facilities were inspected to ensure operational effectiveness. Filters have been upgraded to MERV 13, and portable air purifiers with HEPA filters and UVC lighting are being deployed in strategic locations.
A student’s ability to return to a classroom will be managed by the Nodaway County Health Department, or another health agency, in alignment with CDC guidelines.
In general, an individual must be fever-free and show an improvement of respiratory symptoms, including cough and shortness of breath. An individual may return to normal activities no less than 10 days after the first symptoms appeared.
Northwest is providing Bearcat Logo face coverings to all employees and students. These face coverings are made of cloth and are washable for reuse.
Students who have not received a Northwest face covering may pick up one face covering at The Station between noon and 5 p.m. daily. Additionally, Northwest has placed disposable masks in buildings and campus vending machines for individuals who may not have a face covering upon entering.
Face coverings are required in all hallways, common spaces, meeting rooms, classrooms and all other areas, indoors and outdoors, when at least 6 feet of distance from others is difficult to maintain.
Northwest reviews a variety of metrics and receives daily inputs from local health experts, including the cumulative total of positive cases, the current number of positive cases, the percentage of the population testing positive for COVID-19, and hospitalizations. The University will not rely on one data point to transition courses to remote delivery.
Individual course sections may temporarily move online as the result of a group of students or an instructor’s need to isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 or a need to quarantine due to being a contact of a positive case.
Click here for a detailed review of COVID-19 data in Nodaway County.
Click here for a detailed review of COVID-19 data related to Northwest.
To be considered a contact, the following criteria must be met:
Northwest has designated face covering stations in all campus buildings. Disposable face coverings may be obtained in the following areas:
Academic areas
Service and support areas
Athletics and recreation areas
Residential Life
Facility Services buildings
Northwest is not issuing building capacity occupancy limits at this time.
Individuals are expected to maintain 6 feet of social distancing to the fullest extent possible and are required to wear a face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained.
If you become aware your roommate was tested for COVID-19, one of you will need to move out of the living space until the test results return. If one of you cannot move out, avoid sharing a bedroom and bathroom.
If the test results return positive for your roommate, you will be contacted by Wellness Services and/or the public health department for contact tracing. If you are determined to be a contact, you will be given guidance from Wellness Services on what to do next.
If you are not contacted, additional precautions are not necessary.
A public health official or Wellness Services will notify individual contacts who need to quarantine. If you are not contacted, there is no need to take additional precautions.
To be considered a contact, an individual would have spent more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of another individual who tested positive. If both of you were wearing cloth masks, you would be at low risk but still considered a contact. If the person testing positive sat at the front of a classroom and you sat in the back, you would not be considered a contact.
A student testing positive for COVID-19 is responsible for notifying their instructors that they will not return to class until further notice. The student is not required to provide the reason.
Wellness Services will notify the Office of Student Affairs that you are not to attend classes until further notice and will not provide a reason. This is part of Northwest’s normal procedure when students have an infectious disease, are hospitalized, or for other reasons.
If you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, you have an obligation to stay away from others. It is important that you communicate with your instructors that you are not feeling well.
Call Wellness Services for screening and further guidance. Wellness Services may communicate to your instructors if you need to be excused from classes. Faculty will offer alternative learning opportunities if you have an approved absence from the Office of Student Affairs and Wellness Services.
The links below are affiliated with state and federal health agencies and provide real-time updates, guidelines and other resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.
