As the University, in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Nodaway County Health Department and other public health agencies, actively monitors the COVID-19 pandemic, this webpage provides broad information and answers to frequently asked questions related to Northwest's operations and pandemic response.
Updates and information are provided as they become available. Additional information specific to an academic or service area at Northwest may be obtained by using contact information provided in University directories.
For other information specifically related to COVID-19 and its impacts on your health, visit the CDC's FAQ page.
In collaboration with the Nodaway County Health Department, Northwest is monitoring 10 active cases involving a University student or employee; 935 students or employees have tested positive since April 2, 2020.
According to the Nodaway County Health Department, there are 37 active cases of COVID-19 in the county, and two individuals are currently hospitalized.
3,235 individuals have tested positive in Nodaway County since April 2, 2020, and 3,165 of those individuals are no longer in isolation; 208 individuals in Nodaway County have been hospitalized, and 33 have died.
For updates related to how Blue Cross Blue Shield is supporting its members, visit https://www.bluekc.com/consumer/covid/index.html.
Employees who show signs of illness can be asked to leave the workplace and stay at home until they are free of symptoms. Employees should use accrued leave when they are away from work for an illness.
FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines help protect against Delta and other known variants while reducing the risk of COVID-19 and its potentially severe complications, including death.
All COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States have proven effective in clinical trials in helping protect people against COVID-19, including severe illness. Studies have shown how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions.
For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/effectiveness/work.html.
For answers to other frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html.
At this time, Northwest is not requiring its students and employees to have the COVID-19 vaccination, however, the University strongly encourages the vaccination to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
In general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their second dose of a two-dose series, such as the FDA-approved Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. Individuals who do not meet these requirements, regardless of age, are not fully vaccinated and must continue taking precautions.
For information about the vaccine and answers to frequently asked questions provided by Mosaic Life Care, visit https://www.mymlc.com/General/coronavirus-covid-19.
Attendance policies are determined by individual faculty, and students are expected to attend courses as scheduled.
Students reported in Northwest 360 as being symptomatic of COVID-19 or who have been exposed and are not vaccinated will receive an excused absence and will need to work with their instructor for any course support during their isolation or quarantine.
All other absences due to illness or personal reasons are handled by individual faculty members as they were prior to the pandemic.
In alignment with Northwest mitigation measures, all Campus Dining employees must wear a face covering.
Campus Dining sanitizes high-touch zones in Bearcat Commons, including beverage and soft serve machines and self-service utensils, along with elevated cleaning of the dining area after lunch and dinner services
Plexiglass shields and hand sanitizer stations remain in place in Campus Dining areas.
If you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, you have an obligation to stay away from others. As with any issue related to your classes, it is important that you communicate with instructors when you are not feeling well and not attend class or enter any University facility unless specifically instructed to do so by a University official. Instructors will work to support students in COVID-19 quarantine or isolation on a case-by-case basis or as otherwise communicated by faculty.
Call Wellness Services for screening and further guidance. Wellness Services will 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 Wellness Services.
Northwest has placed disposable masks in buildings and campus vending machines for individuals who may not have a face covering upon entering.
Northwest requires all unvaccinated individuals to wear face coverings in the presence of others on campus and in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., hallways, common work spaces, meeting rooms, classrooms, etc.). Vaccinations and the use of face coverings are critical to minimize the spread of COVID-19 to others.
Individuals may choose their own face covering, which should be, at a minimum, made of thick or multi-layered cloth material.
Northwest requires all students, employees and visitors to wear face coverings indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings may be removed only in indoor areas where 6 feet of social distance can be maintained, where a physical barrier is in place and in Campus Dining areas.
Face coverings are required at all times – regardless of distance, physical barriers or vaccination status – in all classrooms and labs; the Wellness Center; Horace Mann Laboratory School and Phyllis and Richard Leet Center for Children and Families, including its new infant and toddler care area; and Safe Ride vehicles, which are designated as public transportation.
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.
Guests are allowed in residence halls and must follow campus mitigation measures, which include wearing a face covering indoors when 6 feet of distance from others cannot be maintained.
In addition to campus mitigation measures:
Northwest faculty and staff will assist students with reasonable flexibility. Students are encouraged to discuss concerns with their instructors or staff supervisors.
Students are asked to maintain a social distance of 3 feet where possible. Face coverings are required in all classrooms and labs.
Northwest will not add costs to students for mitigation measures, except where personal protective gear may be required.
Due to the volatility of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates in the region, Northwest has temporarily reinstated its face-covering requirement for all students, employees and visitors indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings may be removed only in indoor areas where 6 feet of social distance can be maintained, where a physical barrier is in place and in Campus Dining areas.
Face coverings are required at all times – regardless of distance, physical barriers or vaccination status – in all classrooms and labs; the Wellness Center; Horace Mann Laboratory School and Phyllis and Richard Leet Center for Children and Families, including its new infant and toddler care area; and Safe Ride vehicles, which are designated as public transportation.
In general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their second dose of a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
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.
For additional CDC quarantine guidelines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html.
Dieterich Hall is used as isolation and quarantine housing for students who, as determined by a health provider, are exhibiting coronavirus symptoms and cannot return home. Residential Life will make arrangements with those students for food delivery and other accommodations while they need to isolate or quarantine.
Disposable to-go containers are provided upon request to all guests. First-year freshmen and transfer students are provided with a free reusable to-go container, which also is available to purchase for $7 at Bearcat Commons registers.
To reduce the risk of cross-contamination, employees plate the student’s chosen food items, hand the plate to the student, and the student is responsible for placing the food into the to-go box.
Additionally, mobile ordering is available at Zen, Starbucks and Bearcat Commons to provide a "no entry" option to customers. To use mobile ordering, download the Transact Mobile Ordering app from the Apple Store or Google Play. Then, select the Northwest campus, register your device and place your order.
Campus Dining does not deliver. However, to-go containers and a mobile ordering option are available for students.
Mobile ordering is available at Zen, Starbucks and Bearcat Commons to provide a "no entry" option to customers. To use mobile ordering, download the Transact Mobile Ordering app from the Apple Store or Google Play. Then, select the Northwest campus, register your device and place your order.
The University is adjusting the grade-point average (GPA) requirement for renewal of the admission-based merit scholarships (https://www.nwmissouri.edu/finaid/renewal/) by 0.5 GPA points. For example, as a one-time adjustment for fall 2021, a scholarship that normally requires a 3.5 cumulative Northwest GPA will require a 3.0 cumulative Northwest GPA for renewal entering the 2021-22 academic year. The University has also committed to expanding eligibility for the American Dream Grant and has committed to allocating additional funds for need-based financial assistance.
Additionally, the University has announced prize drawings for eligible students who are fully vaccinated. A prize drawing on Aug. 1 will award $5,000 in scholarship funding to one student, and drawings on Aug. 18 and Sept. 13 will award $2,500 in scholarship funding to four students. To be entered into the drawing, students must submit a copy of their COVID-19 vaccine record by emailing Wellness Services at health@nwmissouri.edu, faxing a copy to 660.562.1585 or providing a copy at the Wellness Center on campus. All students enrolled in at least one in-person fall semester class are eligible after submitting their COVID-19 vaccine record.
Review the budget and expenditure reports required per HEERF CARES Act Section 18004(a)(1) Institutional funds portion by clicking the links below.
This information is intended to provide needed communication for students and families while meeting federal reporting requirements for the receipt and use of these funds.
Northwest identified all HEERF-eligible students in May 2020 and offered payments to all 3,855 eligible students on May 8, 2020. The University provided each student with the opportunity to self-certify eligibility, and students were instructed to opt out if they did not or would not meet the conditions of the payment. After accounting for opt outs, the University provided $2,354,700 to 3,850 students through this initial effort. Additional emergency grant payments are being provided on an as-needed, case-by-case basis to qualifying students who request assistance from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Assistance.
As of Dec. 31, 2020, additional emergency grant funding of $22,300 had been provided to 81 students. In some cases, a student could have been eligible for an initial emergency grant payment in May 2020 and also receive an additional emergency grant payment prior to Dec. 31, 2020.
In January 2021, a remaining HEERF I amount of $17,095 was combined with available HEERF II funds, based on Federal guidance received and awarded to students.
In March 2021, Northwest identified all HEERF II-eligible students and offered payments to all 4,515 eligible students. Payments totaling $2,422,255 were processed for 4,513 students.
This information is intended to provide needed communication for students and families while meeting federal reporting requirements for the receipt and use of these funds.
Northwest initially used estimated living expense costs calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and published by the College Board to determine a reasonable amount of additional living expenses a student would incur from the campus disruption due to COVID-19.
In our effort to prioritize students with the greatest need, we determined a higher payment amount for our Pell Grant-eligible students was appropriate. All HEERF-eligible students were offered an initial emergency grant payment of $450 or $875.
An additional total of $6,800 was paid to 10 students during the summer 2020 term, with award amounts ranging from $450 to $1,500.
During the fall 2020 term, quarantined or isolated federal work employees and institutional student employees were encouraged to request additional HEERF I emergency grant funds, if needed. This effort resulted in 71 students receiving emergency grant payments, totaling $15,500, with award amounts ranging from $100 to $450.
During January 2021, a remaining HEERF I amount of $17,095 was combined with available HEERF II funds, based on federal guidance, and awarded to students.
During March 2021, payments of $200, $450, or $1,000 were offered to students, with higher emergency grant s payments being processed for those with greater financial need.
In total, students have received $4,818,650 in HEERF I and HEERF II emergency grant payments.
This information is intended to provide needed communication for students and families while meeting federal reporting requirements for the receipt and use of these funds.
As part of the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, HEERF provides funding for emergency grants to students whose lives have been disrupted and are facing financial challenges to meet their most basic needs. Additional HEERF funds were authorized through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP); these additional funds are referred to as HEERF II and HEERF III funds, respectively.
Northwest signed and returned the required HEERF certification and agreement on April 28, 2020. The University used the required $2,396,395 of HEERF I funds and $2,396,395 of HEERF II funds to provide emergency financial aid grants to students. In addition, the University used $25,860 of institutional HEERF II funds to provide additional emergency grant payments to students.
This information is intended to provide needed communication for students and families while meeting federal reporting requirements for the receipt and use of these funds.
In general, employers can ask an employee how he or she is feeling but should not inquire about a specific illness as that could rise to the level of a disability-related inquiry under the ADA.
Faculty members who must isolate after testing positive for COVID-19 or need to quarantine due to being a contact of a positive case should work with their department chair or school director to move courses to remote status temporarily.
If an employer learns of an employee’s medical condition, such as a diagnosis of the coronavirus, the employer may not share this information. Under the confidentiality provisions of ADA, FMLA, and WC, only those who “need to know” may know about the diagnosis. It may be difficult to demonstrate that, for example, a line manager “needed to know” the employee’s specific diagnosis. Instead, the line manager likely only needs to know the employee will be on a leave of absence and not able to work.
Therefore, employers should keep an employee’s medical condition and diagnosis confidential and private unless there are true health and safety circumstances deemed by the Department of Health. It is always the employee’s right to release and share their own medical condition information.
Employers may educate employees on how they can best protect themselves and what steps employees should take if they were exposed or experience symptoms. The local health department will conduct a trace and contact employees who may have been exposed and need to be quarantined.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
While Northwest does have limited testing capability for students, the University is following the guidance of the CDC, the American College Health Association, and the World Health Organization, which do not recommend testing for asymptomatic individuals.
Northwest has adopted a “box-in” strategy, which focuses on testing symptomatic individuals and others who are identified as contacts of those individuals.
Students may choose to obtain a test in their home communities. Northwest employees who desire a test, should contact Mosaic Medical Center by calling its COVID-19 nurse call line at 660.562.5357.
Close contact is considered to be an 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.
For additional CDC quarantine guidelines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html.
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.
Data tracking the number of people vaccinated in Missouri and by county is available at https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/data/.
In alignment with federal and state guidelines and processes, Northwest is approving and tracking purchases related to COVID-19 mitigation measures.
The University has provided a PowerPoint with instructions and a financial tracking form for employees to use. To access these tools, log in to MyNorthwest, click the Employee Resources tab and then look for the expense tracking links within the Tools module.
Students and employees may call Wellness Services at 660.562.1348 to schedule an appointment for a vaccine.
Individuals also may call the Nodaway County Health Department at 660.562.2755 or Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville at 660.562.2525 to schedule an appointment.
Local pharmacies have the vaccine available and recommend calling to schedule an appointment.
To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/
For additional information about the vaccine and answers to frequently asked questions provided by Mosaic Life Care, visit https://www.mymlc.com/General/coronavirus-covid-19.
Individuals who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should immediately isolate from others. To learn about COVID-19 symptoms, read Symptoms of Coronavirus.
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. Experts do not yet know how long individuals are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible — although rare — to become infected again with COVID-19. Studies have shown the vaccination provides a strong boost in protection for people who have recovered from COVID-19. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.
If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
If you have a history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-A or MIS-C), consider delaying vaccination until you or your child have recovered from being sick and for 90 days after the date of diagnosis of MIS-A or MIS-C. Learn more about the clinical considerations people with a history of multisystem MIS-C or MIS-A.
For answers to other frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html.
Northwest has lifted its restrictions on University-funded and other travel related to employment and student organizations.
According to the CDC, all air passengers coming from international destinations to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than three days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 within the previous three months before they board a flight to the United States. After traveling internationally, individuals should:
Refer to additional CDC guidelines related to travel by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.
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 to a blended, alternating attendance or online format 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.
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 portable stations for large gatherings.
Individuals who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months do not need to get tested or self-quarantine.
For additional CDC information related to travel, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/after-travel-precautions.html.
People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.
A close contact is an individual who:
For additional CDC quarantine guidelines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html.
Northwest has adopted the use of a sanitizing product, “Bearcat Thunder,” that is available to classrooms, offices and others throughout the campus. Bearcat Thunder is an alcohol-based product that is sprayed onto surfaces as a mist and allowed to air dry for about 3 minutes.
As a note to employees and students, bleach is not an approved cleaning or sanitizing chemical for use on campus due to risks of chemical reaction.
For more information about “Bearcat Thunder,” including an instructional video, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/services/facility/custodial/bearcatthunder.htm.
Students may call Wellness Services at 660.562.1348 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to request a test.
Employees and students may call Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville at 660.562.2525 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or between 8 a.m. and 12 Saturday to request a test.
The following links provide information about testing sites in the four-state region. If you reside outside the four-state region, check with your local or state health departments for testing information.
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.
