In alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Nodaway County Health Department and other public health agencies, this webpage provides the Northwest community with broad information and answers to frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For other information specifically related to COVID-19 and its impacts on your health, visit the CDC's FAQ page.
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.
In alignment with current CDC and State recommendations, Northwest is not currently conducting case investigation or contact tracing for known positive cases. However, students at Northwest who test positive may still receive a call from the Nodaway County Health Department. The Nodaway County Health Department begins 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.
Yes. The federal government is providing four free COVID-19 testing kits to every U.S. residential address that requests them at www.covidtests.gov and at 800.232.0233 for people without internet access.
College students residing on- or off-campus may request free testing kits. Students with shared housing addresses -- such as residence halls, apartment buildings or other group housing -- should each enter their unique room or apartment number, and/or letter with their street address on the ordering form or via phone.
Any student whose request is rejected should call USPS Customer Service at 800.275.8777 to resolve issues with shared housing addresses.
Northwest students and employees have a variety of options available to them for COVID-19 testing:
KN95 masks are available to students and employees upon request by contacting acullin@nwmissouri.edu.
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 a five day period that begins the day after symptom onset or the date of the positive test result. They are not to leave their home or return to campus until after the five-day period has passed and they are fever free and other symptoms are improving.
Quarantine is the term used for individuals who are identified as a close contact to a positive case. The CDC has created a two-tier grouping for close contacts:
For additional CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
Individuals who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, should immediately isolate from others. To learn about COVID-19 symptoms, read Symptoms of Coronavirus.
For additional CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
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) during the infectious period of an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 (the infectious period begins two days before the onset of symptoms and runs throughout that person's isolation period). 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 and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
No, a student does not have to test negative before returning to the classroom. A student’s ability to return to a classroom will be guided by the Nodaway County Health Department, or another health agency, in alignment with CDC guidelines.
In general, an individual may return to the classroom if they have completed their isolation period, they are fever-free and their other symptoms are improving. Individuals who tested positive should continue to wear a mask around others for an additional five days after returning to normal activities.
For additional CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
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, it is possible you are considered a close contact and may be contacted by Nodaway County Public Health or other health agency. If you are determined to be a contact, you will be given guidance from this agency on what to do next.
If you are not contacted, additional precautions are not necessary.
For additional CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
Unless you have been identified as a direct close contact yourself, you do not need to quarantine. However, the roommate needs to quarantine, and that means they should not have contact with anyone, including all roommates.
If your roommate tests positive themselves and you are deemed a close contact, you should quarantine. A public health official may contact you to provide guidance. If you are not contacted, there is no need to take additional precautions.
For additional CDC quarantine and isolation guidance, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html.
Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. Studies have shown the vaccine and its boosters are effective in reducing the risk of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected.
For answers to other frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html.
FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines help protect against 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.
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.
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.
