Health and Wellness Update: May 2, 2022

Published:

May 02, 2022

On-Campus COVID-19 Updates

Number of positive cases from 4/24- 5/1	Total number of on-campus positive cases since Jan. 1, 2022	Self-reported positive tests while away from Grinnell from Jan. 1, 2022	Number of students in isolation* or quarantine**
23	285	81	14

These numbers are up-to-date as of 9 a.m. 5/2. The dashboard numbers may be delayed by a few hours.

*Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

**Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Campus case numbers have improved over the last two weeks but continue to fluctuate. Resuming indoor masking and scaling back indoor dining has been effective at helping us mitigate rapid spread so we will continue to hold our current course.

As the semester comes to a close many groups are planning events involving students, faculty, and staff. Proposals for events that involve people eating together indoors should be submitted to the Proposal Review Committee for guidance on COVID protocols and assistance with developing alternate plans as needed. Proposals are not required for events that can be held indoors while masked or outdoors.

We will continue to monitor the community level and campus cases and update the policies, as necessary.

Masking

Masking remains a highly effective means of preventing infection; please continue to mask. Stay home if you are ill. In addition to COVID-19, flu and strep throat are being reported in many Iowa communities.

Testing

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms refer to the student protocols or employee protocols for more information on testing and isolation requirements.

A list of testing options for faculty, staff, and students can be found here. Students experiencing mild symptoms can visit the SHAW walk-in clinic Monday–Friday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Those with more severe symptoms should contact SHAW at 641-269-3230 to schedule an appointment. After hours contact Campus Safety.

Free Test Iowa PCR Test Kits are available on campus. Students may pick up kits from Student Affairs or Campus Safety. Employees may pick up kits from HR, Campus Safety, or the Dean. The dropbox for completed tests is located at the Rosenfield Center information desk.

COVID Resources

To your health,

Terry Mason