Interim President Kerri Schuiling sent out a campus-wide email on Wednesday morning addressing NMU’s COVID-19 protocols and what happens if you test positive for COVID-19.

According to Schuiling, per CDC guidelines, employees and students can return to classes/work after five days of isolation from COVID-19 as long as they are mostly symptom-free and have been fever-free for at least 24 hours. Schuiling continued, clarifying that the day when symptoms start or the day of your positive test if symptoms are not present is “day zero” and does not count towards the five-day isolation period.

When returning to campus, employees and students must wear a mask when inside NMU facilities and around people for an additional five days. Employees and students are not required to have documentation to return to class or work.

For students who live in one of the NMU residence halls and test positive for COVID-19, they must leave the residence hall even if they are in a single-occupancy room. The options for residence hall students are to use NMU’s isolation space in Spooner Hall, return home for the isolation period or find an off-campus location for isolation.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 and do not leave their residence hall during the required isolation period will face Student Code charges, according to Schuiling. A student who tests positive for COVID-19 should send a note to [email protected] with their name, NMU IN and residence hall address.

Students living in an on-campus apartment or living off-campus who test positive for COVID-19 should stay in their apartment or housing for their isolation period.

Schuiling continued in her email writing that, ideally, roommates have identified a plan for how they would isolate themselves in a way that does not cause the spread of the virus to others in the household. Schuiling advises that if you do not have a plan in place, take the time to create one.

Non-residence hall students should still report their COVID-19 cases to [email protected] to help NMU monitor its total number of COVID-19 cases so that NMU can provide resource information.

Any questions regarding COVID-19 protocols, vaccines or anything else, email the Safe on Campus team at [email protected] or call the COVID-19 information line at 906-227-2684. More information can be found on the Safe on Campus website.

In addition to COVID-19 protocol clarifications, Schuiling addresses the new Pfizer booster that the NMU Health Center and other local pharmacies have received doses of. The booster was recently approved by the FDA and CDC to better protect against the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

Schuiling wrote that because of the limited quantity available, the NMU Health Center will prioritize appointments to those 65 or older, or immunocompromised. As the Health Center receives more quantity, it will be made available to others. Until then, those who don’t fall into one of those categories can check with area pharmacies about availability or visit vaccines.gov.

To schedule a vaccination or booster appointment at the NMU Health Center call 906-227-1605.