As of January 31st, Buena Vista University has decided to extend their indoor mask requirement through February 9th.  Future extension is possible, with Buena Vista County reporting a 41 percent positivity rate according to the University’s president Dr. Brian Lenzmeier. There is a total of 6,110 cases in the county as of Monday.  

The newest variant, omicron, has snuck its way right into the height of the cold and flu season, making the already strenuous job of BV’s campus nurses even more taxing. With mask requirements and new CDC guidelines, Director of Health Services Lorie Stanton explains what students can expect.  

 “CDC guidelines state that you now isolate for five days if you test positive. Day one is the day that you test,” Stanton said.  

After five days, if your symptoms are improving, you’re fever free, or you have no symptoms, you may come out of isolation. However, you must still wear a mask for five days after your isolation time ends. The isolation rules for BV students are like how they were in 2020 and 2021.  

Students living six hours or less quarantining at home, and those who are further away can stay in the quarantine floors here on campus which are in the top floor of Liberty Hall.  

Stanton goes on to explain that symptoms of omicron are similar to the cold and the flu: “Sore throat, runny nose, headache, and a little bit of a cough seem to be the most frequent symptoms that we have seen with students.”  

One thing Stanton mentioned that the CDC also emphasizes is that health hygiene is essential to staying healthy and persevering through this ongoing pandemic. “Just take care of yourself. Health hygiene- it’s nothing new, but good hand washing, getting good exercise, eating healthy, getting good sleep. Sleep is the number one reason as to why most kids get sick,” Stanton expressed.  

To put simply, washing your hands, wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and boosted is the number one line of defense against covid.  

“We encourage everyone to get vaccinated, but again, we feel like it’s a choice. It’s your choice to get vaccinated or not. It’s beneficial because it’s going to help prevent yourself from getting sick and other people from getting sick,” Stanton expressed and went on to say, “We never push it on anybody because we want it to be a choice for them to do it.”  

While awaiting updates, thoughts, concerns, questions can be discussed and answered in Health Services or look at https://www.cdc.gov for more information.