UMKC has been notified of a positive COVID-19 case involving an individual who had been in the membership office, suite 228 and meeting room 234 in Swinney Center on Aug. 14. Any individuals who potentially may have been exposed are being contacted.
UMKC facilities staff are sanitizing the affected spaces, following CDC guidelines on enhanced cleaning practices. In addition, staff continue to disinfect public spaces across campus, including daily disinfecting and extra cleaning of high-touch surfaces.
The person who tested positive will remain isolated as recommended by local and national guidelines. Current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that people with positive tests must stay isolated for 10 days from symptom onset and three days after being fever free and improvement of symptoms. In addition, UMKC policy calls for individuals who have recovered from COVID to be cleared to return to campus by staff at the Student Health and Wellness Center, at 816-235-6133 or studenthealth@umkc.edu.
UMKC will continue to work closely with health authorities to manage any campus exposures to COVID and to follow the recommendations of the local health department and the CDC. UMKC relies on these health experts to determine protocols for how to handle positive tests of faculty, staff or students on campus. These protocols guide campus health authorities’ assessment of positive cases as well as notifying any individual who may have come into close contact. In addition, protocols by local health agencies and the CDC guide the university’s practices to clean and disinfect any affected spaces and to provide additional health/medical information to affected individuals.
Actions that individuals can take to protect their own health as well as the health and safety of the campus community include:
• Stay home if you have COVID-like symptoms not explained by another illness including a temperature above 100.4 degrees, a cough or trouble breathing.
• Wash hands regularly, or use hand sanitizer if not near hand-washing facilities.
• Wear a face covering.
• Practice physical distancing by remaining six feet away from other individuals.
According to our campus policies, we will continue to post notices of positive cases online as soon as they are confirmed, and will provide additional updates as needed. Students should report COVID symptoms or positive test results at 816-235-2222, the UMKC HelpLine. Faculty and staff should report any COVID symptoms to their medical provider. Positive employee test results should be reported to an individual’s supervisor or to HR, at 816-235-1229. After normal business hours, reports of positive tests by students or employees should be made to 816-235-COVI.
