Dr. Dennis Goodman, chief medical officer of Missouri S&T, and Ashley Wann, director of the Phelps/Maries County Health Department, sent the following message to the S&T community on Jan. 11:

S&T Students, Staff and Faculty,

Contact tracing, isolation and quarantine are critical tools in our effort to contain COVID-19. Last semester, over 2,000 members of the campus community were required to quarantine or isolate due to testing positive for COVID-19 or being in close contact with someone who tested positive. We are writing today to remind all members of the campus community of their responsibility to notify the S&T COVID contact tracing team if they test positive for COVID-19, regardless of where the test occurred, by emailing COVID@mst.edu.

Early on in the pandemic, university medical personnel established a partnership with the Phelps-Maries County Health Department to help lessen the burden of contact tracing on local resources. During the pandemic, the university and the health department have been partners in testing, contact tracing and decision-making coordination.

As part of this partnership, the S&T COVID contact tracing team is responsible for following student, staff and faculty positive tests, arranging isolation, and following up with and resolving each case to ensure a safe return to campus. Additionally, the S&T team interviews those who test positive to help identify those who were in close contact with the positive case and thus requiring quarantine.

Any student, staff or faculty member who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of the testing site, needs to report positive results to the S&T COVID contact tracing team. Also, any individual who has been advised to quarantine or isolate by any outside health care provider should report this information to the S&T COVID contact tracing team at COVID@mst.edu.

Individuals in isolation and quarantine will coordinate with the S&T COVID contact tracing team for medical advice and tracking. The S&T team uses a secure medical system, Sara Alert, to track and monitor symptoms. All students, staff and faculty in quarantine or isolation are required to report symptoms daily using the Sara Alert platform. Beginning in the spring semester, daily symptom reporting will be a condition of final release from quarantine or isolation.

No person who has been in isolation or quarantine should change their status or return to campus until released by the S&T COVID contact tracing team.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to protect yourself, your campus and your community. Working together, we will have a safe and successful spring semester.