Since 2020, Ferris State University and Kendall College of Art and Design have been working closely with local health departments to track confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The university and KCAD report new, active, and cumulative cases each day, excluding weekends and holidays. The data found in the Ferris section only reflects cases within Ferris locations across Michigan except for KCAD’s Grand Rapids Campus. Ferris State’s Director of Health Services Lindsay Barber explains the numbers within the dashboard.
“New cases are defined as those reported to campus in last 24 hours or since Friday at 4 p.m., for Monday’s numbers,” Barber said. “Active cases are defined as those remaining in isolation.”
As of now, Ferris State has a cumulative of 1380 cases since Aug. 24 of 2020, with currently 62 active cases.
According to Our World in Data and The New York Times, Mecosta County has a total of 7,405 cases with 88 deaths.
Barber stated that since the CDC has shortened isolation to last only five days from the last positive test or the onset of symptoms. The shortened isolation time decreases the window of active case time, which results in new and active case numbers not always lining up.
The CDC states, if one who is not up to date on their vaccines gets exposed to COVID-19 will have to quarantine for at least five days. One who is up to date on their vaccines will not have to quarantine unless they develop symptoms.
For both vaccinated and unvaccinated, the CDC states that getting tested at least five days after coming in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
Ferris State offers asymptomatic testing for students and faculty; and symptomatic for students only, by appointment at Birkam Health Center, according to Barber.
The testing on campus is offered Monday through Friday. 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m.
Any student in need of accommodation to access testing on campus should contact Birkam Health Center or the Office of Educational Counseling and Disability Services for assistance.