Northwest Missouri State University has reported more than 300 total COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, but most of those cases were not detected on campus; they are no longer considered ‘current.’
Faith Zumwalt is still getting used to the campus environment at Northwest Missouri State University as a brand new freshman during the COVID-19 era.
Marcus Clem | News-Press NOW
Faith Zumwalt is still getting used to the campus environment at Northwest Missouri State University as a brand new freshman during the COVID-19 era.
Marcus Clem | News-Press NOW
Northwest Missouri State University has reported more than 300 total COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, but most of those cases were not detected on campus; they are no longer considered ‘current.’
Marcus Clem | News-Press NOW
All area college campuses are strictly enforcing some kind of face covering policy.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Studying as a first-generation college student in their very first semester is challenging enough, without allowing for a pandemic that is known to be a greater threat to those with pre-existing health conditions.
That’s where Faith Zumwalt finds herself in Maryville, Missouri, where she’s remained, unlike most Bearcats over Labor Day weekend, to maintain the job she needs to help cover the cost of education. At the return of the rest of the more than 7,000-member student body, one of the largest ever at Northwest Missouri State University, Zumwalt will be a little nervous, but not in a way she hasn’t prepared for. People traveling all over the country during the holiday and then coming back to interact with each other is the stuff of COVID-19 conundrums. To deal with it, she will continue to wear a face covering, wipe down public surfaces, and maintain her distance.
It’ll be fine, probably.
“I’m being safe,” she said. “Some kids aren’t being safe, so I’m just staying away from them, because I have health issues, so I don’t get it.”
William Frueh is on track as a graduating senior, and he’s learned to roll with pandemic punches after spending half of the spring semester at home. Without a doubt, he said, a lot of students aren’t taking this situation seriously. But there’s nothing he can do about that. It’s a natural consequence of the college environment, so there’s no need to stress.
“I figured cases were gonna go up,” Frueh said. “When you get this many people together and when you don’t have parents around, a bunch of freshmen are gonna be like, ‘Woooo! Let’s party!’ So, I sort of expect them to go up.”
They have, although the next couple of days are likely to indicate by how much. The university is providing regular updates on its website, and as of Friday, total cases had passed 350 since counting began. However, only about 125 of those cases were considered “current,” and a line graph published by NWMSU indicates a steady decline in current cases in the latter part of last week. The university has said it will update these numbers as often as possible in the interest of transparency.
Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, has been the site of its own COVID-19 developments. According to News-Press NOW sister publication Atchison Globe, on Friday the college agreed with the Atchison County government to implement the “Atchison and Benedictine: Stronger Together” movement restriction plan. It affects the more than 2,000 students who almost all live on the small, Catholic campus. Dozens of new cases were reported countywide when BC classes resumed.
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