Classes are back underway at Eastern Kentucky University and UK starts back in one week. This means students will be back on campus and living in dorms. Madison County is currently listed as “Yellow” on Kentucky’s COVID-19 map. This means the county has a “medium” community level. Fayette County is currently in the “Red.”
Dr. Brenda Caudill is director of student health services at EKU and a family nurse practitioner. She said student housing is at capacity and that brings some health concerns.
“Transmission of any type of illness is increased when we put a lot of people together. So all those respiratory viruses like just the plain cold, flu, COVID, all those things we worry about when people gather, that’s going to be there again.”
Caudill said the university is going mask optional and will be following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when it comes to COVID-19.
“If you are ill and have a positive test, diagnosed with COVID, then you are still recommended to isolate for at least five days and as long as symptoms are improving, there is no fever, then the isolation could end at the end of day five.”
After day five, they would be asked to wear a well-fitting mask for five more days and monitor symptoms. Caudill says the university’s clinic will have rapid antigen testing for those showing symptoms of COVID-19 and those who have knowingly been exposed.
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