Dear Faculty Senators, Deans, Chairs, and friends,
Here’s a 6-minute video summary of this week’s COVID numbers, which have flattened after several weeks of increases, but are still above the level we’d like to see.
Some of this week’s cases are the “bloom” from last week’s cases spreading through their pods, and we don’t think the bloom is quite over yet. Please remember the basics – avoiding crowds AND distance AND masks AND handwashing. While 6 ft is a good standard, it’s not a magic barrier to COVID-19, so keeping more distance in well ventilated spaces is definitely recommended.
Thanks to Student Government for this week’s tip sheet on voting. https://www.truman.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Tip-Sheet-How-to-be-safe-while-voting.pdf If you do find yourself in quarantine or isolation on election day, you can call the county clerk, (660) 665-3350, to learn options about a last minute absentee ballot. You can also check out 1-866-OUR-VOTE, https://866ourvote.org/, for help.
Student Government has a second tip sheet this week of Mental Health Tips for the classroom, building on their best practices document from the summer.
https://www.truman.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Tip-Sheet-Mental-Health-Tips-for-the-Classroom.pdf
Also thanks to Katie Judd, who has compiled some coping resources for students. While we faculty and staff can help share these resources with students, almost all of them are good for us, too. If we learn one thing from her post, it’s that we don’t have to solve everything at once. Work on one thing right now – Take a walk, drink more water, get a good night’s sleep – even if you can’t fix everything today.
https://www.truman.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Coping-During-Covid_Judd-2.pdf
On November 9th, another round of free COVID-19 testing will happen at the NEMO fairgrounds.
Advance registration will be required, and will be up on this page soon:
http://www.health.mo.gov/communitytest
Ongoing drive-through COVID is available at the Kirksville Hy-Vee on limited days, sponsored by eTrueNorth
You need to register ahead of time at this link.
https://doineedacovid19test.com/
https://doineedacovid19test.com/Kirksville_MO_2079.html
Flu shots continue to be offered to students at the Health Center, as well as at local pharmacies and health centers. While flu shots don’t protect you against COVID
Please forward this information to your departments or other interested groups of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends. Although we aim these videos and sheets at faculty, please share the video and this information with students in your classes and elsewhere.
Our earlier videos and Tip Sheets are available here:
https://www.truman.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-working-group-videos/
If there are other questions or things you’d like to know more about, please contact us at: ndmoore@truman.edu
-Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group
(Nancy Daley-Moore, Christine Harker, and Scott Alberts)