Inside Luther Seminary

Inside Luther Seminary

COVID-19 Response

About Covid-19

Jump to a section:

What is it?

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Health professionals are learning more about it with each day. As with any infectious disease, hygiene practices such as frequent and thorough handwashing, covering coughs, and not touching your face remain the most effective ways to stop its transmission. At the same time, we are aware that this new virus poses additional risks—and we take them seriously. We are closely monitoring the situation in order to respond quickly and according to expert recommendations.

Center for Disease Control Info

With an avalanche of information and opinions available, students, faculty and staff must rely on reputable sources of information when seeking information about COVID-19. We recommend you visit the CDC’s website for additional information. The CDC has provided the following information:

For guidance for students, staff, or faculty who plan to travel, or have recently traveled, to areas with community spread of COVID-19, refer to CDC’s FAQ for travelers and COVID-19 travel website. 

What should I do if I get sick?

If you develop symptoms, first call a healthcare provider, stay at home, and then notify Michael Morrow, vice president, finance and administration, if you are staff or faculty, or Leon Rodrigues if you are an on-campus student.

If you test positive: Regardless of your vaccination status, you must report your status to Leon Rodrigues, dean of students (students) or Michael Morrow (faculty or staff). Someone will contact you to help you determine what to do next for isolation. See Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 from the CDC.

Also, inform those you have been in close contact with in the last 48 hours. If you were in a class, Luther will share that a student has tested positive with the professor of the class (no name will be shared).

If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19: If you are exposed to someone with a known case of COVID-19, you no longer need to quarantine, as long as you have no symptoms. You should wear a high-quality (N95 or KN95), well-fitting mask for 10 days when around others. The 10 days start from the day after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19. (The actual day of close contact is counted as day zero.) You also should get tested 5-7 days after you were exposed. If symptoms arise before then, stay home and get tested right away. See What to Do If You Were Exposed to COVID-19 from the CDC for more detailed guidelines.

Luther Seminary has taken the following precautions:

  • We are attending weekly conference calls for higher education being held by the Minnesota Department of Health.
  • We are closely monitoring recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and adhering to them.
  • We are performing daily and routine cleaning of facilities.

What should I do if I’m exposed to an individual who tests positive for the virus?

Please see the CDC’s “What to Do If You Were Exposed” guidelines for instructions on what to do after you learn you have been exposed.

You do not need to report your exposure to Luther Seminary.

What is the seminary’s contact tracing protocol?

When an on-campus case of COVID-19 is reported (as happened last week), that person is first asked to stay off-campus and isolate in accordance with CDC guidelines. In addition, the seminary takes two steps for contact tracing:

1. The Minnesota Department of Health is notified as required, per guidelines for institutions of higher education.

2. The person reporting the case is asked to identify “close contacts”; the close contacts identified are notified of the exposure and asked to follow CDC guidelines for testing and isolation.

The CDC defines a close contact as someone who has been within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more during a 24 hour period. Passing in the hall or a single brief interaction is not considered close contact. Please use this link to learn more about CDC guidelines on close contacts, quarantine and isolation: CDC guidelines.

What precautions should I take during the pandemic?

  • Please follow all signage pertaining to pandemic safety. Signage will change with changing regulations.
  • Keep your window opened (slightly) and your door open when possible. This increases air circulation in your work space keeping you safer from COVID-19. During the summer months AC units and fans are available from Maintenance@luthersem.edu. 
  • Masks are recommended but not required in common areas; don’t stay in indoor common areas beyond 15 minutes to protect yourself and others.
  • Wash your hands often. Also available at entries and in classroom areas are hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.
  • If you are sick, please stay home until you are no longer contagious. This advice applies irrespective of the reason you are sick.

Situation Update from the Minnesota Department of Health

The Minnesota Department of Health posts data, update weekly, on cases that were tested and returned data. If you are interested, you can find their updates on their COVID-19 Situation Update page.

For a less detailed look at current risk levels in Minnesota, visit the Public Health Risk Measures page on Minnesota’s COVID-19 Response page.