COVID-19: Important update on masks

Good afternoon NMC community,

Starting Monday, Feb. 28, Northwestern Michigan College will move to a new phase of our COVID-19 response. Masks will be recommended, but no longer required, while inside NMC buildings. This change aligns College policy with state and local guidelines, spurred by a downward trend of cases, related hospitalizations, and an increased vaccination rate in our service area. Echoing the messages from our health departments, the College continues to promote vaccination, boosters, and high-filtration masks as proven protective measures that should be considered based on individual risk factors. Further:

• N95 and surgical masks will continue to be provided in all campus buildings.
• The College will continue its quarantine protocols, contract tracing efforts, enhanced cleaning/sanitization efforts, and rapid testing services through Health Services.
• Case reporting procedures are still in effect and will continue to be reported on NMC’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
• If you are experiencing any cold or flu-like systems, please stay home and seek campus or community testing resources to help mitigate on-campus spread.
• As an exception, the College’s Health Occupation programs and Health Services office will continue required masking based on Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommendations.

It has been almost two years since we began the COVID-19 response efforts to keep our community safe and limit the disruption to learning. We can be proud of our united approach grounded in our NMC values of integrity, collaboration and respect. As a result, while we have faced challenges, our NMC community continues to deliver on our mission everyday. As we enter this “post-surge recovery phase,” the College will continue to monitor conditions and will be prepared to adjust protocols as needed. Thank you for your support and for continuing to model the NMC values that are central to our shared success.