Frequently Asked Questions

First and foremost, stay home if you are not feeling well and seek medical treatment, if needed.

Students on the McMinnville campus can contact the Student Health, Wellness and Counseling Center to discuss next steps in care at 503-883-2535 or SHLT@linfield.edu. 

Portland students exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or feeling unwell should reach out to their primary care providers for assistance.

Per the Oregon Health Authority, you do not need to isolate for a set number of days when you test positive. However, you can still be infectious to others.

You should:

• Stay home until you are feeling better, your symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without using any fever-reducing medicines (aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, etc.). 
• Wear a well-fitting face mask around other people for at least 10 days after you become sick (start showing symptoms) or test positive for COVID-19.
• Avoid contact with those who may be at higher risk, such as those with underlying health conditions, older adults, or those living in congregate care facilities

Contact SHWCC or your primary health care provider, if you are concerned about your symptoms or want to talk to someone about self-care. Or, you may contact the Oregon Health Authority helpline by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211info.org.

If exposed, you should:

1) Mask and monitor: Monitor your symptoms and wear a face mask when you are around others at home or in public for 10 days after you have been exposed.

2) Get tested: You should get tested at least five full days after you were exposed to someone with COVID-19. Take a COVID-19 test even if you feel okay and do not have any symptoms.

• If you test negative, continue wearing a face mask for the full 10 days since you were exposed. You can still develop COVID-19 up to 10 days from exposure.
• If you test positive, stay home until any symptoms have improved and you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

Check the CDC guidelines for isolation after an exposure via their exposure calculator tool at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/if-you-were-exposed.html. 

The Student Health, Wellness and Counseling Center (Walker 103) has a limited number of at-home test kits at no charge to students. Students who are tested by a clinician will have their insurance billed for the test, and students are financially responsible for any charges not covered by insurance.

Other options for getting tested for COVID-19 include:

• Your primary care provider, local pharmacies or other retail locations.
• Walgreens in McMinnville is offering drive-through rapid and PCR testing by appointment. More information is available at walgreens.com.
• Statewide testing locations can be found by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211info.org.
• A listing of no-cost COVID-19 test providers is available on the CDC website.

Additional information about testing is available at Linfield’s COVID-19 Testing page.

No. Following current Oregon Health Authority guidelines, there is no isolation housing for students who test positive for COVID-19 or students who have been exposed to COVID-19.

Students who live on campus and test positive for COVID-19 will remain in their room or apartment. If they leave their room, they should wear a mask while using the restroom or picking up food from the dining hall.

Yes. If you test positive for COVID-19, you can still go pick up your meals at Dillin Hall. Be sure to: 

• Wear a well-fitting mask.
• Get their food in a green container, which can be requested from a dining staff member.
• Take their meal back to their room to eat.

Students can also send their ID card with a roommate or friend who can bring them a to-go meal to eat in their room.

Nursing students/clinical faculty are not eligible for exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations. The only exemption available is documented medical reactions using the OHA medical exemption form.

The School of Nursing works with clinical partners throughout the region and students have clinical requirements to attend educational rotations. Some clinical partners require or prefer nursing students be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Given this information, all students in the nursing program are required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves, vulnerable patient populations and the general community.

If a nursing student is unvaccinated against COVID-19:

• Clinical placement of the student may be limited based on-site requirements.
• The student will be required to mask in clinical experiences, even if others are not required to wear masks.
• The student could be required by a clinical partner to get regular (even weekly) COVID-19 testing using their own resources to attend clinical rotations.

Missing scheduled clinical experiences in a course due to any reason, including illness or isolation from exposure to COVID-19, may lead to progression issues or a need to take a leave of absence. Refer to the LINFIELD-GOOD SAMARITAN SCHOOL OF NURSING STUDENT MANUAL for policy details.

Vaccinations are an effective way to help protect people from infectious diseases, including flu and COVID-19. You can learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC, World Health Organization or Oregon Health Authority.

You can find a COVID-19 vaccine or booster at vaccines.gov or find a local vaccine event on the Yamhill County Public Health website.