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PROVO — The Provo Missionary Training Center announced on Thursday that it is implementing additional COVID-19 protocols after more than 15% of the missionaries there have tested positive.
Church spokesman Sam Penrod reported that 91 missionaries tested positive for COVID-19 after each of the 588 missionaries were tested. He said not many of the missionaries are feeling sick or showing symptoms.
All of the missionaries were given tests after several missionaries had tested positive earlier during the week.
"The Provo MTC continues to operate at a reduced capacity and so there are ample facilities to isolate those who are negative and quarantine those who are positive," Penrod said in a statement.
The MTC also added additional protocols in response to the large number of cases. Procedures for the cafeteria and gymnasium were updated and face coverings will now be worn during classes, meetings and devotionals.
Missionaries will not travel from the Missionary Training Center to their missions until they have tested negative or complete quarantine periods, the statement said. Additionally, missionaries arriving at the MTC each week will be required to have a negative COVID-19 test.
Missionary Training Centers around the world closed at the onset of the pandemic and moved to an online training system. In June, missionaries began in-person training at the MTC again with a limited capacity.
At that time, the church said that only missionaries from the United States who are not learning a new language would be invited to train at the MTC and only 150 to 250 missionaries would begin training each week.
"Since the Provo Missionary Training Center resumed in-person training in June, precautions and COVID protocols have helped to keep any COVID cases to a minimum. These precautions include requiring all missionaries to be fully vaccinated before arrival and available testing of those training in the MTC," Penrod said Thursday.
