In the last week of the fall semester at the University of Georgia, reported cases of COVID-19 on campus remain low, dropping 25% from the previous week.
A total of 22 cases were reported for the week of Dec. 6 – Dec. 12. This week’s figure also marks a 96% decrease from the peak of cases reported around Labor Day. The University Health Center (UHC) posted the data as part of the weekly update on its website Wednesday morning. Of the 22 cases reported in DawgCheck, 19 were students and three were staff members. There were no cases reported among members of the faculty.
The positivity rate for UGA’s surveillance testing remains low, with three of 375 asymptomatic individuals testing positive for a rate of 0.8%. The UHC can test up to 800 individuals a day, and this service is offered free to the campus community.
“As students, faculty and staff get ready for the upcoming holiday break, we encourage now more than ever the use of the Health Center’s services for COVID-19 vaccinations, booster shots and flu shots,” said Jen Swails, interim executive director of the University Health Center and co-chair of the university’s Medical Oversight Task Force. “We all need to remain vigilant and continue protecting ourselves, as well as those around us, from this virus, and vaccinations continue to be one of the best methods to do this.”
The UGA College of Public Health, in partnership with the UHC, will continue to offer pop-up COVID-19 testing at the Tate Center ahead of winter break. Walk-up testing will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20. No appointments are necessary for these services.
The UHC also continues to provide COVID-19 vaccinations free of charge to faculty, staff and students and their dependents over age 16. Booster shots are also available to faculty, staff, students and their eligible dependents who received their second dose at least six months ago. To date, the UHC has administered more than 31,500 vaccines to members of the UGA community.
In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, the UHC is also offering the flu vaccine with no appointment necessary for all students, faculty and staff from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday. Flu shots are available to UGA students, student spouses, current faculty and staff and their dependents (13 years and older) and retired faculty. A flu shot is free for those who bring a UGA ID and current insurance card. A flu shot will cost $50 for those who are uninsured. Appointments can also be made by phone in the Allergy/Travel Clinic by calling 706-542-5575 or visiting patientportal.uhs.uga.edu.
UHC will close for the year on Dec. 25 and will reopen Jan. 3.
The flu vaccine is also readily available at local pharmacies, clinics and primary care physicians’ offices. The Georgia Department of Public Health offers a HealthMap Vaccine Finder on its website.
If patients are eligible, both flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be administered during the same visit.
As it did last year, the university is maintaining a stock of rooms on- and off-campus to accommodate isolation and quarantine housing, as needed. Currently, none of the housing stock is in use.
The weekly DawgCheck reporting data consists of information from four sources: (1) tests conducted through UGA’s surveillance testing program; (2) symptomatic tests conducted at the University Health Center; (3) reports from Athens-area medical providers; and (4) reports of positive tests from other sources.