Reported cases of COVID-19 at the University of Georgia held steady from the previous week as the fall semester continues into the 12th week, with overall cases remaining well below the highest recorded peak of the semester.
A total of 22 cases were reported for the week of Nov. 1-7, an increase of one case from the previous week. This week’s figure marks a 96% decrease from the peak of cases reported around Labor Day. In addition, three out of 466 asymptomatic individuals tested positive, for a rate of 0.64%.
The University Health Center posted the data as part of the weekly update on its website Wednesday morning. Of the 22 cases reported in DawgCheck, 12 were students and 10 were staff members. No faculty members reported positive cases.
The overall low cases at UGA reflect declining trends in the local community and across the state of Georgia.
“We remain cautiously optimistic in the declining cases of COVID-19 on campus and in the community,” said Jen Swails, interim executive director of the University Health Center and co-chair of the university’s Medical Oversight Task Force. “We know there’s still much to do to combat this global pandemic, and getting vaccinated remains one of the best tools available to do this. Our university community is encouraged to continue taking advantage of our Health Center offerings for vaccinations and boosters, for those that are eligible, as we head into the holiday season.”
The UHC can test up to 800 individuals a day through its surveillance testing program, and this service is offered free to the campus community.
The UGA College of Public Health, in partnership with the UHC, will offer pop-up COVID-19 testing at the Tate Center ahead of Thanksgiving and winter break. No registration is needed, and exact dates will be announced soon.
The UHC 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 nearly 29,700 vaccines to members of the UGA community. The university continues to offer free T-shirts for vaccinations, while supplies last.
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 consist 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.
