The University of Georgia reported 821 new cases of Coronavirus just last week, from August 24th to August 30th. This is a large increase from the 189 cases reported the week before. Of the 821 cases reported, 798 of them were students. President Jere Morehead released a statement calling this increase “concerning.” He urged students to follow guidelines and to consider their health and the health of those around them as we go into the Labor Day weekend. Overall, asymptomatic surveillance testing alone performed about 1800 tests from August 24th to 30th, and the positivity rate more than doubled, reaching a little over five percent.
UGA has set aside nearly 300 dedicated rooms on campus and is supplementing those with hundreds more in the local community where students may stay in isolation or quarantine if they are showing symptoms of, have tested positive for, or have come in close contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.
According to a release from UGA:
“Generally, all students, upon receiving the results of a positive test, are encouraged to leave campus immediately and return to their primary residence for support at home whenever possible. However, the university is providing housing for those students who are unable to return home for a variety of reasons.”
UGA’s Student Care and Outreach will contact students who require isolation and will assist them with support based on their individual circumstances.
Entire release:
The University of Georgia has set aside nearly 300 dedicated rooms on campus and is supplementing those with hundreds more in the local community where students may stay in isolation or quarantine if they are showing symptoms of, have tested positive for, or have come in close contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.
The on-campus spaces comprise 99 rooms in University Housing and 195 more from the Georgia Center Hotel. In addition to these spaces, the University has secured nearly 100 rooms from a local private vendor and is finalizing arrangements with another vendor for nearly 100 more.
Generally, all students, upon receiving the results of a positive test, are encouraged to leave campus immediately and return to their primary residence for support at home whenever possible. However, the university is providing housing for those students who are unable to return home for a variety of reasons.
UGA’s Student Care and Outreach will engage with all students who require isolation and will assist them with support based on their individual circumstances.
The allocation of isolation housing is part of the University’s comprehensive approach to protect the health and safety of members of the UGA community during the COVID pandemic. Other measures include:
- mandatory face coverings, which were provided by the University;
- social distancing requirements;
- surveillance testing, a notification system and wellness check;
- intensified cleaning and disinfecting procedures;
- hand sanitizer and wipe stations across campus buildings; and
- a summer-long awareness campaign of the new procedures.
