UMass releases their third email of the semester on COVID-19 testing data
The email provides testing data from Feb. 2-8 showing an increase in positive cases, and an update on the vaccine clinic in the Campus Center
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Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with the latest information.
In an email to the university on Thursday, Feb. 10, co-directors of the Public Health and Promotion Center (PHPC) Ann Becker and Jeffrey Hescock explained that with the semester underway, there has been a rise in positive COVID-19 cases.
As of this week, Feb. 2 through Feb. 8, there were a total of 416 positive cases. 204 of those cases being on campus students, while 194 cases were off campus students and 18 cases faculty and staff. Compared to last week, there was an increase of 202 positive cases.
”Cases are still in undergraduate students who report experiencing minimal to moderate symptoms of infection. There are no hospitalizations to report,” says Becker and Hescock.
The email goes on to say, “A similar uptick in cases has been experienced at other universities at the start of the semester.”
As of Feb. 10, the vaccination rate in students is 97.78%, and for faculty and staff the rate is 96.17%. 0 hospitalizations have been reported. Compared to last week’s rate of 4.48%, the university’s positivity rate is 7.45% for this week.
COVID-19 vaccine clinics are held two days a week, on Thursday and Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Next week, vaccine clinics will be offered on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through March 10. While walk-ins are accepted, appointments can be booked as well.
Free KN95 masks are provided each week at the PHPC at the Campus Center, as well as unobserved testing kits, and students are encouraged to monitor their symptoms every day before coming to campus.
As a reminder, symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 testing is available for students, faculty and staff on campus, regardless of vaccination status at UHS and CCPH.
