In an email to the university on Thursday Feb. 17, co-directors of the Public Health and Promotion Center (PHPC) Ann Becker and Jeffrey Hescock explained that as of this week, there were a “total of 456 positive cases.” 

While the email mentioned that the “positivity rate is 7.38% compared to last week’s rate of 7.76%,” last week showed a positivity rate of 7.45%. In comparison, the state-wide positivity rate for seven days is at 2.90%.

Of those positive cases, 299 are on-campus students, 151 off-campus students and four are faculty and staff.

“Individuals testing positive continue to report they are experiencing minimal to moderate symptoms of infection, and there are no hospitalizations to report,” said Becker and Hescock.

The email went on to say, “While tracking case numbers in a highly vaccinated population has become less important in assessing campus health, it does remain a valuable metric.”

The conditions of the university being a large residential campus, in combination with federal and state guidance, form the basis for decisions that the university makes on COVID-19 regulations.

“We are monitoring the changing guidance on mask wearing…based on current conditions, our indoor mask requirement remains in effect,” said the email.

Vaccine clinics are still being offered on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through March 10. 

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.

COVID-19 is continued to be monitored through “symptomatic, adaptive and voluntary testing programs as well as wastewater surveillance.”