University of Virginia issued the following announcement on Sept. 15
With the fall academic semester in full swing, University of Virginia medical experts shared an update on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic with the University community on Wednesday.
The message addressed questions regarding prevalence testing, vaccination rates, safe gatherings and the likelihood that UVA might either tighten or relax its guidance and practices in the months ahead.
UVA currently requires all people to wear masks when they are indoors, regardless of their vaccination status. The University will monitor conditions and provide another update on its masking policy no later than Oct. 1.
In the University community message on Wednesday, UVA’s health leaders reminded students and Academic Division faculty and staff that those who are concerned they might be infected but do not have any symptoms, or those who are a close contact with someone who tested positive, can schedule a free saliva-based virus test through the Time2Test scheduling site.
The community update message was delivered by Dr. Christopher P. Holstege, executive director of UVA Student Health and professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the School of Medicine; Dr. Mitchell H. Rosner, Henry Mulholland Professor of Medicine and chair of the Department of Medicine; and Dr. Costi D. Sifri, School of Medicine professor and director of Hospital Epidemiology for UVA Health.
“It is important to note the tremendous progress we have made, at UVA and across the country, in the fight against this virus,” the message said. “This time last year, no members of our community were vaccinated against COVID-19, and masks, social distancing, and widespread testing were the most effective tools we had to limit the spread of the disease.”
Today, more than 97% of UVA’s student community is fully vaccinated, and more than 93% of Academic Division faculty and staff are as well.
“That means an overwhelming majority of our community has powerful protection against contracting COVID-19 and an even better chance of avoiding serious illness or hospitalization. That profound change is an important consideration for the public health approach we are taking this year,” the message said. “We must all continue to take some precautions to limit the spread of the virus, but the vaccines do make it possible to do things that would have been unsafe this time last year. After such a long period of restrictions and limitations, that is good news for all of us as individuals and as a UVA community. It is also a good reason to get vaccinated if you have not yet done so.”
Questions and answers provided in the message, and included below, were drawn directly from questions the health leaders and University have received from across Grounds so far this semester.
Q. What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms or am a close contact of someone who tested positive?
A. Our experience thus far has shown that the majority of people experiencing upper respiratory tract symptoms such as a stuffy nose, sore throat and cough do not have COVID-19. It is critical, however, to seek guidance from Student Health or Employee Health experts to guide you on whether COVID-19 testing is needed.
Guidance and resources for students who are symptomatic or close contacts of someone who tested positive are available here.
- Regardless of vaccination status, students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate and schedule a COVID-19 test at Student Health and Wellness online or by calling (434) 924-5362. Students can visit the Student Health and Wellness COVID-19 Testing webpage for more information.
- Close contact guidance:
- Fully vaccinated students who are close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19 should schedule a COVID-19 test through UVA Be SAFE three to five days after the date they were exposed. Students should wear a mask but do not need to quarantine while awaiting their test result.
- Unvaccinated students who are close contacts should begin quarantine and make an appointment at Student Health and Wellness online or by calling (434) 924-5362.
Q. Why isn’t the University requiring regular prevalence testing this year for asymptomatic people who are vaccinated?
A. Last year, the University developed a weekly mandatory asymptomatic prevalence testing program for all students in response to the fact that no one in our population was vaccinated and everyone was at equal risk of contracting the virus. That approach helped us identify the risk of widespread transmission among our unvaccinated population.
This year, thanks to high vaccination rates within our community, the overwhelming majority of our population has a low risk of breakthrough infection and an even lower risk of serious illness or hospitalization. For instance, the Virginia Department of Health indicates that, among vaccinated adults, the rate of hospitalization is less than 0.1%. Additionally, a new analysis by the New York Times reports that fully vaccinated people account for just 1 in 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the United States.
Original source can be found here.
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