August 11, 2021 Update

Message from Mayor Kelly Girtz

Watch a new video message from Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz released on Thursday, August 5 about some of the items approved at the recent Mayor and Commission meeting on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 and upcoming items of interest. 

These include a new indoor mask requirement throughout Athens-Clarke County in public and private spaces that went into effect on August 4, upcoming vaccination incentives with the Georgia Department of Public Health's Northeast Health District, an upcoming policy outlining ACCGov employee vaccinations, a new space and strategic plan for assisting homeless and unsheltered Athenians, and an upcoming Community Conversation program on homelessness issues.

Watch the video on YouTube.

Positive UGA COVID-19 Tests Reported Through DawgCheck - (Aug. 2-8)

The University of Georgia DawgCheck tool gives members of the campus community the ability to self-monitor and to facilitate information sharing internally and with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Any student or employee with a positive COVID-19 test is required to report the test in DawgCheck.

For the week of August 2, there were 54 reported positive COVID-19 tests through DawgCheck.

Last Five Weeks of Tests

The table above reflects the total number of positive test results reported through DawgCheck each week. It is updated every Wednesday. Please note the following:

• Positive tests reported through DawgCheck are from any of the approximately 50,000 faculty, staff, and students connected to the University of Georgia, whether located in Athens, extended campuses, extension offices across the state, or even other states and countries for students who elected to take online classes.
• The totals may include reports from individuals who have not been on campus recently, there may be delays in reporting, and the totals may even include individuals who have recovered.
• Therefore, the data do not serve as an accurate barometer of the current status of COVID-19 at any point in time at any one of UGA’s campuses.
• Since August 10, 2020 UGA has supported surveillance testing for asymptomatic individuals and clinical (Health Center) testing resources for symptomatic students as a means of distancing the two populations and optimizing the use of Health Center staff and the facility. Because students are showing symptoms when they request a test at the Health Center, it is expected that its tests would have a significantly higher positivity rate than would be the case for those who are asymptomatic when tested.
• Results of testing at the University Health Center for the week of August 2 include a total of 127 COVID-19 tests; there were 13 positive tests. The positivity rate was 10.4%.

DawgCheck and other University of Georgia-related COVID information is available at the University Health Center website at https://uhs.uga.edu/healthtopics/covid-19-health-and-exposure-updates.