February 9, 2022 Update

Things to Think About When Planning Activities

What are the number of COVID-19 cases and vaccinated people in your community or the community you are visiting?

• Use CDC’s COVID Data Tracker to learn about the situation in your community.
• If your community has a high number of COVID-19 cases or a low number of fully vaccinated people, consider choosing safer activities.

• Be sure to follow laws, rules, and regulations made by businesses and federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial agencies. (Such as Athens-Clarke County's local emergency declaration).

• If you want to spend time with people who don’t live with you, outdoors is the safer choice. You are less likely to be exposed to COVID-19 during outdoor activities, even without the use of masks.
• Good ventilation can help prevent you from getting and spreading COVID-19.
• Avoid crowded places where you cannot stay 6 feet away from others.

• Be sure to get everyone in your family ages 5 years and older vaccinated against COVID-19.
• People who are not vaccinated and those who are not able to get a COVID-19 vaccine (including children ages 4 years and younger) should continue taking steps to prevent getting sick.
• If your family member is younger than 2 years old or cannot wear a mask, limit visits with people who are not vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown and keep distance between your child and other people in public.
• People with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness.
• If you have or live with someone who has a weakened immune system or is at increased risk for severe disease, you might choose to wear a mask in all indoor public settings regardless of the level of transmission in your area.

• Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines.
• Wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you.
• If you are not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and are aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask indoors in public.
• In general, people do not need to wear masks when outdoors. In areas of substantial or high transmission, people might choose to wear a mask outdoors when in sustained close contact with other people, particularly if:
  • They or someone they live with has a weakened immune system or is at increased risk for severe disease.
  • They are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or live with someone who is not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.
• Testing before a gathering can give you information about your risk of spreading COVID-19.
  • Consider using a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with others who do not live in your household.
  • Stay home if you test positive, even if you do not have symptoms.
• Stay home if you are sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
• Communicate with the people you will meet with about prevention strategies.

Positive UGA COVID-19 Tests Reported Through DawgCheck - (Jan. 31 - Feb. 6)

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 January 31, there were 158 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.
• For the week of January 31, 2022, the University Health Center conducted a total of 223 clinical tests, with 31 positive results, for a positivity rate of 13.9%.
• Results of asymptomatic testing for the week of January 31 - February 6, 2022: 652 tests (12% faculty, 21% staff & 67% students) had 25 positive results for a positivity rate of 3.8%.

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.