The majority of classes will return to in-person instruction starting Monday, Jan. 24, with a “very small selection” of classes continuing to temporarily meet remotely, Acting President and Provost Herbert Medina said in an email this morning.
Medina did not note what percent of classes will remain virtual.
Medina’s email comes after UP completed three days of mass testing at the end of last week. According to an email from Vice President for Student Affairs Fr. John Donato after the first day of testing, around 44 students tested positive for COVID-19 over 1,100 that uploaded their tests.
Vice President for Marketing and Communication Michael Lewellen said in an email to The Beacon that updates on specific case numbers should appear in the Helping Pilots Prevent Weekly Newsletter.
As of Jan. 9, there are 116 positive cases uploaded to the COVID-19 dashboard. This does not include the 44 cases Donato mentioned in his email, any cases reported from the other two days of testing or any other cases reported since Jan. 9.
Medina’s email also announced that free COVID-19 boosters will be available for students by the Health & Counseling Center starting Friday, Jan. 21. UP required that all UP community members must upload proof of a booster by Feb. 1.
Medina said that UP is a “a highly-vaccinated, highly-boosted community” — 96.7 percent of the community or 4,135 people were fully vaccinated last fall — however, the COVID-19 vaccine dashboard has not been updated since Nov. 2.
Student activities may also return to in-person starting Monday, Jan. 24.
“Please know that the COVID-19 pandemic and the Omicron variant are still very much a part of life on The Bluff,” Medina said in the email. “The University’s face covering/mask policy is still in effect. All are encouraged to continue following health and safety practices such as de-densification of meeting spaces, frequent handwashing, and avoidance of un-masked gatherings.”
“If you experience symptoms of COVID-19, stay home and contact a health care provider for guidance,” Medina continued. “Upload proof of receiving your vaccine booster shot on the Pilots Prevent website and know that free boosters will be available for students from the Health & Counseling Center beginning this Friday, January 21.”
William Seekamp is the News and Managing Editor of The Beacon. He can be reached at Seekamp22@up.edu
