Chancellor orders faculty, staff, grad students to test twice weekly
Student Zachary Chalmers takes a university COVID-19 test at the State Farm Center testing site on Oct. 9. A recent Massmail has instructed faculty, staff and graduate students to test twice weekly.
November 11, 2020
On Tuesday, the University announced that graduate students, faculty and staff who are taking part in the University’s SHIELD testing program should begin taking COVID-19 tests twice per week.
Citing recent increases in the seven-day positivity rate, Chancellor Robert Jones announced these changes along with other guidelines in two Massmails to graduate students, faculty and staff.
“If you are currently participating in the on-campus COVID-19 testing program,” Jones said, “please increase your testing frequency from once per week to twice per week, testing on Wednesday and Saturday or Wednesday and Sunday if possible.”
The University is up to more than 50 new cases per day for the last week, after dipping to weekly average of 10 new cases per day.
Jones also recommends that graduate students, faculty and staff take their COVID-19 test early in the day if possible.
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Other than testing twice a week, Jones also introduced new guidelines for graduate students, faculty and staff, which he said is part of the University’s “Shield Surge” plan.
While contact-tracing shows that the increase in positive cases among graduate students, faculty and staff “is not due to classroom or on-the-job transmission,” Jones nevertheless urges these groups to take necessary precautions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
These precautions include working from home whenever possible, going outside only for essential activities and limiting travel and gatherings.
This announcement came mere days after Jones announced similar measures for undergraduates last week.
In a Massmail last Friday, Jones reminded students to continue taking their required COVID-19 tests, and that they must comply with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District when asked. He also urged students to refrain from hosting or attending parties, noting that parties spread COVID-19.
“By not consistently wearing masks, minimizing social gatherings, properly washing hands and getting tested, your peers’ actions have led to a concerning and rapid increase in the number of new undergraduate COVID-19 positive cases,” Jones said.
Jones urged students to begin taking precautions now in order to minimize COVID-19 transmission over the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Protect your friends, family and community by making safe decisions,” he said. “If we do not address this on-campus trend right now, we will be forced to take more extreme measures before Fall Break.”
The seven-day positivity rate for graduate students doubled to 0.46% since the last week of October and tripled to 0.72% for faculty and staff, according to the Massmails.
The seven-day positivity rate for the University overall rose from 0.12% in October to 0.62% on Tuesday.
