Spring 2022 Campus Update

A Message from Victor K. Wilson, Vice President for Student Affairs

I am so proud of UGA’s students. In these continuing challenging times, you persevere by serving your community, excelling in your studies and creatively navigating all that life is throwing at you.

As we head into a much-deserved Spring Break, I encourage you to take advantage of this time to reset, rejuvenate and return to campus ready for a great finish to the end of the semester.

Whether you are traveling, going home for a few days or staying in Athens, we all have an important part to play in keeping our families and home communities safe, as well as our campus and University community when we return.

In addition to the basic steps that help us prevent illness (hand hygiene, distancing, face-coverings, etc.), we also encourage you to consider approaches for safe activity and travel. The CDC offers specific guidelines and FAQs on travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, as does the Georgia Department of Public Health.

As an additional resource for you, pop-up saliva testing will be done the weeks before and after Spring Break, March 1 & 3 and March 15 & 17, in the Tate Student Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Have a restful and safe break. Thanks for all you do to make our campus the greatest ever! Go Dawgs!

In this issue:

#BestshotUGA TikTok Competition

Updated International Travel Health Requirements for Students

Getting Vaccinated

COVID-19 Testing

Report Positive Tests in DawgCheck

Face Coverings

References and Links

#BestshotUGA TikTok Competition

The UGA Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, along with Mary Frances Early College of Education professor Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor and representatives from the UGA Arts Council, is working to help increase vaccine confidence through community participation in the arts.

One of only 30 projects funded by the CDC Foundation, UGA is using the grant to start a TikTok campaign to promote vaccine confidence and uptake.

The project invites UGA students, local artists and the greater Athens/Georgia community to join in creating vaccine “Edu-Tainment” on TikTok. Contest winners will receive $1,000 in prizes from local Athens businesses.

Create a TikTok supporting vaccines including #BestShotUGA in the post by Friday, April 1.

To be eligible for this contest, entrants must be one of the following:

Athens resident.
Resident of a county surrounding Athens.
UGA student, faculty or staff.

Updated International Travel Health Requirements for Students

Are you traveling over Spring Break, Maymester or this summer?

It’s not too early to start preparing to meet travel health requirements. The University Health Center Travel Clinic can help take the stress out of travel by planning in advance for pre-departure needs including COVID testing and vaccines. Travel health regulations are changing all the time, so let the experts help you plan for a successful take off.

Complete a “Travel Request Form” and email it back to the Travel Clinic to get scheduled. These appointments are most commonly done virtually and are best planned 6-8 weeks in advance of your travel date.

Getting Vaccinated

Faculty and staff who would like to schedule a COVID vaccine appointment at the University Health Center may do so by calling 706-542-5575. Students may continue to schedule their COVID vaccine appointments online through the Patient Portal. The UHC will only offer Pfizer vaccines for first, second and booster doses.

COVID-19 Testing

Surveillance testing remains an important step in our defense against infection. The University Health Center and Veterinary Diagnostic Labs are equipped to test up to 800 people per day for COVID variants. These tests are free to faculty, staff and students. Click here to schedule an appointment. Walk-ups are also welcome.

Report Positive Tests in DawgCheck

Remember that any faculty, staff or student who tests positive for COVID is required to report that positive test through DawgCheck and to follow the advice provided. Typically, a positive test will require a period of isolation, depending on the test results. Quarantining also applies to unvaccinated individuals who are identified to have been in close contact with an infected individual. The Georgia Department of Public Health recently changed its protocols on quarantine and isolation to reflect CDC guidance, and UGA is now following the new guidance. Click here to see the latest information.

Student Affairs will continue to hold a stock of beds for potential quarantine and isolation needs by our students, and the Student Care and Outreach team stands ready to assist.

Face Coverings

We continue to strongly encourage the wearing of face masks when inside campus buildings. Face coverings are required on Campus Transit buses in accordance with federal transportation rules. We have nearly 70,000 KN95 masks and nearly 30,000 disposables in stock for distribution. Departments that are interested in having masks on hand can order them at no cost through UGAmart.

Students can pick up masks at information desks in the Tate Student Center and the Miller Learning Center, while supplies last.