Clarke County public health leaders and University of Georgia faculty are urging administrators to mandate students and employees wear masks on campus and get the COVID-19 vaccine amid a rise in positive reported cases at the state’s flagship school.
The number of reported positive cases more than doubled from 104 the week of Aug. 9-15, to 231 cases the week of Aug. 16-22, according to data the university posted online Wednesday morning. UGA officials note the numbers include reports from individuals who have not been on campus recently, individuals who may have recovered and that there may be delays in reporting. Other large colleges and universities across Georgia have reported similar increases in recent weeks since their fall semesters began.
UGA’s first day of classes was Aug. 18.
Many people on and around the Athens campus want additional safety measures not currently required by the university, which is following University System of Georgia guidelines that strongly recommend, but do not mandate masks or vaccinations. Gov. Brian Kemp has frequently said he does not support mandates.
The university’s Franklin College faculty senate is scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss a resolution demanding the University System enact those mandates and support faculty and graduate students who refuse to teach in person unless all students in the classroom are wearing masks. The Clarke County Board of Health wrote a letter last week to the system, the state’s Board of Regents and university administrators asking them to consult with local health experts to determine appropriate policies and precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
“We also ask that UGA’s administration consider the dangerous turn the pandemic has taken in very recent weeks and take immediate action to implement any additional policy, precautions, protocols, and programs to prevent a replay of last Fall’s harrowing skyrocketing of COVID cases among UGA students that was followed by a sharp uptick in COVID-related deaths in the Athens community and landed UGA near the top of the list of international COVID hotspots,” the letter said.
UGA officials have implored students get vaccinated through social media posts while offering vaccinations at its health center. The number of vaccinations administered on campus increased from 149 between Aug. 9-13, to 339 the week of Aug. 16-22. UGA estimates it has about 50,000 students, employees and faculty on its campus. Nearly 25,000 vaccines have been administered since they were first available on campus earlier this year.
The university announced Tuesday it is offering 100 prizes of $1,000 each in upcoming drawings to students, faculty and employees who are fully vaccinated.
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