Mavericks,
With the Three-Week January Session underway and the start of the Spring 2022 semester right around the corner, I wanted to update the university community on our efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 and share some information that can help us all stay healthy and safe as we start a new year.
While we have been and continue to be highly effective in limiting the spread of the virus on our campus through our current health guidance, the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmissions spurred by the Omicron variant at local, regional, and national levels are cause for concern.
We must all do our part to keep our campus community healthy as we navigate this challenge together and lessen the burden on our local healthcare system. Please take a moment to review the following COVID-19 campus guidance updates and reminders and continue to monitor your email and UNO social media for additional guidance as we monitor this evolving situation.
Campus Guidance Updates
To better protect our campus and Omaha communities and preserve in-person teaching, working, and learning, we are making adjustments to our current COVID-19 guidelines that will make a big difference in our efforts to slow the spread of the virus. The following guidance is subject to change as we monitor local, state, and national health trends:
- Masks Required at H&K: Effective Monday, Jan. 10 until further notice, all guests at the H&K Building will again be required to wear masks. This adjustment will help us reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on our campus.
- No UNO-Sponsored Gatherings for January: Effective Jan. 10, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 amid the Omicron variant surge, no UNO on- or off-campus and in-person gatherings of 25 people or more submitted for January (excluding classes) will be approved. Any in-person, UNO-sponsored event larger than 25 people – regardless of approval status – is no longer considered approved and should be rescheduled or moved to a virtual format.
- No Food at Any UNO-Sponsored Gatherings On- or Off- Campus: Effective Monday, Jan. 10 until further notice, food will not be allowed at any UNO-sponsored or community gatherings, regardless of size. This includes no longer offering grab-and-go or to-go food options for gatherings. This adjustment will help the university reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on our campus. Physical distancing is encouraged at campus food service locations.
- Mobile Vaccination Clinics Returning to Campus: The UNO Office of Health Security is working closely with the Douglas County Health Department to bring mobile clinics back to UNO’s campus for vaccine and booster doses. Clinic, date, time, and location information will be shared as it becomes available.
I also strongly encourage all UNO students, faculty, and staff to consider moving any in-person, non-academic gatherings, meetings, events, or activities to a virtual format where applicable, at least for January.
Important Reminders
As much as the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, there are tried and true methods that help prevent the spread of the virus and keep our campus safe:
- Get Your Vaccine and Booster Shots: Being fully vaccinated and getting a booster shot is the most effective way to keep our campus safe, keep our community healthy, limit the spread of the virus, and help prevent further mutation of this virus. When you get your vaccination and booster shots, it shows that you care for others. The Nebraska Medicine UNO Health Center is offering Pfizer vaccinations and booster doses, which can be scheduled through calling 402.554.2374. There are also a variety of community locations where you can access a vaccination. Douglas County Health Department mobile vaccination clinics will also be returning to campus.
- Campus Indoor Mask-Wearing Requirement Continues: Wearing a mask indoors is one small but powerful action we take to preserve our current high level of on-campus and in-person activity. If each of us does our part, we can stay healthy while still enjoying all that campus life at UNO has to offer.
- Get Support If You Test Positive for COVID-19: If you test positive for COVID-19 at any point, please report it to our Office of Health Security using the UNO COVID-19 Reporting Form. They will then contact you with next steps and provide support. COVID-19 testing options are listed on UNO’s Maverick COVID Response website.
CDC Isolation and Quarantine Updates
During our holiday break the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced two important updates to their COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidance:
- Isolation Guidance: The amount of time individuals should isolate when they have tested positive for COVID-19 has been shortened from 10 days to five days if they are not showing symptoms, or if symptoms have resolved (without fever for 24 hours). The CDC also recommends following up with five days of wearing a mask while around others to minimize the risk of infecting others.
- Quarantine Guidance: The amount of time vaccinated individuals should quarantine if they have been exposed to COVID-19 has been shortened from 10 days to five days. For individuals who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine dose or 2 months for Johnson & Johnson and have not yet received a booster shot, the CDC now recommends quarantining for five days followed by strict mask use for an additional five days following exposure.
As we have done from the beginning of our pandemic response, we will closely monitor this evolving situation and adjust our operations as needed.
Thank you all for your unwavering commitment to keep your fellow Mavericks healthy and safe as we navigate this pandemic, and for your willingness to adapt with each new development.
Sincerely,
Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA
Chancellor
Jane Meza, Ph.D.
Director, UNO Office of Health Security
