As UNC began its first day of classes Monday, the Carolina Together COVID-19 dashboard showed more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 in the campus community.

According to the dashboard, the university reported 1,002 total cases of COVID-19 between January 3 and January 9: 840 students and 162 employees. Through campus testing at the Carolina Together Testing Program and Campus Health, there were 599 positive cases of COVID-19 between January 3 and January 9.

All unvaccinated students and all students living on campus were required to complete reentry testing for COVID-19. The university urged all students to also test even if it was not required.

Between August 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 there were 887 positive COVID-19 cases through on-campus testing.

The 1,002 cases also reflects recent spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19 at UNC despite high attestation of vaccination. According to the Carolina Together dashboard, 94 percent of students and 89 percent of all employees attested to being fully vaccinated as of January 10. Additionally, UNC reports a booster shot total of 7,495.

Weekly testing for COVID-19 remains a requirement for all unvaccinated members of the campus community. Additionally, masks are required to be worn in all university buildings and are encouraged outdoors for group events and gatherings.

On-campus students who test positive for COVID-19 can isolate at their home or in their residence hall room – leaving only for food pickup and medical care. UNC is not currently offering separate on-campus isolation housing for residential students who test positive for COVID-19. Students who miss class because of omicron will receive an excused absence for a week.

Some departments, like the UNC School of Public Health, preemptively moved their courses online for the first few weeks of the semester due to concerns from the omicron variant. University leadership said deans have the discretion to temporarily modify modes of instruction for specific courses.

COVID-19 cases overall have increased in North Carolina since the start of 2022 – largely due to the omicron variant. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Orange County had 1,722 positive cases of COVID-19 in the last seven days.

North Carolina saw roughly 18,000 new cases reported Monday – resulting in a 31.1 daily percent positive rate. Since the start of 2022, there have been more than 200,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the state.

 

Lead Photo via Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill

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