Update regarding COVID-19 from President Houston Davis to students, faculty, and staff.
Welcome back to the first full week of classes, Bears! I was so pleased to see you on campus last week and to see your adherence to the mask requirement and other safety measures within campus facilities. I was also excited to hear that the number of vaccinations provided through Student Health has continued to increase in the past week. We now have over 70% of employees vaccinated, and we will continue to provide vaccinations to any member of our campus community that would like to be vaccinated.
Many of you have questions about what to do if you have COVD-19, as well as what to expect if you are a possible close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, UCA has operated a contact tracing team led by Dr. Randy Pastor at the Student Health Clinic. This team can test and trace any UCA employee or student on our campus, as well as place students in quarantine and isolation housing as needed.
In the instance of a positive case on the UCA campus, such as in a classroom or indoor meeting space, the contract tracing team will contact individuals who have been identified as a “close contact” with the positive case. For reasons of confidentiality, the name of the COVID-19 patient will not be disclosed. Please remember the following steps in the event you are a close contact or believe you are a close contact:
- The Student Health Clinic contract tracing team will contact you with specific instructions if you are identified as a close contact by a person who has tested positive. You will not be called if the positive case does not identify you as a close contact.
- If you are fully vaccinated, no special measures will need to be taken. If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, contact covid19@uca.edu for further guidance.
- If you are unvaccinated and believe that you have been in a classroom or indoor meeting space where someone has tested positive for COVID-19, monitor yourself closely for 14 days, and get tested for COVID-19 if you develop any symptoms within that time. If you develop symptoms, do not attend classes or any campus functions until you obtain a negative COVID-19 test.
- If you have reason to believe that you have been exposed to or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, email covid19@uca.edu with the details of the possible exposure. The Student Health Clinic contact tracing team will personally discuss this with you.
Remember, if you develop COVID-19 symptoms or other symptoms of illness, do not attend class or work on campus until you have consulted with the Student Health Clinic. The Student Health Clinic continues to provide testing to employees and students at no cost, and results are normally available the same day. Call 501-450-3136 to make an appointment.
We must all continue to take personal responsibility for our health as well as the health of our campus community, and by working together we can have a successful semester. As the semester progresses, we will continue sharing important information and updates with you. Thank you for doing your part!