Update regarding COVID-19 from President Houston Davis to students, faculty, and staff
The long Labor Day weekend is upon us, and I know many of you may have plans to travel home to see friends and family. If you decide to leave campus this weekend, please remember to take the necessary steps to protect your health and the health of your loved ones.
As we have learned from health officials and seen firsthand, young, healthy individuals can be positive for COVID-19 and can spread the virus, even if they have mild symptoms or none at all. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19 generally increases as individuals get older. In fact, the CDC recently stated that 8 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the United States have been among adults aged 65 years and older.
We are asking you to please remember these facts as you travel to different areas of the state this weekend. When you are around others, especially older members of the population, wear your face coverings, maintain six feet of distance at all times, and practice good hygiene such as washing or sanitizing your hands often.
If you are planning to stay on campus this weekend, you will need to review the Labor Day weekend schedule for essential services such as Christian Cafeteria, the food court, and the HPER Center. You can easily find those hours here
I said it last week, and I will likely say it many more times: We must all act responsibly and work together in order to beat this virus and successfully complete the semester. Each and every one of us has a great responsibility to practice safe habits, whether we are on campus, at a local business or restaurant, or back in our hometowns. No matter what is on your agenda this weekend, I hope you all have a relaxing, safe break. I look forward to seeing all of our Bears return to classes and campus on September 8, as we enter the third full week of the semester.