| Campus & Community Trends
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Testing by Cohort
This dashboard continues to track and compare weekly PCT testing of undergraduate students (by graduating class), graduate students, and faculty and staff.
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Campus Case Numbers Rise Slightly
While remaining comparatively low, COVID-19 case levels rose slightly. As of April 2, active campus case numbers were at 155.
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Testing Levels Remain Around 3,000
Fewer members of the community are getting tested than earlier in the academic year when case levels were peaking. Testing levels have been around 3,000 a week since Spring Break.
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Protocols, Policies, Programs
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BA.2 Confirmed in Austin
Austin Public Health confirmed the detection of the BA.2 variant in the Austin community on February 24, 2022. Last week, Austin Public Health received results from cases sent from the university to the state for sequencing in early January 2022 and informed the university that BA.2 was detected.
The BA.2 variant is a descendent of the omicron variant. It is believed to be more transmissible than omicron, but like omicron, there is lower severity of illness and death associated with this variant. Getting vaccinated and boosted once eligible still offers the best protection from COVID-19 and its current variants.
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FDA Approves Second Booster
Based upon the FDA’s regulatory action, the CDC has updated its recommendations to allow certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster. The second booster will increase protection against severe disease from COVID-19.
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FREE COVID-19 Testing for Staff and Faculty
As we have throughout the pandemic, we still offer free testing to every employee on campus. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please visit the UTHA website for information on testing, which is covered by insurance. If you are symptom-free you can participate in our Proactive Community Testing (PCT) in various locations on campus. Please check the PCT website for locations and times.
Free at-home tests are available for home delivery at COVIDTests.gov.
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Masking Guidance
As conditions in our community continue to improve, and with the availability of vaccines and prevention and treatment options, UT has aligned its recommended masking guidance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at this time. Our current COVID-19 Community Level is low. The CDC’s new guidance explains that individuals in low-level communities do not need to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status and including in K-12 and early education settings. People may choose to mask at any time, for any reason, and it is still recommended that individuals who are immunocompromised or at high-risk continue to take precautions. As we have throughout the pandemic, we will continue to monitor local and campus data, consult with our public health experts, and consider unique attributes of our campus environment to determine recommendations and guidance.
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5,615
Total positive cases among students, faculty and staff from 8/26/21 through 4/2/22.
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155
Estimated active cases as of 4/2/22, up 110 from 3/21/22.
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1.29%
Combined student and faculty/staff PCT positivity rate over the past 7 days (43 positive out of 3,346 total tests)
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22%
Combined clinical positivity rate among students, faculty, and staff over the past 7 days (39 positive out of 177 tests).
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A case is included in the estimated active case counts for 10 days following the date of symptom onset.
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