Public health update: Oct. 26, 2021

Dear OHIO community members,

Again, I am thrilled to report that our COVID-19 vaccination rates on the Athens campus are still increasing, and our case rates and positivity rates continue to be low. Students, faculty and staff are really coming together to help create the safest environment possible for the remainder of Fall Semester and setting us up for a healthy Spring Semester:

• Total Athens campus vaccination rate: 83 percent 
• On-campus students: 84.3 percent 
• Off campus students: 80.8 percent – nice job bumping that number up from 79 percent over the weekend, students! 
• Employee vaccination rates: Range from 76.6 percent (classified staff) to 91.4 percent (faculty) 

As more among us gain this protection from the virus, our whole community benefits from less disease and fewer disruptions caused by quarantine and isolation.

We all can be proud of our collective effort over the past year to use the public health tools available – distance, masks, good hygiene, testing and now the vaccines – that have helped get us to the place we are now. 

Vaccination deadline is looming

Time is running out to submit your COVID-19 vaccine card or approved exemption by Nov. 15. If you are not yet vaccinated, more opportunities are offered on our campuses this week. Click here for details about the requirement, how to upload your vaccine card or approved exemption, and campus vaccine clinics.

Grant will support mental health on OHIO campuses

One positive thing that has emerged from this incredibly painful pandemic is the University’s valuable partnerships with local public officials across the state, including the Athens City-County Health Department (ACCHD). 

I am excited to announce that OHIO and ACCHD have been awarded a Rise and Thrive Campus-Community Partnerships grant to plan and implement COVID recovery efforts focused on mental and behavioral health. COVID Operations and Student Affairs are partnering with ACCHD, the City of Athens, and others across the Athens campus to develop a campus-community project focused on new ways to promote behavioral health and mental wellness.

The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone's mental health. As we move forward, mental and behavioral health will continue to be a challenge for many individuals in our OHIO community. ACCHD has a track record of implementing innovative programming to provide direct support to individuals, and our campus partners and city representatives will bring valuable insight into the unique needs of our communities. I’m excited to see what will achieve together.