COVID-19 UPDATE: Latest news and campus announcements

Here is the current information related to university operations and programs. The latest information is available on the UO coronavirus information website.

NEW:

  • Gov. Kate Brown announced on Friday that Lane County has been added to the COVID-19 watch list. The watch list allows the state to prioritize resources and assistance to counties that are seeing the broadest spread of COVID-19. Counties remain on the watch list for a minimum of three weeks and until their sporadic case rates drop below specific thresholds.
  • Expanded COVID-19 surveillance testing conducted by our Monitoring and Assessment Program (MAP) is beginning this week. With a ramped-up testing capacity of about 4,000 tests per week, MAP plans to accommodate additional voluntary testing for some groups of UO employees and students, including students living off campus and employees whose work requires them to be on campus.
  • Four new programs are available to first-year students. Students can join the Corona Corps, engage in small, in-person groups on campus to discuss global issues, learn how to prepare for a global career, and access free, online learning course materials through the UO Canvas community by searching for learning strategies for University of Oregon students.

REMINDERS: 

  • Where can students get tested? University of Oregon students in Lane County can be tested for COVID-19 through University Health Services on campus, their regular health care provider, and many testing facilities around town. Lane County Public Health provides information on known testing facilities and community testing. Additional information about where to go for COVID-19 testing and how your costs might be covered is in the frequently asked questions of the university’s testing, contract tracing, and case management information.
  • How do contact tracers use my info? If you are contacted by a contact tracer, you will help protect the community by engaging. Your privacy will be protected, and non-identifiable information will only be shared as necessary for public health. Learn more about the how the Corona Corps is assisting Lane County Public Health in their contact tracing work and is offering support and services to people with the virus.
  • How can I reduce my risk of contracting COVID-19?
    • Keep groups small and limited to only people you know.
    • Wear masks or cloth face coverings.
    • Remember that exposure is defined as being within six feet of another for 15 minutes.
    • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching common surfaces.
    • Don’t share drinks, vapes, or utensils.
  • What should I do if I test positive or think I’ve been exposed to COVID-19? Review the COVID-19 exposure scenarios and guidance for students and employees and contact the Corona Corps Care Team

RESOURCES:

GENERAL INFORMATION:

  • There were 105 members of the UO community who tested positive or were considered presumptive positive last week (October 12 through 18). A total of 453 members of the UO community have tested positive for COVID-19 since reporting began. Information about known cases within the UO community is updated by 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.
  • The Oregon Health Authority reports 39,794 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in the state, 2,128 cases in Lane County, 8,588 in Multnomah County, and 222 in Coos County as of October 19.
  • The university continues to work in close coordination with the Oregon Health Authority and our companion institutions and agencies. Additional resources are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Oregon Health Authority, and your health care provider.
  • As a reminder, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outline some general precautions to minimize the spread of respiratory diseases.