As news reports have shared this month, COVID cases in Colorado are on the rise. The vast majority of patients suffering severe illness are unvaccinated. And we’re fortunate at CU Denver to have nearly our entire campus community – including 99 percent of our faculty/staff and 94 percent of our students – vaccinated. Regardless, even vaccinated individuals can experience breakthrough cases of the Delta variant. And we too have seen a rise in COVID cases, with 24 new reports over the past week. Our collective anxiety is cumulative and hopefully the holiday will provide a needed break
CU Denver will not be going “remote” after Thanksgiving or changing operating status. We will continue to pay close attention to test positivity, cases on campus, absenteeism, hospital bed usage, and Denver metro area COVID case trends as we make decisions moving forward.
On the whole, our on-campus containment strategies are working and our students, faculty, and staff deserve credit for adhering to safety protocols. We’ve only seen one instance of case spread in a classroom setting this semester. With the Thanksgiving travel season starting soon amid the backdrop of rising case numbers, it’s important for us to double-down on what we know that works:
- Wear a mask indoors
- Wash your hands frequently
- Stay home if you are feeling ill
- Get a booster shot – if you’re already fully vaccinated and it’s been at least six months since your Pfizer/Moderna shots or two months since your Johnson & Johnson shot
Regular testing, even for those without symptoms, is also a smart strategy to help reduce potential COVID spread. If you are traveling for Thanksgiving or otherwise plan to spend time in group settings next week, we highly encourage everyone to take advantage of free testing on campus the week of Nov. 29. All CU Denver community members and their families can get tested for free at the Health Center at Auraria. Through our partnership with COVIDCheckColorado, you can sign up to get tested at various other locations, too.
Thank you for all your efforts to keep our campus safe. We will continue to monitor regional COVID conditions, adhere to public health guidance, and keep you posted of any campus operational changes in the CU Denver News Lynx Together updates
