UW–Madison : Chancellor Blank: What To Expect This Fall

Press release from the University of Wisconsin-Madison:

June 24, 2021

The message below was sent to all UW–Madison employees on June 24 and is being translated into multiple languages. Check back for updates.

The message covers:

I’m writing today with an update for faculty and staff about how the university plans to operate during the fall semester.

We continue to see encouraging progress in the fight against COVID-19 both on campus and in the broader community. Cases in Dane County have dropped to their lowest level since May 2020, driven by exceptionally strong participation in vaccination. Of those eligible to be vaccinated in Dane County, 78.5% have received at least one dose.

We know that at least 74% of UW–Madison employees have received at least one dose of vaccine.  This is an under-estimate since we know that more were likely vaccinated by UW Health or another off-campus provider and have not yet shared their status. If you’re one of those individuals, please let us know – having the most accurate information possible about our community’s vaccination rate is important as we reunite on campus. This information is used for statistical and planning purposes only and we will protect the privacy of your information.

We do not have a good estimate of student vaccinations, since many students are being vaccinated over the summer and have not yet reported those results.  As of the end of the semester, our evidence suggests about 50% of the students were vaccinated.  We are increasingly confident we will have a very high share of vaccinated students on campus as well – we are aiming for at least 80% — and will be taking multiple steps to encourage vaccination among those who arrive unvaccinated.

All of the medical evidence shows that vaccinated individuals are unlikely to become infected with COVID-19 and if they do, in most cases the illness is mild.  With a surrounding community that is highly vaccinated and a local campus community that is highly vaccinated, we should expect few infections.  Those that do become infected have a low risk of transmission.  While we continue to monitor the situation closely, the growing medical evidence on the effectiveness of vaccination and the high share of vaccinated individuals in our community give us confidence that we can move ahead with plans to resume more typical campus operations.

Here’s what we expect the fall will look like:

Vaccination:

The university will not disclose an individual’s vaccination status to others. It is up to individuals to decide whether to share their vaccination status with colleagues, supervisors, and employees. Although many of us have a natural inclination to want to know that others around us are vaccinated, it is important to remember that the single best action we can take to protect ourselves is to get vaccinated. Once a person is vaccinated, they have the highest level of protection. Even if they are sitting immediately next to someone who tests positive, this is no longer considered a close contact and quarantine is not required. The vaccine offers such high protection that the risk of transmission is very low.

In-person work: Masking: Spaces and access Testing:

We recognize that these changes may raise questions and concerns and we are offering a number of resources to employees and managers to help navigate this transition:

Virtual events: Courses, toolkits and more:

I continue to be grateful to all of our staff and faculty for your extraordinary efforts over the past 18 months. I am looking forward to seeing you in the coming weeks.

Rebecca Blank

Chancellor

This press release was produced by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The views expressed here are the author’s own.