There are 264 new positive cases in Alachua County this week, down 163 from the previous week. As of Oct. 8, there have been 38,858 total cases in the county. Cases in the county have been declining for six consecutive weeks.
UF Health Shands Hospital saw a decrease of hospitalizations after a month of over 200 patients. However, following effects of the Delta variant, patients are requiring longer and additional care at the hospital.
The college opened a total of 130 COVID-19 case investigations from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, including 110 student investigations and 20 employee investigations.
Alachua County and Broward County school board members who voted for their respective mask mandates will not be paid until further notice.
With the emergence of the Delta variant and students’ return to campus, four additional residences were added, resulting in 32 wastewater testing locations on campus.
After a week of record-breaking COVID-19 children hospitalizations followed by a slight decrease over the weekend, UF Health Shands Hospital expects to see a continued fluctuation of patients.
The total number of reported positive cases from students since March 2020 is now 839
Data shows Hispanic and Black vaccination rates lag behind those of white people in most states across the country.
About 90% of all patients hospitalized are unvaccinated.
Preceding the start of classes, UF reported 185 new cases from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17. The campus maintained a 6% seven-day positivity average rate as seen over the past month — an increase from its 1% weekly positivity rates reported early July.
The report from UF biostatisticians predicted the peak would take place over the first three weeks of Fall classes at UF — projecting to reach 33,000 reported cases per day and 220,000 per week in Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to bar mask mandates in the city could negatively impact Gainesville’s ability to mitigate infections, Hayes-Santos said
Fall classes will take place in person for the start of the semester despite a university-wide email announcing potential online classes for the first three weeks.
Tuesday’s meeting follows the school board's unanimous vote to require masking for at least the first two weeks of school; meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order allows parents to choose whether their children wear masks to school.
“It’s not a mask mandate,” UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said. “It’s expected, not required.”
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