August 19, 2020
Dear University of Maryland community,
Transparency and testing are two key measures in our plans for the gradual reopening of campus. It is important that we understand and track the presence of COVID-19 in our community, and we must continue to test for coronavirus in order to curb the spread.
Today, I am providing updates and reminders for these two key areas, as well as sharing with my fellow Terps the importance of mask wearing and healthy behaviors 4 Maryland.
COVID-19 CAMPUS DASHBOARD
Today, we officially launch our public COVID-19 campus dashboard that will provide our community with transparent and timely data about the prevalence of COVID-19 within our campus, based on UMD-administered testing.
The dashboard will provide critical metrics, including UMD tests administered by week and cumulatively; new positive cases by week; positivity rate for UMD-administered tests; campus density measures; and quarantine and isolation bed availability. The metrics will be updated weekly and are an important part of our ongoing efforts to monitor and counteract the spread of the virus. I encourage every member of our community to visit the dashboard to stay informed on COVID-19’s presence on our campus.
FREE ON-CAMPUS COVID-19 TESTING FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY & STAFF
As a reminder, all students, faculty and staff are required to take a COVID-19 test within 14 days prior to returning to campus. Students will also be required to be tested after arriving on campus. Before your return to campus, you may be tested locally, or participate in one of the university’s free campus testing events taking place at Maryland Stadium. We will be testing more than 6,000 Terps this week; and registration is still open for testing the weeks of August 24 (registration deadline: today) and August 31 (registration deadline: August 26). I urge any members of our university community returning to campus to find information about testing sites in your area or register for free on-campus testing as soon as possible.
Before arrival to campus or the College Park area, you will need to provide the university with confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test result, which can be uploaded at return.umd.edu. If you test positive, you will be required to stay at home, follow CDC guidance, and be cleared by your healthcare provider before coming to campus. Find additional information about COVID-19 testing requirements and answers to frequently asked questions.
4 MARYLAND
Promoting and adopting healthy behaviors as part of our “4 Maryland” commitment is key to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on our campus. The first healthy behavior - wearing a face covering - is a critical component. Anyone on campus must wear a face covering at all times indoors, and outdoors when other people are nearby.
Hear from some fellow Terps on why they wear their masks:
- Wear a face-covering at all times indoors, and outdoors when other people are nearby; (additional information about wearing a mask or face covering on campus is available, including when a face covering should be worn, acceptable face coverings, how to properly wear and care for them, and the availability of face coverings for the campus community)
- Wash hands frequently and practice good personal hygiene;
- Practice physical distancing by staying at least 6 feet apart from others; and
- Stay home if you feel sick, and report symptoms to the University Health Center and your personal doctor.
