Before the year ends, the COVID-19 Leadership Team would like to provide an update on where we are with our COVID-19 stats and protocols.
Here is a brief summary:
- Since August, we've had 62 positive COVID-19 cases among faculty, staff, and students. This number represents students living on campus as well as commuter students and faculty and staff. For a campus of approximately 1,300, that equates to 4.8% of our campus population. We believe the protocols we've established including testing, wearing masks, and encouraging vaccines and boosters, have helped maintain a low positivity rate for our campus community.
- Our team carefully monitors community spread with the CDC's county checker tool on a weekly basis. While our region was in the low and moderate community spread level for a short time, Guadalupe County is currently back to the high community spread level with an 8.6% positivity rate. Note: High community spread is considered positivity rates higher than 8% while substantial community spread is 5-7% and low and moderate community spread is less than 5%.
- Our current mask policy will continue throughout the end of the year and into January due to high community spread levels in our area. The COVID-19 team will meet again after the New Year and announce any changes to mask protocols after January 6. At this time, positivity rates in Guadalupe County will need to be below 5% for several weeks before we consider a mask-optional policy. Rest assured, we are hoping to see levels below 5% in early spring.
- Student Affairs is currently working on a COVID-19 testing protocol and process for all on-campus residents prior to moving into residence halls in January. There will be more information coming from Student Affairs so if you plan to live on campus in the spring, please be on the lookout for an email soon.
- The COVID-19 team encourages everyone to get a booster shot if you haven't already done so. Seguin High School, in partnership with the National Guard, is offering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to the community from 8 am to 5 pm today at the Seguin HS Performing Arts Center at 1315 E. Cedar St. Pfizer and Moderna first and second doses and Pfizer booster shots will be available. The Moderna and J&J boosters are not available at the clinic. The shots are free, and appointments aren't required.
As always, we want our campus community and the Seguin community to stay as safe and healthy as possible. Please take care of yourself, your family and friends, and your community. We want to see everyone back and healthy for a new spring semester.
Be safe and be well,
TLU COVID-19 Leadership Team