Dear UNI Faculty and Staff Members,
As we reach the end of the academic year, there's a lot of positive news to share and we want to acknowledge your individual contributions and amazing efforts on campus this past year.
We owe a debt of gratitude to each of you! Through your incredible fortitude and commitment to slowing the spread of COVID-19, we were able to continue serving students and meeting our mission. Thank you for adhering to our COVID-19 safety protocols and supporting the health and safety of our campus.
A special shoutout and thanks to our health care workers in the Student Health Clinic for their amazing efforts this past year testing and supporting students, faculty and staff.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to place Black Hawk County in the Low COVID-19 Community Level based on the low level of hospital beds being used, low level of hospital admissions, and low number of COVID-19 cases in the area. In the 500 days since the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in the United States over 574 million vaccine doses have been administered, including over 1.9 million vaccine series being completed in the State of Iowa. And finally, vaccines, testing, N95 respirators and other materials used to help slow the spread of COVID-19 are readily available.
As we continue to adjust our response to fit the demands of the pandemic, we will be making several changes to reflect this positive news:
Panther Health Survey
After Commencement employees will no longer need to report exposures, symptoms or confirmed cases of COVID-19 through the Panther Health Survey. Employees who are experiencing symptoms of, or have tested positive for, COVID-19 should still follow CDC guidance and stay home from work, as should unvaccinated employees who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.
If an employee believes they contracted COVID-19 in the workplace, or through work activities, they should complete a First Report of Injury through Human Resource Services. Employees looking for an online COVID-19 symptom checker are encouraged to utilize the CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker.
COVID-19 Dashboard
After Commencement Forward Together’s COVID-19 dashboard’s primary focus will shift to providing access to federal, state and county data. As the Response Team has continued to refine our response and the data we are informed by, we have found that these resources are now the best indicators of known cases in our local community.
Student Health Clinic
After Commencement, the Student Health Clinic will resume offering services exclusively for students. As a result, employees will need to seek COVID-19 testing and counseling from their medical provider or the other resources available in their community. COVID-19 testing and vaccines are readily available in Black Hawk County.
Forward Together Communication
With the end of the academic year and low level of community spread, you'll hear less from Forward Together, but you will continue to receive updates from various units on campus on topics related to COVID-19 such as Human Resource Services, Risk Management and the Student Health Clinic.
If you have a question, please visit forwardtogether.uni.edu or email it to forwardtogether@uni.edu. Thanks for your efforts this past academic year and enjoy your summer.
Stay Well,
John Vallentine,
Associate Provost for Faculty
Joseph Rayzor,
Director of Risk Management, Environmental Health and Safety