COVID-19 vs. influenza
In this video, Dr. Katie Imborek, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics family medicine physician, explains the differences between COVID-19 and influenza, just in time for flu season.
Reminder: Flu vaccination information
In a year when many things feel out of our control, getting a flu vaccine is one thing that you can do to make a difference and keep yourself and others healthy. Getting vaccinated is convenient and considerate. Get vaccinated for yourself, for your friends, and for your family.
The university provides free flu vaccines to faculty and staff while Student Health will host two free flu vaccination clinics for all students.
See the Sept. 28 COVID-19 update for flu vaccination opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.
Campus operations update
The university continues to work with local and state officials to support and implement policies to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. As you may know, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation on Friday, Oct. 2, which reopens bars in two Iowa counties, including Johnson County. The closure of bars on Thursday, Aug. 27, was associated with a steep reduction in positive cases in Johnson County and on the University of Iowa campus.
Since Aug. 27, local establishments have worked together to implement new procedures that correspond with the state’s public health declaration, which requires:
“The establishment must ensure at least six feet of physical distance between each group or individual dining alone.
Seating at booths closer than six feet may satisfy this requirement if the booths are separated by a barrier of a sufficient height to fully separate seated customers.
All patrons must have a seat at a table, booth, or bar, and must consume their food or beverage while seated at the table, booth, or bar.”
The responsibility is on all of us to continue to engage in the behaviors that help mitigate the spread of the virus. This includes wearing face coverings whenever inside university buildings or whenever social distancing is not possible, as well as avoiding large group gatherings on and off campus. By continuing to work together, we can create the culture we desire at the University of Iowa.
University of Iowa self-reported COVID-19 testing
These data reflect new cases since Oct. 2, 2020.
The University of Iowa has published an updated snapshot of self-reported positive COVID-19 tests from faculty, staff, and students.
Number of self-reported cases of COVID-19
Students
- New cases: 6
- Semester-to-date: 2,011
Employees
- New cases: 0
- Semester-to-date: 48
These numbers reflect only self-reported positive or presumed positive COVID-19 tests from UI faculty, staff, and students on the academic campus since Aug. 18, 2020. These data will not match data reported by UI Hospitals & Clinics or by the Iowa Department of Public Health for several reasons, including different testing time intervals and geographic scope. Students who also are employees of the university are only reported in the student number to avoid double counting. The UI has more than 30,000 students and nearly 30,000 employees. Many employees continue to work remotely but have self-reported to authorize sick leave.
Number of residence hall students in quarantine: 4*
Number of residence hall students in self-isolation: 8**
*Quarantine: Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others.
**Self-isolation: Isolation is used to separate people infected with the virus (those who are symptomatic and those with no symptoms) from people who are not infected.