COVID-19 Vaccine Update
The University of Iowa continues to vaccinate faculty, staff, and students who, based on their employment duties at the UI or required field experience, are identified as a priority population under Iowa Department of Public Health guidelines. Examples include first responders, those who provide clinical patient care, or those placed in a preK-12 classroom. However, vaccine supplies remain limited.
Most UI employees will receive their vaccine through their primary care provider or pharmacy.
UI Health Care is offering COVID‑19 vaccinations to eligible patients and members of the community as supplies permit. If you are eligible, you will be contacted directly by UI Health Care staff through the electronic health record system, MyChart, or by phone when an appointment is available. All vaccinations will be pre-scheduled and by appointment only.
If you are not yet eligible, you may register your interest in receiving the vaccine by completing a form in MyChart. This does not confirm a vaccination appointment but signals your desire to be vaccinated once you are eligible and doses are available.
Please avoid calling to keep phone lines open for those needing patient care appointments. The best way to stay informed is to visit uihc.org.
If you can be vaccinated elsewhere at an approved location before UI Health Care contacts you for a vaccine appointment, we encourage you to accept that appointment so that you can get vaccinated as early as possible.
The state of Iowa also has a vaccine finder at https://vaccinate.iowa.gov/providers/ where you can search for available vaccine appointments. If assistance is needed via phone, you can call 211. To find a vaccine location and availability near you, use https://vaccinefinder.org/.
For campus vaccination information and updates, see:https://coronavirus.uiowa.edu/vaccine-information. To learn more about vaccines and vaccine safety, see the UI Health Care COVID-19 Vaccine Information page.
More information about the state of Iowa’s vaccine administration is available here.
Keep doing your part to slow the spread
While increased access to the vaccine is an important step toward ending this pandemic, we all need to keep practicing the health and safety measures that help slow the spread of COVID-19. Please don’t let up. We know how hard you’ve been working. We’ve seen you wearing your masks and watching your distance, and we’re grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made over the last year to keep your community healthy.
It will take time for everyone who wants to be vaccinated to receive the required doses so, until then, all of us must continue to take the steps necessary to protect ourselves and our community. You should continue to wear a face mask, avoid large gatherings, maintain social distance, and frequently wash your hands.
Reminder: Upcoming Mental Health Presentation Series
Coping in the time of COVID-19 continues to be an uncharted, life-changing task for everyone, and it can make caring for your own mental health and the mental health of those around you a challenge.
Join or re-watch one of these upcoming mental health panel discussions to identify ways you can continue caring for yourself and others.
Managing the Future of Work and Learning
Thursday, March 25, 1 to 2 p.m. CST
Led by Nikole Mac, director of leadership and organizational development, UI Human Resources
The Unseen Impacts of the Pandemic: What do I do with all my losses and disappointments?
Thursday, April 1, 1 to 2 p.m. CST
Led by Linda Stewart Kroon, director of the Women’s Resource and Action Center, and Katryn Duarte, assistant director of sexual assault services at the Rape Victim Advocacy Program
Is everything I feel my fault? Feeling depressed and anxious when it actually may be sadness and stress
Thursday, April 8, 1 to 2 p.m. CST
Led by Stacey McElroy-Heltzel, assistant professor of psychological and quantitative foundations
To access the presentations and subsequent recordings, visit: mentalhealth.uiowa.edu/presentation-series.
For more information about mental health resources, see mentalhealth.uiowa.edu.
For counseling and support, the Employee Assistance Program offers confidential counseling at no cost for UI employees and their families; or University Counseling Service offers confidential counseling and support for students. Participate in Kognito Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Training.
Campus Operations Update
The university continues to monitor self-reported COVID-19 testing data on campus, while also tracking state, region, and national COVID-19 infection rates.
University of Iowa Self-Reported COVID-19 Testing
These data reflect new cases since March 22, 2021.
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: 17
- Total cases: 3,063
Employees
- New cases: 4
- Total cases: 458
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: 0*
Number of residence hall students in self-isolation: 3**
*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.