Vaccine update: Stay patient, vaccine doses are still limited
As additional vaccines are approved for Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many of us are eager for our turn to be vaccinated.
Though the FDA and CDC recently approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization—which is yet another exciting step toward ending the pandemic—it is important to remember that vaccine doses are still limited, not only in Iowa but around the world.
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.
More information about the state of Iowa’s vaccine administration is available here.
For campus vaccination information and updates, see coronavirus.uiowa.edu/vaccine-information. To learn more about vaccines and vaccine safety, see the University of Iowa Health Care COVID-19 Vaccine Information page.
Drop/withdrawal deadline moved for spring 2021
Undergraduate and graduate course drop and withdrawal deadlines have been moved to 4:30 p.m. CDT Friday, May 7 (the last day of classes). This is the date by which undergraduate students can drop individual semester-length courses without a dean’s approval, as well as withdraw their entire registration. A dean’s approval is still required for graduate students.
Students must obtain all authorizations (e.g., advisors, athletics, ISSS) and complete the drop/withdrawal process through MyUI by 4:30 p.m. CDT, Friday, May 7. Students who do not finalize their drops or withdrawals by that time will need to appeal for a drop to the dean of the college offering the course, or to the dean of their primary college of enrollment for withdrawals.
After 4:30 p.m. CDT, Friday, May 7, students will not be able to initiate drops or withdrawals in MyUI.
Undergraduate students will need to appeal for late drops to the dean of the college offering the course or for late withdrawal through their collegiate dean’s office. New drops/withdrawals can still be initiated by advisors/deans’ offices within MAUI through 4:30 p.m. CDT, Friday, May 14, and any required permission (e.g. dean, athletics, ISSS) can still be granted via MAUI. If approved, the student could finalize the drop/withdrawal in MyUI through 4:30 p.m. CDT, Friday, May 14.
The revised drop deadline does not include off-cycle courses that do not meet the entire length of the semester. A dean’s authorization from the college offering the course will be required to drop off-cycle courses after the stated course deadline.
Campus operations
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 1, 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: 1
- Total cases: 3,013
Employees
- New cases: 2
- Total cases: 445
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: 2**
*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.