Dear Hawkeye students:

I hope you are enjoying your time during winter break!

Following current guidance from the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, the University of Iowa will begin the spring semester as planned with in-person classes and activities on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

Johnson County and the university campus are experiencing a surge in positive COVID-19 cases. You can find the seven-day rolling average on the university’s coronavirus webpage. So, as you prepare to return, please consider taking additional measures to protect your health and the health of our community.

Get boosted: You can get a COVID-19 vaccination at a variety of locations including health clinics, grocery stores, and pharmacies. Find a location near you at vaccines.gov or get your booster or flu shot at Student Health.

Get tested: Prior to the start of the semester, consider requesting a free COVID-19 test for pick-up or mail delivery through Test Iowa. 

Wear a mask: The university strongly encourages face coverings in all indoor spaces regardless of your vaccination status. Level 1 medical-grade masks are available in all campus buildings.

Avoid large gatherings: Practice social distancing when possible. 

The university will continue to follow enhanced cleaning protocols and air handling measures while maintaining support services for students. We know this is not what we were expecting at this point in the pandemic, especially after a challenging fall semester; however, there is reason for optimism: 

• Roughly 77% of people 18 years and older are fully vaccinated in Johnson County (74% aged 5 and older)
• The vaccines are working effectively to prevent serious illness from COVID-19; the vast majority of breakthrough cases are mild in symptoms and the time period for quarantining has been shortened to five days
• Booster or third-shot vaccines are widely available and are FDA approved for all those aged 12 and older

We can get through this together with everyone’s continued vigilance. If you have questions or need assistance transitioning back to campus, please do not hesitate to reach out to Student Care and Assistance.

Look for additional communication as the semester approaches and find resources and information at coronavirus.uiowa.edu. We can’t wait to see you and thank you for all you are doing to ensure a healthy Hawkeye community.

Angie Reams
Associate vice president and dean of students