COVID-19 Response: Testing and vaccination updates for employees
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In this fourth week of instruction, we are pleased to report that the vast majority of our campus community members are complying with the enhanced COVID-19 testing requirements. There were very few issues last week as we began enforcing building restrictions based on the Safer Badgers app. Thank you!
We are seeing an increase in cases among students, particularly those living off campus. Just as important as the testing and building access requirements are actions like wearing face coverings, avoiding gatherings, practicing physical distancing, and washing one’s hands frequently. To keep COVID-19 from spreading, we need to do all these things consistently.
We appreciate your continued cooperation – it is critical to helping our community stay healthy.
Testing
- The testing site at the Health Sciences Learning Center, 750 Highland Ave., has reopened after a brief closure to reconfigure its physical layout.
- The Kohl Center testing site, 601 West Dayton St., is now open on Sundays (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.).
- A reminder that you do not need a green “access granted” Badger Badge screen to enter a campus building for a COVID-19 test or a vaccination.
Vaccine
- Since Jan. 5, University Health Services has provided more than 7,000 vaccinations at no cost to eligible employees and students. This includes both first and second doses.
- Right now, eligible members of campus include: those who perform direct patient service duties, including physicians and students with clinical roles, that bring them in contact with patients who are able to transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus. (This includes medical, nursing, pharmacy, social work and education students in clinical settings); COVID-19 testing staff, and researchers and other personnel who have direct contact with virus and virus specimens; employees of the UW Police Department; and active members of the campus community aged 65 and older.
- Beginning on or around March 1, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services will expand eligibility to include the following individuals at UW–Madison: those working in education and childcare (including faculty and staff with direct student contact); some public-facing essential workers (including utilities and communications infrastructure personnel); non-frontline essential health care personnel (including those who perform health care support roles, such as cleaning). The pace at which the university is able to vaccinate depends on vaccine availability. Learn more
How to get help
- If you have a question not addressed by our FAQs, you can email covidresponse@vc.wisc.edu or call the UW–Madison COVID-19 Assistance Line at (608) 262-7777.
- Please continue to check the COVID-19 Response website for updates.