We’re almost there – all of your hard work and following the safe and healthy requirements has gotten us this far. Let’s keep it up and finish strong. As we enter the last few weeks of the semester, it is important for you to start preparing now for your Thanksgiving and Winter Break plans. With COVID-19 continuing to be a global pandemic, here are some things you need to know:
COVID-19 testing before Thanksgiving break
The university’s surveillance testing program for off-campus students will continue through the week of November 16. We encourage students to...
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD and Jay Kasey | October 29, 2020
Dear Students:
We are entering what promises to be another exciting weekend. While we all want to enjoy ourselves, please remember to stay safe and healthy and recognize that our gatherings must look different as a result of the ongoing coronavirus threat.
We strongly encourage our entire Buckeye family to make every game a "home" game , whether you watch from your residence hall or your house off-campus. We must continue to prioritize the safety of our fellow Buckeyes by limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, wearing masks and practicing physical distancing.
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | October 27, 2020
The seven-day average positivity rate for all students is at .88%. On campus, the seven-day average rate is .64% while the off-campus rate is 1.25%. We have expanded our testing efforts to approximately 18,000 each week, and have conducted more than 165,000 tests overall .
Last week, Ohio State’s Comprehensive Monitoring Team issued its initial report on ongoing data analysis designed to stem the spread of infection. The report observed that the reproduction number (Rt) has remained stable, primarily below 1, which is an indicator that the epidemic may be slowing....
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD and Gene Smith | October 23, 2020
Dear Ohio State Community,
Ohio State football is back this weekend and we are looking forward to cheering the Buckeyes on to a win against Nebraska. As you may know, other than player and coach family members, there won’t be fans at The ‘Shoe. While we wish we could all be together in the stands, these efforts are making it possible for us to have a safe season and protect Buckeye Nation.
Game Day might look different than years past or what you expected your first home game to be like, but the spirit of football season and...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | October 19, 2020
Because you are wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart and practicing good hygiene, Ohio State continues to be a leader in fighting COVID-19, and we are able to continue to be on campus together living, working, researching, teaching and learning.
This month, the university expanded testing to include selected asymptomatic faculty and staff whose job responsibilities require them to have consistent or sustained in-person contact with other members of our university community. Employees eligible for this program will receive an email from the university explaining the process.
We continue to build on our existing protocols,...
Melissa S. Shivers, PhD and Morley O. Stone, PhD | October 15, 2020
Dear Student, To most efficiently and effectively serve our campus community and support our COVID- 19 testing needs, the university will transition the student surveillance testing to an oncampus lab and scheduling/results delivery tool. This change will allow the university to test and process results more quickly and affordably, and your on-site experience at the Jesse Owens North testing facility will be more efficient because less saliva will be required. This transition will change how you schedule your testing appointment(s) and where you receive your results. For the testing process, students will begin using the Ohio State MyChart patient portal...
Bruce A. McPheron, PhD, Executive VP and Provost; Harold L. Paz, MD, Executive VP and Chancellor for Health Affairs, CEO, Wexner Medical Center; Susan Basso, Senior VP, Talent, Culture and Human Resources; Melissa Shivers, PhD, VP, Student Life | October 7, 2020
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
This year, the flu and COVID-19 will be circulating at the same time, increasing the risk of being exposed to both viruses. The combination of the two viruses could be life-threatening.
This is why it is important — now more than ever — to get your flu shot to help keep you and your family, friends and peers healthy and safe.
All students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to get a flu shot as soon as possible, whether you have returned to a campus or are at...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | September 25, 2020
Your commitment to safety is evident in the results of our testing program, which show that the seven-day average positivity rate for all students is 1.7% and has decreased nearly every day for 14 days.
Dear student leaders: You’ve heard the term ‘Together As Buckeyes’ a lot over the past few weeks, and I want to thank you for considering this an action statement and commitment, as well as a rallying cry. As you know, we have been closely monitoring positive COVID-19 cases among students and I am pleased to share that we continue to see stabilized results and a continued decrease in rates. With this in mind, effective tomorrow (Wednesday, September 23), we will resume the opportunity for student organizations to hold gatherings of ten or fewer people; as a reminder, a gathering is...
