University of Georgia
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Date:
Posted on
To:
  • UGA Faculty, Staff, and Students
From:
  • Dr. Garth Russo, Executive Director of the University Health Center and Chair of the Medical Oversight Task Force
  • Marsha Davis, Dean of the College of Public Health
  • Dr. Lisa Nolan, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Dr. Shelley Nuss, Campus Dean of the AU/UGA Medical Partnership

Thank you for your diligent efforts to keep our campus community safe and healthy throughout this academic year. As we near the end of the Spring Semester, we want to share a few COVID-related plans regarding the transition to summer.

Vaccines

The University Health Center is vaccinating any member of the UGA community who wants to be vaccinated, and that service will continue over the summer. If you will not be in the Athens area, there are many alternate vaccination sites located throughout the state where you will be able to obtain or complete the vaccine series. However, you will be able to be served by the University Health Center, even after the May commencement ceremonies, should a return to Athens be more convenient for you. All three current vaccines are offered at the UHC, and access to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will resume by May 3, if not sooner. Students and employees should not delay getting vaccinated! Make your appointment via our portal.

Surveillance

Surveillance testing will continue in the summer. Since we anticipate demand for testing to decline, testing will be relocated from Legion Field to the University Health Center on Monday, May 17. For the safety of your family and friends, please consider getting tested prior to leaving campus for the summer if you are not fully vaccinated. Appointments will continue to be booked via the Vet View scheduling process, and the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab will continue to perform the tests.

DawgCheck

As of Monday, May 17, we will discontinue the daily e-mail reminder to perform the DawgCheck symptom screener. However, we encourage you to stay at home if you become ill or until you have excluded COVID-19 as the cause of your symptoms. UGA adheres to current CDC quarantine and isolation guidance and requires that it be followed. If you receive a positive test for COVID-19, you must continue to report it through the DawgCheck Test Reporting Survey. 

Thank you for supporting the many health and safety instructions that we have issued over the last year. Your participation has helped us truly remain Georgia Strong/Dawg Strong.  

Please remain vigilant and safe in all your summer endeavors as we look forward to the hope of a more normal Fall 2021!