Campus Update – Matrix Scoring, Community Expectations
Due to inadequate compliance with campus testing requirements, high community transmissibility in Pitt County and limited Vidant Medical Center capacity, the University remains at a MODERATE risk level with no changes to community expectations. The CDC COVID Data Tracker continues to list Pitt County as an area of High community transmission and recommends that everyone should wear a mask in public, indoor settings.
Our campus remains at a very low risk with 9-10 new cases per week over the past 14-day period. The campus positivity rate continues to stay well below 1%. The total campus community vaccination rate has now reached 76% with employees at 84%. Unfortunately, about 36% (373) of our unvaccinated students failed to get tested within the prescribed timeframe.
Students who failed to provide documentation of testing this semester were notified on Oct. 22 that their PirateID would be deactivated if they did not take action by 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26. If deactivated, students are unable to access their university email account, Canvas or any other system requiring their university PirateID. To avoid deactivation, students had to do one of the following: submit documentation of PCR testing through the Mako Clinic on campus, upload proof to their MyPiratechart of being PCR tested at another facility, upload a completed vaccination card or proof of diagnosis of COVID-19 in the past 90 days. By Nov. 1 at 2 p.m., 372 of 745 deactivated accounts were in compliance and reinstated.
For faculty and staff who are not compliant with university testing requirements, guidance on the progressive discipline process that will be followed can be found under the Testing Non-Compliance Matrix tab in the Resources section of the Return of Pirate Nation website.
Pitt County community data continues to improve with reductions in new cases and hospitalizations. The positivity rate remains elevated at 5.6%. Please continue to wear masks indoors, encourage friends and family to get vaccinated and complete the weekly testing as soon as possible after being notified.
Our campus and community risk continues to improve thanks to our collective efforts. Thank you.
– Bill Koch, Associate Vice Chancellor, Campus Safety, Co-Chair, COVID Coordination Committee