This weekly newsletter contains important information about UW-Eau Claire’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and offers Blugolds details on how to access key resources and assist others on our campuses and in our communities.
Volunteers needed as community testing extended at Memorial High School
Due to great demand, additional testing days have been added to the calendar at the community antigen-testing site at Eau Claire Memorial High School. The response from the community and university has been amazing. Blugolds, and in many instances their significant others, have stepped up to help the community during this time of need. UW-Eau Claire has orchestrated the volunteer team needed to support this site, and Blugolds are still needed to help on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays this month. Volunteers are critical to the success of the surge testing site, and the main duties for volunteers include guiding the flow of traffic, answering questions from community members and verifying registration appointments. UW-Eau Claire provides personal protective equipment (masks, shields and gloves) to volunteers, who are needed for the following dates: Dec. 9, Dec. 12, Dec. 13, Dec. 16, Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. Shifts are from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Those interested should contact Arjen van Dijk.
Antigen testing required for all those on campus this month
Students, faculty and staff who returned to campus or will be visiting campus this month are required to take antigen tests to help stop the spread of the virus. For Blugolds on the Eau Claire campus, antigen tests are required twice per week. On the Rice Lake campus, one antigen test per week is required. Between tests, Blugolds must remain separate, wear masks, maintain physical distancing and monitor for symptoms. All students, faculty and staff are required to log their antigen test results along with their daily symptoms in the Blugold Protocol app. This includes days when you are not expecting to come to campus in Eau Claire, Marshfield or Barron County. You can find more information on the Blugold Protocol app on the university webpage. Students who are enrolled in all remote instruction classes and will not be on campus this month, for Winterim 2021 or the spring 2021 semester, are not required to use the Blugold Protocol app.
Davies Center COVID-19 testing continues
Students, faculty, staff and their dependents should continue to be tested using the free antigen tests available to all who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. Testing is available and encouraged for all UW-Eau Claire students who live off campus and for employees and their dependents aged 5 and older. The site in the Dakota Ballroom of Davies Center is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Access to Davies Center will be through the southwest service doors next to the loading dock to isolate the testing queue from the rest of the building. The Davies Center doors nearest The Cabin will remain “exit only” doors as they have been since the start of the semester. Testing also is available in the gym on the Rice Lake campus from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 9 and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 10. Registration is available online here.
COVID-19 resources online
If you want up-to-date information on COVID-19 and UW-Eau Claire’s response to the pandemic, visit the university’s COVID-19 Updates webpage, where you can find past editions of this newsletter, video messages from Chancellor Schmidt and important emails that have been shared with campus.
Vital Statistics
(as of noon Thursday, Dec. 3)
Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
Worldwide: 65,198,200
United States: 14,363,909
Wisconsin: 395,090
Eau Claire County: 8,052
Barron County: 3,758
Wood County: 4,622
UW-Eau Claire COVID-19 Dashboard, updated daily
Look for the next Blugold Flight Plan newsletter on Dec. 10.
