COVID on campus

New information about required antigen testing at UWEC and Wisconsin vaccination

More stories from Lauren Spierings

COVID on campus
March 24, 2021
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The news column “COVID on campus” posts relevant COVID-19 news every week for UWEC students.

UW-Eau Claire found no new cases of COVID-19 infections among those tested at Zorn Arena yesterday.

As of 3:15 p.m. on March 30, there were no new positive cases of COVID-19 among the weekly 347 on-campus student tests, 226 off-campus student tests and 103 staff and faculty tests. 

According to the UW-Eau Claire COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 36,378 COVID-19 tests given since Jan. 23. A total of 52 tests have come back positive in that time, which is an increase of one case since last week.

There are two students living in isolation on campus. Additionally, there are three on-campus students currently in quarantine. 

According to the Barron County data provided, there are no new positive cases of COVID-19 among the 16 student tests and 12 staff and faculty tests given weekly.

As of 7:10 a.m. on March 30, the information from the Eau Claire City-County Health Department said there are three new student-connected positive cases of COVID-19 and no new staff or faculty cases. 

Since September of 2020, there have been a total of 1,096 positive student-connected cases of COVID-19, which has not changed from last week’s total. Additionally, there have been a total of 47 staff and faculty-connected cases, which has not risen since last week either.

UW-Eau Claire students received an email today, March 31, from Grace Crickette, the vice chancellor of Finance and Administration, regarding vaccine eligibility and antigen testing for students.

The email, sent at approximately 11:41 a.m., said everyone above the age of 16 will be eligible for the vaccine starting on Monday, April 5.

Additionally, the email said those who have been completely vaccinated and have registered their status in the Blugold Protocol App may cease the required antigen testing two weeks after their completed vaccine. There will be more to come on this.

Governor Tony Evers tweeted that Wisconsin is “leading the nation” in vaccinating people with the announcement that everyone over the age of 16 will be eligible starting on Monday. According to Evers’ reply tweet, 2.7 million vaccines have been administered as of March 30.

According to National Public Radio and its interactive vaccination map, Wisconsin is sorted into the highest percentage of the population fully vaccinated at 18.2% as of March 29.

Other states in this category include:

  • Alaska with 22.0%
  • Maine with 19.3%
  • Montana with 18.2%
  • North Dakota with 19.9%
  • South Dakota with 21.9%
  • Wyoming with 18.1%
  • Minnesota with 18.1%
  • Iowa with 19.0%
  • New Mexico with 23.1%
  • West Virginia with 18.5%
  • Massachusetts with 18.2%
  • Rhode Island with 20.1%
  • Connecticut with 19.6%
  • Hawaii with 18.3%

Additionally, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa also fall into the above 18% of the population fully vaccinated category. Other U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are currently listed in the below 16% of the population fully vaccinated category.

In Eau Claire County, there have been a total of 11,247 positive cases of COVID-19 infections, according to the Eau Claire County Information Hub. This is an increase of 60 positive cases since last week.

There have been 49,814 negative tests of COVID-19. Additionally, there have been a confirmed 105 deaths due to COVID-19 in Eau Claire County. This total has not risen since last week.

The information hub said that 3.3% of the total cases have required necessary hospitalization, which is 375 cases at this time.

There are currently 78 active cases, with a reported 11,062 cases considered as recovered cases. 

Spierings can be reached at [email protected].