Hi everyone, I hope you’re all having a good week, it’s certainly been an interesting
one.
Before I get into COVID news, a few words about the election.
As we tape this show on Thursday morning, we still don’t know the results of the presidential
election and some congressional races.
It is difficult to wait, for sure, but we knew going into this that it might take a
few days to count the mail-in ballots, which is what is happening now.
I’m grateful for your patience, and I encourage you, once the results are known, to continue
to treat each other with respect and kindness.
As for Covid-related news:
Two weeks ago, we announced that we are planning to offer every student, regardless of whether
they are living on-Grounds or off, a COVID test before they leave the area for Thanksgiving.
Many of you had questions about this, and you can find more details on the testing process
in today’s “Return to Grounds” newsletter that went out earlier this morning . There
is also more information about testing for faculty and staff.
Last word on testing: I am delighted to report that we are increasing testing in the health
system for faculty, staff, and patients.
Health system team members can find more details in an email that went to the entire health
system community yesterday.
As we think about Thanksgiving, it’s also important to remember that we’re not there
yet.
Thanksgiving is still three weeks away, which is why it’s still important to keep wearing
masks, keep social distancing, and keep gatherings to no more than 10 people.
The good news is that, thanks to you, we are definitely on the right track.
There are currently 41 active COVID cases in the UVA community.
The number of new cases is the lowest it’s been since before students came back to Grounds
on August.
Our hospitalization numbers are also down, and we have plenty of quarantine and isolation
space available.
But we’ve also seen some things that make us a little anxious—especially over Halloween
weekend, when not everyone was following health and safety guidelines.
At the same time, the number of positive cases is on the rise nationally and within Virginia.
All of which means, as always, that we have to remain vigilant.
But we are quite close to the finish line now, with a bit over two weeks before the
start of Thanksgiving break and the end of in-person classes.
I want to thank all of you again—students, faculty, and staff, for getting us to this
point.
Back in August many people told us that what we were trying to do was impossible.
Yet as is often the case, serious challenges can bring out the best in a community—and
this challenge has brought out the best in so, so many of you.
Let’s finish strong and make it to Thanksgiving knowing that we stayed focused to the end
and that we more than earned our break.
Thanks for watching, and now over to Zeno.
What's up people, it’s Zeno and I’m back like I left something.
Coming to you with the #Youva team to talk all things Covid and news on grounds.
Thanksgiving and the holidays are approaching so the #YouVa team urges you to think ahead
about how you are planning to celebrate this year.
With Covid cases increasing across the country and flu season around the corner, it’s important
to make sure everyone is safe.
If you are planning to travel over the holidays keep these things in mind: 1.
There may be restrictions like mandatory quarantines or stay-at-home orders at your destination.
2.
Track the virus, look up the amount of active cases in the places you plan to travel to.
3.If you can, travel in a personal vehicle: try to complete that travel in one day, with
as few stops as possible.
If you're out of state like me, wear your mask and physically distance while using Public
transit with hand sanitizer on deck, It’s important to keep that on you.
Keep food and snacks on you too to limit unnecessary interactions.
And while it may be tough to miss turkey day with the family, do not travel if you are
sick or need to isolate or quarantine due to Covid infection or exposure.
Dr. Meredith Hayden, the Associate Director of Student Health and Wellness here on Grounds
has more information about how to keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season.
Thanks, Zeno.
I’m Dr. Meredith Hayden, Associate Executive Director of the Department of Student Health
and Wellness.
Thanks for this opportunity to talk with all of you.
I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about planning for the end of the semester.
Our Public health officials have warned that holiday travel, particularly by college students
back to their home communities, could increase viral spread across the country.
So now is the time to really double our efforts around COVID prevention.
You’ve probably heard about “Covid fatigue” creeping in as months have passed during the
pandemic.
These weeks leading up to the holidays are a really critical time.
By taking some simple precautions, right now, you can make a big difference.
First: Practice enhanced physical distancing and watch for symptoms of COVID.
Monitor your temperature every day and watch carefully for any new symptoms that suggest
COVID infection.
The Hoos Health Check is a great tool to help you stay on track.
Enhanced physical distancing means decreasing in person social gatherings.
The fewer in-person interactions you have, the less opportunity to become infected.
Be extra careful during the last 2 weeks before you leave Charlottesville.
When you do go out, practice all of the precautions that you’re now very familiar with- wear
a mask, stay 6 feet apart from others, and wash your hands frequently.
Second: Get tested for Covid: We know that many of you are anxious to be
tested due to travel plans and other concerns.
Please check your email and the Return to Grounds site for updates about testing options.
Please remember, a negative COVID test result is not a golden ticket.
While a negative test probably means you did not have COVID on the day of your test, it’s
also possible that it was too early for the test to detect your infection.
It’s also possible that you’ll become infected after your test.
The test is just one snapshot in time.
For these reasons, you should minimize contact with others for 14 days after leaving UVA
so that you do not unknowingly transmit COVID to your family, friends, or community.
And be especially mindful of grandparents or other loved ones who may be more at risk.
Third: Get a flu shot.
While we are all very focused, appropriately, on COVID prevention, we cannot overlook other
infections that pop up this time of year, like the flu.
Every year flu causes thousands of hospitalizations and deaths, not to mention days missed from
work and school.
The good news is that we have a vaccine!
Please take the time before you leave grounds to get a flu shot.
This will protect you and your family!
There are lots of great options for flu shots.
I got mine at work, my husband got his at the grocery store pharmacy, and my kids got
theirs at the doctor’s office.
Choose whichever option works best for you.
Finally, limit travel to and from Charlottesville.
Once you leave for Thanksgiving or winter break, the University asks that you not return
to Charlottesville unless absolutely necessary before the start of the spring semester.
We have managed to keep virus prevalence low in our community thanks to your participation
in prevention efforts.
With the virus spiking in many parts of the country, back-and-forth travel puts our community
at risk.
Faculty and staff have worked hard to make final exams, projects, and an enriching J-Term
experience totally virtual.
Let’s all continue to do our part to stay safe this holiday season.
Back to you Zeno.
Thanks, Dr. Hayden.
We talk a lot about caring for the Charlottesville community but we need to show it.
Do not come back until Feb 1st. if you can help it.
For this episode's Good News segment, let’s look at how the Cavalier Marching Band has
stayed connected through CoVid.
Normally around this time of year, the cavalier marching band would be doing their rehearsals,
preparing for football games.
We'd be rushing to the buses.
We all have these songs we sing them on the bus and scream out the windows and try to
get the blood pumping before we go in for the game.
Obviously, this year is different with the situation with Covid.
Right now, a lot of people are playing in a practice room alone which is not what band's
about.
It's about being together.
When we were asked to provide some music for the games, knowing that we wouldn't be there,
we immediately thought this would be a way to get the band together.
All right let's give it a shot all right here we go.
Everybody records alone except the drum line.
All the wind players have to play alone right now.
We recorded the drum line standing in a 10-foot grid and we laid that down as sort of a master
track and then Michael Idzior, the other band director and i are laying down the wind tracks
for the instruments that we play and then we'll give that to the students and they'll
play with us effectively and eventually we'll have a file with a hundred or so many tracks.
Personally, I’ve loved this project!
It's something fun to distract you from, you know, all the stresses.
We'll at least have our presence at football games.
Coming to university is obviously a really scary thing and you don't know that many people
but as soon as you join the CMB you know you instantly have like over 300 friends so the
CMB is really like a 300-person family.
I know as soon as this situation is over when we can meet in person that there's going to
be like this great reunion.
As I record this on Wednesday, we’re still waiting to hear about the outcome of a divisive
presidential election.
This is my last show of 2020 but I’m hopeful for more dialogue and discussion when we all
come back to Grounds next spring, more importantly I’d like to see some action to uplift marginalized
communities here at UVA and others who we know are struggling around and among us.
Since I expect we might all need to chill out a bit over these next few weeks.
I’m leaving you in the very capable hands of amateur yogi, Nia Augustine.
I'm still feeling some type of way that she said she’s the more mindful half: I mean
I listen to Jhene Aiko from time to time and I own a yoga mat so what is she really trying
to say.?
Before I head out, remember that the Credit/No Credit deadline is 11:59 on November 6th.
Hit the @YOUva team on Instagram or email us at youva@virginia.edu with questions, concerns,
and good news.
This has been Zeno and I'm out, like a light.