Staring down a(nother) COVID surge - COVID-19 Resource Center

Medical communities across the world continue to sound the alarm about the Delta COVID-19 variant, which is causing severe disease, hospitalizations, and death, particularly among those who are unvaccinated.

Monroe County data

Here in Monroe County, we are at a significant fork in the COVID crossroads:

Infection rates currently top 4%—a rate not seen since late January
The 7-day rolling average of new cases is over 150 new cases per day
Hospitalizations at Strong Memorial related to COVID have doubled since July 31
The number of employees reporting COVID exposures has spiked in recent days

To see the latest data on cases in the University community specifically, visit our COVID-19 dashboard.

Our health care workers, who have helped our community through the last two surges, need all of us to pitch in and do everything we can to tamp down what surely is looking like a third wave of COVID.

COVID-19 testing

Frequent COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated staff starts September 20.

Face masking

The University has reinstated face mask requirements while indoors on campus, at the Medical Center, or any University facility.

Complete Dr. Chat Bot

All students, and URMC faculty and staff, are required to take the Dr. Chat Bot health screening daily.

Direct patient care exposure testing

More measures will be put into place to further strengthen COVID protections in direct patient care.

The Medical Center will begin to require one-time testing for fully vaccinated Medical Center faculty and staff who are asymptomatic—but have had a COVID exposure. This is a distinct program from the required testing for faculty and staff who chose not to or cannot be vaccinated.

The testing will occur on the fifth day after exposure and will be free to employees so long as it is coordinated with Employee Health.

Testing procedures remain unchanged for asymptomatic unvaccinated employees and all symptomatic employees.

Message from URMC Chief Medical Officer

“We MUST use every available weapon in our tool kit to keep our faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors safe, and prevent another surge of COVID in our community,” says Michael Apostolakos, MD, the University of Rochester’s Chief Medical Officer.

“Our health care workers, who have helped our community through the last two surges, need all of us to pitch in and do everything we can to tamp down what surely is looking like a third wave of COVID.”

See an overview of the latest health and safety guidelines on University campuses on our Keep Rochester safe page. Thank you for everything you’re doing to help stop the spread.

See the latest guidelines