UPDATE: CDC Recommendations and COVID-19 Variants
Dear UTRGV Family:
As we continue to prepare for our return to campus this Fall Semester, we want to provide information regarding the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and the COVID-19 Delta variant.
The CDC on Tuesday updated its Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.
UTRGV’s current protocols align with these new CDC recommendations. As the university has stated numerous times before, our approach to safely and successfully returning to campus this fall is one of personal responsibility. As a Texas public institution, UTRGV cannot require you to get vaccinated against COVID-19, nor can the university require you to wear a face covering on campus. However, we strongly encourage everyone to follow these five proven and effective practices to mitigate your risk of contracting COVID-19.
In addition, UTRGV has updated its face covering protocols to reflect the CDC’s latest recommendations.
Delta Variant
The CDC’s updated recommendations for fully vaccinated people are in response to the current nationwide increase of COVID-19 cases due to the highly contagious delta variant. The vaccines remain largely effective in combatting COVID-19 and its variants, and the new recommendations are an added layer of precaution against the spread of the delta variant.
The good news is that more than 82% of our students and 88% of our faculty and staff who responded through the UTRGV Vaccine Portal have indicated that they are vaccinated. This exceeds our county numbers, which are among the highest in the state, at 66% in Hidalgo County and 68% in Cameron County.
It Is Not Too Late
UT Health RGV continues to provide vaccines to our campus community, and we strongly recommend that you access your vaccine profile to update your vaccination status and/or schedule a vaccine in advance.
You can also simply walk into our student and/or employee health clinics in Brownsville, Edinburg or Harlingen to receive the vaccine. If you have not received your second dose, this is your reminder!
For the latest update on campus operations and resources related to the fall semester, please visit the Welcome Back website. If you have any questions or concerns, please email WelcomeBack@utrgv.edu.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Hocker, Dean, School of Medicine
Dr. Michael Dobbs, Chief Medical Officer