Weekly COVID-19 Update

August 25, 2021

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Cocky receives his COVID-19 vaccine at a campus vaccine clinicAs you begin to settle into a routine for this semester, please stay alert to the risks of COVID-19. To prevent infection of yourself and those around you, please make good choices in social settings and wear your mask indoors and in common public spaces.     

Please review the following updates and tips: 

  • There is a vaccination clinic for the College of Education and Professional Studies scheduled for Monday, August 30, 3-7 p.m., at Ramona Wood Hall. If you would like to receive your vaccine, please register online
  • For groups on campus, you can schedule your organization’s own vaccine clinic for groups of 10 or more. Simply email covidquestions@jsu.edu  with the organization’s name, a phone number for a contact person, and a count of how many individuals want the vaccine.  
  • As campus events occur, know the risk and make note of the potential exposures around you. Exposures occur if you have been in close contact (within six feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period), unmasked, who has COVID-19. If you consider yourself exposed, please email your exposure information to covidquestions@jsu.edu  in order to participate in an interview and determine self-quarantine time. 
  • If you begin experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, report to the RMC/JSU Health Center immediately for rapid testing. Testing is offered for free Monday-Friday, 8-11 a.m., and no appointment is needed. If you test positive, please remember to complete our campus Self Reporting Form, which helps us check on you and exposures.   
  • For exposures and positive results, communication with contact tracers is a matter of campus safety. If one of our JSU contact tracers reaches out to you, please respond to them and assist in providing the important information they need. They will try by phone, text and email.  
  • Talk with your trusted physician or pharmacist and, if you are medically able, get the vaccine as soon as possible. Over 200 Gamecocks recently chose to receive their COVID vaccination at our on-campus vaccine sites over the past two weeks. Local availability can be found at vaccines.gov, and individual appointments may be scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-3 p.m., by calling the RMC/JSU Student Health Center at 256-782-5310.
  • Vaccine Incentive Funds are available to our faculty, staff and students who are fully vaccinated before October 15. Please claim your rewards by completing the Vaccination Incentive Form, found under the “Featured Links” within your MyJSU account. 

Many new cases are being reported for our area and more individuals are requiring hospitalization from the severe effects of the virus. If we all do our part, we can reduce risks and case numbers. Stay well. 

In Service,  

Michael Barton  
Director of Public Safety & COVID-19 Task Force Leader