The new University management, headed by Vice-Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt, has taken its first decision on the coronavirus situation at the University, extending the previous Vice-Chancellor’s decisions on measures to combat the spread of infection until 7 February. In doing so, Uppsala University is following the government guidelines.
However, the Vice-Chancellor’s decision exempts ten programmes in the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, on exceptional grounds. The vast majority of activities at the University, though, will continue to be conducted online. This applies both to education and to other types of work.
To summarise the infection situation, as of 22 January there have been 515 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the autumn semester 2020.
This figure breaks down as follows:
- 429 Bachelor’s and Master’s students (including 9 cases at Campus Gotland) – an increase of 6 cases.
- 11 doctoral students – no increase.
- 75 members of staff – an increase of 8 cases, including 1 case at Campus Gotland.
If you are confirmed infected, the Communicable Diseases Act requires you to inform people who have been in your proximity and whom you may have infected.
Uppsala University has created an online procedure to help you do this anonymously.
If you are confirmed infected with COVID-19, it is very important that you make sure to stay at home: do not go to campus, to exam rooms or to work – and keep up to date with the infection control unit’s rules of conduct.
Across the disciplinary domains
The 429 Bachelor’s and Master’s students confirmed infected are distributed across the disciplinary domains as follows (change from previous week in parentheses):
- Hum/Sam – 169 (+3) confirmed cases
- Med/Farm – 203 (+2) confirmed cases
- Tek/Nat – 57 (+1) confirmed cases
The confirmed cases can be linked to 237 different courses and programmes (different semesters). 93 courses/programmes have more than two confirmed cases.
Managing confirmed infections in education
When an infection is confirmed, the disciplinary domain concerned deals with the question of whether teaching should continue to be conducted on campus (if that is currently being done) or whether there is reason to switch to online education. Region Uppsala carries out contact tracing and contacts the individuals deemed necessary in view of the contacts reported by the infected person. The University has no responsibility for this process.
Number of cases in Region Uppsala and in Region Gotland
Number of people confirmed infected in Region Uppsala: week 53 (28 Dec-3 January)1363, week 01 (4-10 January) 1120 and week 02 (11-17 January) 689.
Number of people confirmed infected in Region Gotland: week 53 (28 Dec-3 January) 116, week 01 (4-10 Jauary) 155 and week 02 (11-17 January) 83.
Source: Public Health Agency of Sweden
Number of people vaccinated in Uppsala County
As of 21 January, 7,003 county residents had received their first dose of the vaccine and 55 of these had also received a second dose.
The Communicable Diseases Act requires:
If you are confirmed infected, the Communicable Diseases Act requires you to inform people whom you suspect you may have infected. As part of Uppsala University’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection, the University has created an online procedure to help you do this anonymously.
To test or not to test
The infection control doctor in Uppsala County requests those who have been confirmed infected not to get tested again after recovering from COVID-19. Doing so has no medical benefits and is an unnecessary drain on testing resources. Resources for PCR testing in Region Uppsala are under great strain.
The previously announced guidelines, decision and supplementary decisions for reducing the spread of COVID-19 infection remain in effect.