COVID-19 cases among UNF students and employees have erupted to the highest levels ever recorded. Last week, Spinnaker reported how in the week prior to the start of the Spring semester, almost all COVID-19 records for new cases among students, both on and off campus, and employees were broken by the first week of 2022.

That record has been shattered by the first week of classes, with an increase of over 300 percent in total new COVID-19 cases. A total of 235 new cases were confirmed last week among UNF students and employees, compared to 78 total the previous week.

In addition to shattering the highest number of cases overall since the start of the pandemic nearly two years ago, it also contains the highest number of cases in every sub-category as well, with 56 on-campus student cases, 132 off-campus cases, and 47 employees. Last week alone had more cases overall and in every sub-category than an entire month since the start of the pandemic. 

This comes as some faculty have shared their concerns about these rising cases throughout January with UNF Administration. Their first letter was written just a few days into January, before statistics on UNF cases were recorded and released. Their main concern at the time was a report from UF published in December that predicted a dramatic increase throughout January of 2022. The cases have certainly followed this projection so far, although there are two weeks of January left.

Spinnaker will keep you updated as these cases are monitored and when and if the UNF Administration plans any change to its current COVID-19 policies.

The official log of UNF COVID cases can be found here.

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