Chancellor Gold: Rising COVID-19 Cases and What You Can Do

Dear Mavericks,

On Friday, Oct. 16, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts provided an update on the spread of COVID-19 in the state of Nebraska. Cases are on the rise, and access to hospital resources is decreasing.

Given this news, Governor Ricketts increased directed public health measures to further reduce the spread of COVID-19 and optimize hospital utilization. 

Within the University of Nebraska at Omaha community, our practices and plans have fortunately led to a very small number of cases spread on campus. That said, as our COVID-19 Health Reporting Dashboard shows, members of the UNO family continue to be exposed to COVID-19 through their interactions in the Omaha community. While we can be proud of the steps we’ve taken, we must also recognize how COVID-19 can continue to impact everyone at UNO and beyond.

Now is a time where UNO can and must lead in helping our community past this pandemic.

We have to be vigilant about our health so that any illnesses we may have, even if we are showing few symptoms, do not spread to others. This is why we ask that all members of the UNO community download and utilize the 1-Check UNO app and use it daily, whether or not you come to campus on a given day.

Careful monitoring of our own health conditions can be an early warning system, catching cases before they spread out in the community.

We ask that everyone utilize the app daily – either for Android, Apple iOS, or the web version – and report any concerning findings to either the UNO Office of Health Security or the Douglas County Public Health Department.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, test positive for COVID-19, or come into close contact with someone who has tested positive, we strongly encourage you to fill out and submit a BRT form. Remember: Testing options are available through Test Nebraska and the Nebraska Medicine UNO Health Center should you need them.

All UNO students, faculty, and staff can find the latest information and resources related to the university’s COVID-19 response on the Fall Forward website.

It is vital that we take every step possible to continue curbing the disease in our UNO family and in the community we serve. 

In the Maverick Spirit,

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.

Chancellor