For the third consecutive week, COVID-19 cases among UVM students have remained at a plateau, this week reporting 40 positive cases.

This week’s report showed a total of 22 off-campus cases and 18 on-campus cases, out of 16,213 test results received, based on test results collected between April 26 and May 1. 

For the second week in a row there were zero positive cases among faculty or staff.

The previous week, 44 students tested positive for the virus.

According to UVM’s weekly testing report, 48.78% of new cases last week came from students who were already in quarantine — an increase from the previous week’s 29.5%.

Chittenden County remains the highest reporting county with 262 cases in the last two weeks, nearly 100 less cases from the previous report, according to the Vermont Department of Health. 

UVM held a Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinic Sunday May 2 in the Patrick Gym, where 400 doses were administered to students and other members of the Burlington community, according to UVMs weekly testing report.

Gary Derr, VP for operations and public safety, stated in a May 4 email to the campus community that students who are fully vaccinated may request an exemption to test once a week instead of twice weekly. 

Derr also stated that students who test positive or develop symptoms of COVID-19 on or after May 9 and May 10, will not be able to attend May 20 and May 21 commencement ceremonies. 

The email also included updates on continued testing during the last weeks of the semester and into the summer.

Graduating students and other students staying past the end of classes must continue to test through late May, according to the email. 

Additionally, the email stated that students should get tested 48 hours before leaving Burlington to go home. 

Students staying on campus throughout the summer are required to continue to test every seven days. Students staying in Burlington but not on campus are encouraged to take advantage of COVID-19 testing on campus.