2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

COVID 19 | UF

UF Health estimates three quarters of UF students have been vaccinated, county approaches 50% of population vaccinated

By Juliana Ferrie and Alexandra Harris | May 17, 2021

Experts at UF Health estimate between 70% and 80% of UF students have been vaccinated. At least 70% of the population needs to be immune to reach herd immunity, but other factors, such as variants and how people interact, can affect this level.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF testing rates decrease as students leave campus for the Summer

By Alexandra Harris | May 12, 2021

As of Tuesday, 116 UF students and 39 UF employees are currently in isolation or quarantined.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

More than 130 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Abigail Hasebroock | May 12, 2021

As of Tuesday night, there are eight students and three staff members who reported a positive test result to ACPS in the past 10 days.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: On-campus testing still at 1% positivity rate

By Manny Rea | Apr. 21, 2021

From April 12 to Tuesday, nine UF employees and 70 students have tested positive for the virus — about half the number of employees and the same number of students who tested positive last week.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

More than 160 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Lucille Lannigan | Apr. 21, 2021

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 16 active student cases and two active staff cases, representing students and staff who reported a positive test result to ACPS in the past 10 days. The district’s total enrollment is 26,679.

COVID 19 | UF

A year later, a shroud of uncertainty still surrounds UF’s COVID-19 numbers

By Kevin Maher | Apr. 19, 2021

The Alligator spent two months analyzing and comparing state, county and university data. It found that the number of cases and tests reported by UF don’t match the cases in state reports. After talking to representatives and officials across the state, some pointed to different reporting methods and all directed to different agencies for explanations of how they report their numbers. Meanwhile, epidemiologists provided possible explanations for patterns and vagueness in university and state data.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF quarantine numbers on- and off-campus drop steadily over week

By Manny Rea | Apr. 14, 2021

A week after UF began vaccinating students, faculty and staff ages 16 and older, the university’s COVID-19 isolation numbers steadily decreased. Daily COVID-19 tests have also remained at a seven-day average positivity rate of 1% since March 12.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

More than 140 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Jiselle Lee | Apr. 14, 2021

As of Tuesday night, there were nine active student cases and five active staff cases, representing students and staff who have reported a positive test result to ACPS in the past 10 days. The district’s total enrollment is 26,660 students.

Isabel Crist, 19, (left) a UF telecommunication freshman, receives her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, April 5, 2021. Monday was the first day COVID-19 vaccines were made widely available to UF students.

COVID 19 | UF

UF holds mass COVID-19 vaccination effort for campus community at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

By Manny Rea | Apr. 7, 2021

The same day Florida opened vaccine eligibility to people ages 16 and up, UF opened its landmark stadium to students, staff and faculty to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF campus’ positivity rate steady at 1% as affiliates get vaccinated

By Manny Rea | Apr. 7, 2021

Since March 29, 15 UF employees and 126 students have tested positive for the virus at on-campus locations. In the seven days before that, 12 employees and 176 students tested positive.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

More than 60 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Lucille Lannigan | Apr. 7, 2021

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are seven active student cases and five active staff cases, representing students and staff who reported a positive test result to ACPS in the past 10 days. The district’s total enrollment is 26,664.

East Hall residents were relocated last semester to make more quarantine rooms for Spring. Now the rooms remain untouched with only three weeks of the semester left.

COVID 19 | UF

UF quarantine dorms keep a low capacity through the Spring semester

By Manny Rea | Apr. 5, 2021

As more students moved onto campus and registered for face-to-face classes, the university moved all of East Hall's residents out during the Fall to create an additional quarantine facility. However, the dorms have been used sparsely since January — East Hall hasn’t housed a single student this semester.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF cases constant at 1% positivity rate as vaccines open to affiliates on campus

By Manny Rea | Mar. 31, 2021

Since March 22, 12 UF employees and 176 students have tested positive for the virus at on-campus locations. The week before, nine employees and 109 students tested positive.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: Weekly trends stay the same as the Spring semester nears it final month

By Manny Rea | Mar. 24, 2021

Since March 15, nine UF employees and 109 students have tested positive for the virus at on-campus locations. Total positive tests amount to 9,270 since March 18, 2020 as of Monday.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF’s positivity rate and quarantine count experience slight rise after Spring lows

By Manny Rea | Mar. 17, 2021

Since March 8, nine UF employees and 116 students have tested positive through on-campus sites. The week prior, 11 employees and 20 students tested positive.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

More than 35 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Daniella Sevares | Mar. 17, 2021

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are five active student cases and two active staff cases, representing students and staff who reported a positive test result to ACPS in the past 10 days.

Dr. Joseph Tyndall receives the second Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administered at UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital on Dec. 16, 2020. (photo by Julia Coin)

COVID 19 | UF

Falling COVID-19 cases, rising vaccines and emerging variants approach the county one year later

By Manny Rea | Mar. 12, 2021

With downward trending cases and increasing vaccine availability, things are finally starting to look up in Alachua County. But it comes after months of watching the number of cases and death toll rise. Here's how UF and Alachua County managed the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Harris, a 91-year-old homeless person, receives his second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Vaccines were given to St. Francis House staff members and homeless people by Gainesville Fire Rescue firefighters and paramedics.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

Gainesville Fire Rescue gives out second round of vaccines at local homeless shelter

By Jiselle Lee | Mar. 12, 2021

Gainesville Fire Rescue administered 17 second doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to its staff and members of the Gainesville emergency homeless shelter Wednesday morning.

COVID 19 | UF

One year later: UF students share views on the pandemic

By Jiselle Lee | Mar. 11, 2021

Students have altered their lives to follow social distancing protocols, stressed over online classes and attended club meetings over Zoom. They missed packing Saturdays in The Swamp, crossing the stage in a cap and gown and spending Starbucks-fueled all-nighters in the library. A year later, UF students reflect on the impact of the past year. Some talk about their return to an empty campus, and others explain how their college memories have been confined to computer screens and kitchen tables.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF’s positivity rate under 1% for second week in a row

By Manny Rea | Mar. 10, 2021

On Sunday, the university’s positive cases recorded since March 18 totaled 9,013. Aside from a new cumulative milestone, infection trends continue to fall.