COVID-19 positivity rate increases before Thanksgiving amid booster shot eligibility expansion
Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer
Northwestern’s COVID-19 positivity rate has increased as students arrange plans to go home for Thanksgiving. The CDC also announced expanded eligibility for Moderna and Pfizer boosters for all adults given the six-month period between vaccinations.
November 22, 2021
As the number of COVID-19 tests taken on campus continues to decline, the positivity rate has risen.
Out of roughly 4,000 tests taken this week, 37 came back positive, putting the positivity rate at 0.92% — an increase from last week’s 0.60%.
Non-undergraduate students continue to account for about half of positive tests, at 19. Undergraduate students and staff account for nine positive tests each, comprising a little less than one-fourth of the positive results. While faculty again constitute three of the positive tests, the group proportionally represents fewer of the overall positive results compared to last week.
With Thanksgiving coming up, Northwestern Medicine released guidelines for staying vigilant of COVID-19 during the holiday season. To encourage frequent testing during the break, the University is providing free at-home tests for students, staff and faculty at the Donald P. Jacobs Center.
To encourage and accommodate testing both before and after Thanksgiving break, the Jacobs Center will be open for extended hours Monday to Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m this week and the following week.
Testing centers are closed over the Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 25 through Nov. 28.
In national news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director expanded eligibility for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots Friday for all adults who received their last COVID-19 vaccination of either series at least six months ago.
While the University said it does not intend to hold booster clinics in the foreseeable future, Evanston recommends those interested complete its vaccine booster survey for notification of future events in the city.
Booster shots are being offered in retail pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens and Meijer via appointment.
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Twitter: @amittal27
Related Stories:
— NU positivity rate sees slight increase, new reported positives remains steady
— NU health professionals advise caution with Thanksgiving travel, gatherings
