Together for Maine Briefing and COVID-19 Data Update: Week Ending 12/11/20

University of Maine System COVID Data by Campus

60 — Known Case of UMS students or employees in public health agency isolation among the more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff in the University of Maine System community.

The University of Maine System is now finishing the fall semester through distance instruction as planned. These data would include university students or employees known to have an active case of COVID-19 but not living in the campus region or state.

27 UMaine:
0 UMA:

20 UMF: Note: 3 cases as of 12/14/20, see update below in UMF News

1 UMFK:
0 UMM:
0 UMPI:
12 USM:
0 Maine Law

The above Data reflects ACTIVE known cases identified through the UMS asymptomatic screening and other testing venues. When an individual is released from an isolation order by a public health agency the active case number shared in the Together for Maine daily update is reduced to reflect that change. UMS is reporting 60 known cases today, 22 cases fewer than the cases reported in the 12/4/20 update.

Asymptomatic Screening Update for Fall Safe Return

39,071 Test Results to Date
116 positive results representing new diagnoses of COVID-19

The Asymptomatic Screening Dashboard at Together.Maine.edu represents known results on all asymptomatic tests going back to July 22, 2020. About 48 hours passes from the time a test sample is collected and when the results are known. Limited testing is continuing with the University’s in-person population greatly reduced with the transition to distance instruction.

UMS News

220 Cubic Feet of Ultracold Freezer Space Identified For Vaccine Effort: On November 11, 2020, the UMS Scientific Advisory Board and UMS Strategic Procurement provided state partners with an inventory and briefing document on the availability of ultracold freezer storage at UMaine, UMF, UMFK, UMM, UMPI, and USM that could be pressed into action to support the COVID-19 vaccination effort. A total of 220 cubic feet of available space was identified and the University of Maine System remains ready to assist with ultracold storage if called upon.

Eleven Individuals in UMS Isolation or Quarantine Space: Eleven individuals are currently living in isolation space (3) or quarantine space (8) established by the University of Maine System universities to support students and help limit the spread of infection.

Together for Maine Distribution Now Weekly: As shared last week the TFM Briefing will be provided weekly until the University of Maine System begins preparing to welcome students back for in-person instruction on January 25, 2021.

UMS Transitioning to 10-Day Quarantine Period for COVID-19: Maine’s public universities will move to a 10-day quarantine period for close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases in keeping with recent changes to Maine CDC guidance. The new UMS guidance will be posted early next week to the Together for Maine website.

January 4, 2021 On Track for Maine Announcement: The University of Maine System is planning to start the Spring 2021 semester as scheduled on January 25 with flexibility and options in place to adjust responsively to pandemic conditions. Chancellor Malloy informed the UMS community this week that any updates to current plans needed to respond to conditions with the pandemic will be announced on or before January 4, 2021.

University News

UMA

UMF: Update and Context added, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020:

1. Since Thanksgiving, UMF has experienced 3 positive results from its own asymptomatic testing. This is s positivity rate of approximately, 2.1% for this period of asymptomatic testing at UMF.

2. All other known positive cases reported by UMF in routine updates to the media and public have resulted from testing that was done independent of the University’s asymptomatic testing and then reported by the individual to the University.

3. UMF currently has 3 known active positive cases, including two students who are isolating on campus and 1 remote student isolating in a non-university location in Maine. Three students also are quarantining in University administered space.

4. This current active case level of 3 cases represents the reported completion of isolation of 17 persons since the weekly update on Friday, December 11. Not all of these isolations were completed since Friday and none of them were on-campus isolations, but the confirmation of their completion has been confirmed since Friday. This reduction will be reflected in the University’s next weekly report on Friday December 18th.

5. The University of Maine System continues to conduct limited testing of its own, but the broad-based formal scheduled asymptomatic testing of in-person individuals is now concluded.. The University of Maine System is now finishing its fall semester remotely, having ended in-person instruction and largely closed residence halls at Thanksgiving. In-person instruction is scheduled to resume January 25, 2021, when the spring semester begins.

UMFK

UMM

UMPI

USM

Maine Law