UNCW Alert: Two COVID-19 Clusters Identified in Campus Residence Halls
FRIDAY, APRIL 02, 2021
UNCW has identified two clusters of COVID-19 cases in Keystone House and Seahawk Crossing 4.
A “cluster” is defined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as five or more cases that are deemed in close proximity by location and that occur within a 14-day period.
The individuals involved in these clusters are isolating and receiving medical monitoring and/or treatment as needed. To protect individuals’ private health information, UNCW will not publicly identify students or employees diagnosed with COVID-19. The university publicly shares general information about confirmed cases on its data dashboard, which is updated by 12 p.m. daily.
The university has informed the New Hanover County Health Department and contact tracing has been initiated with direct communication to anyone determined to have been in close contact with a positive individual. A close contact is defined as someone who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes. Those identified as a close contact will be notified directly and provided with further guidance.
We are notifying the campus of these clusters per guidance under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, which establishes requirements regarding health and safety information that universities must share with their campuses.
Students with COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, a cough, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) should notify the UNCW Student Health Center at 910.962.3280 or coronavirus@uncw.edu. Employees should contact your healthcare provider (let them know you have symptoms when making an appointment), notify your supervisor that you will miss work and then notify the UNCW Student Health Center at 910.962.0587 or coronavirus@uncw.edu.
As outlined in our Best for the Nest guidelines, UNCW is committed to a culture of personal responsibility for community health and safety. Every member of our community must do their part. This means adhering to national, state, local and campus health guidelines and requirements for the 3Ws (face coverings, physical distancing, hand washing) and gatherings and events.
All Clear: UNCWAlert System Test Completed on Wednesday, March 10
Update: 9:50 a.m., March 10, 2021
UNCW completed a full test of the UNCW Alert System on Wednesday, March 10. The test coincided with a statewide tornado drill.
UNCWAlert System Test Scheduled for Wednesday, March 10
THURSDAY, MARCH 04, 2021
A full test of the UNCWAlert system is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10, to coincide with the statewide tornado drill. An audible message will announce the siren test is about to begin and another message will announce the siren test has concluded.
Please note: This is only a test of the UNCWAlert communication tools and no action from the campus or community is needed. All students, faculty, and staff will receive text alerts and telephone messages unless they have “opted out.” Any members of the community who have registered for emergency text alerts will receive the test messages as well. Community members who have not yet registered but are interested in receiving alert messages may go to this website to register for alerts.
The UNCWAlert emergency notification system consists of numerous communication resources, namely the UNCW Emergency Siren System, the UNCW homepage, Facebook, Twitter, campus-wide emails, and UNCWAlert text messages and phone calls, to communicate with the campus and community during emergencies. Located at the CREST campus only are wall-mounted alert beacons that activate during tests and emergences.
EH&S, University Police and the Office of University Relations periodically test the UNCWAlert system to familiarize the campus community of notification outlets and to conduct routine maintenance of system components.
During an Actual Emergency
Monitor UNCW communication tools for instructions and updates and wait for an all-clear notification.
Student Notifications
Student phone numbers are automatically registered to receive UNCWAlert emergency notifications by voice and text message. Students should follow these instructions to review or update their contact numbers. UNCW strongly encourages students to remain signed up for the service to ensure they are always automatically contacted in the event of an emergency, but individuals may opt out by following these instructions.
Faculty and Staff Notifications
University employees receive UNCWAlert emergency notifications via voice calls and text messages. Emergency contact information is confidential and is only used for emergency notification and periodic system testing. In an actual emergency, messages may be received at any time of day or night. Standard text messaging fees may apply, but there are no additional charges from the university. Please see this document (PDF) to change contact numbers or to opt out of notifications.
Additional resources:
UNCW Emergency and Safety Information
General Safety Tips from the University Police
Health & Safety Guidelines and Coronavirus/COVID-19 Updates
Please see uncw.edu/bestnest for health and safety protocols, resources, links, FAQ and updates to UNCW's COVID-19 guidelines. See uncw.edu/coronavirus for additional information and resources about the university's continuing response to the global coronavirus pandemic.
