A Message from Chancellor Gold: Stay Safe, Be Smart This Labor Day Weekend

Dear Mavericks,

In the nearly two weeks that have passed since the start of the Fall 2020 semester, the pride I have in our university community’s response to COVID-19 has not waned. Each day I am on campus I see individuals wearing their Maverick Strong masks, keeping physical distance, utilizing hand sanitizer stations, checking their 1-Check UNO app, browsing the Fall Forward website for new information, and showing kindness and patience toward one another.

As the Labor Day holiday approaches, my one request is this: keep up your good work.

We all have a role to play in containing the spread of COVID-19, and we cannot relent in what has been a very strong effort to begin this academic year. Our behaviors off-campus as Mavericks, as citizens, as friends, and as family members this weekend will play a crucial role in how the disease will spread in the coming weeks.

As we have seen in numerous media reports, college towns around the country, in which large gatherings in homes and businesses have taken place, are experiencing dramatic and negative consequences that have prevented universities from continuing with in-person instruction.

We all know that Mavericks are innately strong, ambitious, and resilient, but we are not immune from the spread of COVID-19, which our Health Reporting Dashboard shows. The amount of cases we have seen on campus remain low compared to many of our regional and national peers, and we must continue to do everything we can to keep that number low.

Let’s agree to do the little things that make a big difference: wear a mask whenever you go out in public, refrain from large gatherings, wash your hands, and most importantly self-screen your symptoms daily with the 1-Check UNO app – especially before returning to campus.

Download the app today on your Apple iOS device or use the web-based screener. It’s free, easy to use, and can connect you with important testing resources if you are determined to be a medium or high risk. If you are still using the 1-Check COVID app to self-screen, make the transition to 1-Check UNO as soon as possible.

Remember: Stay home if you are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and/or are generally not feeling well. Testing options are available through Test Nebraska and the Nebraska Medicine UNO Health Center should you need them.

Take care, be safe, be responsible, and have an enjoyable holiday weekend.

In the Maverick Spirit

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.

Chancellor