The University reported 27 new student and 12 new employee COVID-19 cases for the week of Dec. 6, according to the COVID-19 dashboard.
The new student and employee case counts are lower than the 30 student cases and 23 employee cases reported during the week of Nov. 29. Of the 12 new employee cases, seven are included in the University’s testing count, and the remaining five either tested outside the University’s surveillance testing system or tested positive earlier than last week but had just reported it to the University, according to the dashboard. There continues to be little to no viral spread among employees in University workplaces, according to the dashboard.
The new case count was collected during finals week, and many students who did not have in-person finals opted to leave campus early. As such, 8,194 student tests and 10,445 employee tests were administered during the week of Dec. 6, compared to the 11,973 student tests and 11,217 employee tests administered the week before. The 0.33% seven-day positivity rate for students is an increase from the prior week’s 0.25%, while the 0.07% rate for faculty, staff and postdocs is lower than the prior week’s 0.09%. Both rates continue to remain lower than Santa Clara County’s 1.30% rate and California’s 2.20% rate.
Stanford will continue to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19 variants, according to the dashboard. The first Santa Clara County case of the Omicron variant was identified on Dec. 9. University spokesperson E.J. Miranda wrote that the University continues to plan for a “traditional start of Winter Quarter” and declined to comment on whether Omicron COVID-19 cases detected on campus would be reported in the dashboard.
“We encourage those who are eligible and able to receive a booster to do so,” Miranda wrote. “We are continuing to monitor CDC, state and county guidance and adjust health and safety protocols as conditions evolve and will provide updates to the university community.”
In response to the Omicron and Delta variants and rising COVID-19 case rates in California, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced a statewide indoor mask mandate, effective Wednesday through Jan. 15. The University maintains that vaccination and mask-wearing provide strong protection against serious COVID-19 illness and continues to provide weekly testing to campus community members, according to the dashboard.
With campus closing for winter break, the University will pause updates to the dashboard until the start of winter quarter on Jan. 3.