Ohio University announced Thursday that fully vaccinated individuals will be randomly invited to participate in asymptomatic breakthrough testing for COVID-19 beginning Aug. 23.
In an email to vaccinated students, faculty and staff, Gillian Ice, special assistant to the president for public health operations, said they will receive notice via email that they are invited to take part in breakthrough testing on campus. Vaccinated individuals will be invited no more than once a month and participation is voluntary.
The university cited the COVID-19 Delta variant, which makes up a predominant portion of cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a small amount of breakthrough cases that have already emerged on campus as reasons behind the decision, according to Ice’s email.
“No vaccine is 100 percent effective at preventing illness,” Ice said in the email. “A small percentage of fully vaccinated individuals still will be infected.”
The university also encouraged vaccinated students, faculty and staff to utilize multiple prevention measures, such as masking, distancing, avoiding large gatherings that involve close contact or where unvaccinated individuals are present and handwashing. According to the email, these are all effective methods which prove critical in preventing the spread of the virus when used together.
Vaccinated individuals are able to test at Shively Hall through Vault Health at any time if they would like to take an asymptomatic test. Unvaccinated individuals are required to test weekly.
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