staying safe
Endemic COVID-19 could be one to 10 years away
If you donned your mask today and felt a primal urge to yell “When will this pandemic END-emic already?!” take heart. You are not alone.
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Screen, Test & Protect
Updated March 25, 2022:
Due to declines in COVID-19 cases and new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and our UF Health experts, masking guidance has been updated for the University of Florida and our UF Health facilities.
All patients, visitors, faculty, staff and students are required to wear masks when in our clinical facilities and patient-facing areas. This includes when in common areas, lobbies, patient waiting areas, hospital administrative offices, etc. Specific mask requirements for UF Health Shands clinical facilities are outlined below.
For our UF Health academic and research areas that do not involve interactions with patients as well as in administrative offices in these spaces, masks are voluntary. This also includes offsite non-clinical locations like the UF Health Professional Park. In these areas, you will begin to see new signs with messaging welcoming and supporting masks.
As a reminder, given the recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services vaccine mandate for hospital employees and certain other groups, all staff employed by UF Health Shands who are not completely vaccinated and who have an approved medical or religious exemption must wear an N95 mask at all times when in any UF Health Shands facility. This includes clinical and non-clinical areas, as well as offsite locations such as the Professional Park.
Specific mask requirements remain in place in all areas of our clinical, patient-facing UF Health Shands hospital and hospital outpatient facilities and are listed below.
- All faculty and staff at clinical, patient-facing UF Health Shands facilities, including our emergency departments, are required to wear surgical masks, yellow ear loop masks or KN95s if completely vaccinated; otherwise, they need to wear N95s.
- All patients and visitors to patient-facing UF Health Shands facilities are required to wear a mask and will be offered a surgical mask or Level 1, yellow medical ear loop mask upon entry to our facilities. Visitors wearing their own masks, including KN95s or N95s, are acceptable, provided they do not include exhalation valves.
Updated Jan. 6, 2022:
“While a spike in COVID-19 cases is already occurring around the country, cases are expected to continue to rise locally throughout early January. However, unlike previous surges, this spike is expected to be relatively short in duration — perhaps no more than two to four weeks. Still, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to contain the spread of the virus, reduce the accompanying misery and minimize any long-term health consequences.
Your help is critical to keeping the spike manageable…”
If you have COVID symptoms, you may go to ONE.UF to schedule a test. Please do not get tested if you are asymptomatic and have been vaccinated and boosted. This will help us focus our testing efforts on those with symptoms and who are more likely to have significant infection.
If you come in close contact to a positive case, please go to ONE.UF to report your exposure on the screener. A close contact is someone who was within six feet of you for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the start of their symptoms.
your guide to covid-19 shots
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Learn about the COVID-19 vaccines available from UF Health. As federal and Florida COVID-19 vaccination plans evolve, UF Health will update this site and keep you informed.
Employees AND students
WHAT IF I HAVE SYMPTOMS?
If you are currently experiencing symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, loss of smell or taste, diarrhea or shortness of breath: Go or stay home, isolate yourself and call the appropriate office for guidance, which may include your primary care physician/provider, to be evaluated.
Archer Family Health Care
Archer Family Health Care remains open and continues to see patients. If a patient is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or has been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed, they must call the clinic prior to coming in (352-265-2550). Patients will then be directed to the next steps.
COVID-19 vaccines are available through AFHC! Patients can schedule an appointment at the clinic to receive the vaccine free of charge!