COVID Recovery Status
Weekly COVID Updates
Please note that as of July 1 the Voluntary Employee Testing Program with NW Labs has been terminated for the summer. See the Health and Safety page for where to get testing.
For the week of August 15:
- No recent updates
Previous updates can be found on the COVID Weekly Update page.
If You Feel Sick
Even if you are not sure if it is COVID-related, do not come to campus, and get tested for COVID as soon as you can. This applies regardless of your vaccination status. Notify your instructors, supervisors, etc. appropriately.
Tested positive for COVID?
If you tested positive for COVID on a home test or through an off-campus testing facility not associated with Western, notify Western!
Students: log into your MyWesternHealth patient portal and send a message with your result by doing the following:
- Go to Messages on the left side pane
- Select "New Message"
- Select the option "I want to *Report a COVID Positive Result*"
- Fill in the form
On Campus Residents: If the Student Health Center is closed (evenings, weekends, intersession and Holidays) contact your RD immediately so they can assist with isolation and meal delivery.
Employees: send an email to: HR.COVID.Assistance@wwu.edu to notify HR of your positive result.
- Student employees: follow the process for students.
COVID Safety Practices at Western
Keep up the great work Western. Protect yourself and our whole Western Community by following the most up to date COVID Safety Guidance.
Reminders:
Everyone is encouraged to:
- Wear a well fitting mask properly, covering your mouth and nose
- Consider getting vaccinated if you haven't
- Get your booster vaccine as soon as you are eligible
Current University safety guidance:
Masking:
Masks are optional in nearly all settings*, including inside Western buildings on the Bellingham Campus. Please follow any policies at other site locations not independently operated by Western (Poulsbo, Everett, etc.) which may still require masking or other COVID safety protocols.
*The only exception to this is masks are still required in healthcare settings, such as the Student Health Center, per state and federal requirements. Please follow all posted official Western signage at these locations including the Disability Access Center.
This may change if public health conditions change in the future.
Every individual has the right to continue masking in any setting at Western if they prefer, even when masks are no longer required by the university.
For more information, view the Health and Safety page.
Vaccinations
Western requires full COVID vaccinations for all students, employees, contractors, and in-person volunteers.
To learn more about the vaccine requirement, including allowable exemptions, please reference our Vaccine Information page.
Questions?
Send your questions about COVID policies and procedures to covidcoordinationresilience@wwu.edu.
Western's COVID Dashboard
This Western COVID Dashboard provides a weekly update on Mondays, other than for daily case counts.
The Campus buildings with confirmed positive cases will update daily.
You can view COVID data dashboards for local, county, state, and national sources at the following sites:
Daily New Positive Cases
| Date | Employee Cases |
|---|---|
| 8/10/22 | 1 |
| 8/11/22 | 2 |
| 8/12/22 | 1 |
| 8/15/22 | 2 |
| 8/16/22 | 1 |
| 7-day average | 1.0 |
| Percent change from prior 7-day average | +75.0% |
This table shows the number of new positive cases for students and employees per day. Over the summer student cases are not being tracked and therefore will not be included. This includes results of tests that were not conducted on-campus. The change from the prior 7-day average uses the current average and compares it to the average from one week ago.
Data may be a day or two behind, or be updated after posting, as we reconcile the different case count sources. We thank you for your patience while we work to get the most accurate numbers updated.
Cumulative Positive Cases
This section reflects all positive cases that Western has been made aware of through the Student Health Center or Human Resources last week, as well as a running total for the academic year. This includes results of tests that were not conducted on-campus.
Positive Cases Per Week
This section shows the number of positive cases identified each week for students and employees. This includes results of tests that were not conducted on-campus.
On-Campus Testing
This section reflects only testing done through the Student Health Center’s on-campus testing program for students for the previous week and a running total for the academic year. The percentage under each pie chart is the percentage of positive tests for that data set.
Vaccination Rates
Fully vaccinated means that at least two weeks have passed since an individual has received one dose of J&J or the second dose of Moderna/Pfizer. Individuals do not need to be boosted in order to be considered fully vaccinated.
The percentage of vaccinated students is based on Spring 2022 enrollment of 13,223 students on April 4, 2022. This includes students at all campus locations and online-only students.
The percentage of vaccinated employees is based on current employment numbers, which may vary over time. Western currently employs approximately 2,400 people.
Class Modality
This section shows the percent of courses spring quarter that are listed as being fully remote or having some level of in-person instruction (hybrid or fully in-person), as of March 29, 2022. This is based on what the course is registered as in Western's systems, and may not take into account temporary moves to remote instruction by the university or the professor.
Campus Communications
Keep track of the latest developments
Western is sending out regular updates through its Western Alert system. Families may opt in to Western Alerts.
Regular updates are also posted here and on Western Today's news page.
If you aren't already signed up for Family Connection, click here to sign up for the monthly e-newsletter for WWU families.
In the Media
Information Lines
Student Health Center
For students with medical questions such as scheduling a COVID test, experiencing symptoms, and more.
WWU Coronavirus Information Line
For community members, families, and employees, with questions about Western's policies, response plans, and more.
Washington State Department of Health
Resources
Campus
Teaching and Learning
National Resources
Full graphic text
Learn to be well at Western and wash your hands.
Help stop the spread of germs by washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds – the time it takes to sing the happy birthday song twice.
No access to soap and water? Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) Until you can wash up.
It is vital that we support each other and act as a community, avoiding acts of discrimination and bias, and showing compassion for those affected by this disease.
Sabah RandhawaPresident
This page is intended to provide information about COVID-19, precautions that are being taken and prevention measures you can take, as well as being one source for information on the effects of measures various governments are taking to stem the outbreak, and to answer the most common questions about how coronavirus might impact campus operations.
This page is not intended to be all-encompassing and should not be considered to be providing medical or legal advice. In all instances, you should consult with a relevant expert for guidance specific to your circumstances.