Beginning January 2022, URI adopted a new testing strategy that prioritizes testing for symptomatic and unvaccinated individuals.  This change, which prioritizes those most likely to test positive, was made due to the increased demand for testing and longer wait times for test results following the spread of the Omicron variant.  The testing positivity rate is therefore no longer representative of the overall prevalence of the virus within our community and is no longer being reported.  Similarly, we are no longer reporting incidence rates and counts by vaccination status due to the small size of the vaccine-exempt group relative to the URI community as a whole.  During the week of Jan. 23 to Jan. 29, the first week of the spring semester, 77 positive cases were identified through URI testing (69 students, 8 faculty/staff/affiliate), representing a 7-day incidence rate of 399 per 100,000.

Weekly results:

Weekly tests:	2,273 tests through URI Health Services.
Positive cases:	77 positive cases from URI testing; 42 students living off campus, 27 students living on campus and 8 faculty/staff/affiliates.
Incidence:	The 7-day incidence rate of positive cases among members of the URI community who tested through URI Health Services was 399 per 100,000.  The RI 7-day incidence rate for this period was ~1000 cases per 100,000.

URI requires all eligible students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.  Individuals are eligible for a booster five months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna two-shot series, or two months after the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Details and instructions for uploading vaccination records are available here.

Visit the URI COVID-19 Tracker for detailed information from our testing program.  The dashboard is updated daily as results become available.

Visit the State of Rhode Island COVID-19 Response Data site for detailed information on trends in the state.