SALT LAKE CITY — Following the shocking rise in COVID-19 cases across the state, the University of Utah issued new on-campus protocols Thursday.
READ: Summit County issues mask mandate to combat omicron surge
While acknowledging the illness associated with the omicron variant is "not as severe," university officials understand it is now highly transmissible and leading to more people getting sick.
Along with having to be fully vaccinated with a booster when eligible, those on campus will now have to be tested weekly for COVID, even if they are asymptomatic.
And anyone who tests positive must follow the 5-5-5 rule:
- Isolate for five days.
- Test again five days after the initial test.
- Mask for five days when around others after the isolation period is over.
The university now has eight self-serve testing locations on campus, allowing anyone with a school identification card to pick up an asymptomatic testing kit for free.
Over the past two days, Utah has reported over 16,000 new COVID-19 cases, smashing previous records set in 2020.