Despite ‘high anxiety’ on campus, Guskiewicz says he’s confident about UNC’s COVID response

By Mary King

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz spoke positively about UNC’s COVID-19 response at this week’s Board of Trustees meeting. He acknowledged the community’s concerns, but assured students and staff that the university’s protocols are working.

“We know that there’s many people working on our campus, living on and learning on our campus, with high anxiety around COVID and the Delta variant,” he said. “But I’m feeling confident about where we are as a campus community.”

UNC reports that vaccination rates on campus continue to grow. 93 percent of students, 93 percent of faculty, and 85 percent of staff have attested to being vaccinated. COVID-19 positivity rates on campus remain low despite higher transmission rates in Orange County as a whole. Guskiewicz credited the campus community for their cooperation.

“Many people weren’t sure that we’d ever make it this far in our semester, and I think this is again a testament to the commitment of our students, faculty, and staff,” Guskiewicz said.