Below, for your reference, is the full text of President Julio Frenk’s video message (above) to the University of Miami community.
I hope all of you are enjoying some rest, recreation, and a well-deserved break. In five weeks, students will be moving into residence halls here at the U. That means we are now past the halfway mark of the summer, so here are a few important reminders.
We all have choices before us that will shape what our community will look like come August. I know we can all agree that we want to minimize risk. I also know from our experience this past year that ’Canes can count on each other.
Although not required, students are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to safeguard their health and the health of all members of our University and South Florida communities.
Today, as your encourager-in-chief—and as someone whose decisions throughout the pandemic have been driven by the data—I want to share some additional reasons to get your vaccine.
COVID-19 is a vaccine preventable disease. The increasing sense of normalcy this summer is due to the fact that vaccines are helping us turn the corner on the pandemic. Yet, resuming many activities we love will ultimately require us to win the race between vaccines and variants.
New strains of COVID-19, like the highly contagious Delta variant, are spreading around the world, including in many communities across the United States. A closer look at the data seems to show that the Delta variant makes getting your shot even more important.
Here’s why: among unvaccinated people, the Delta variant spreads faster than previous strains and produces more severe illness. However, those who are fully vaccinated have a sharply reduced chance of getting the virus—and virtually no chance of hospitalization or death—even against the more dangerous Delta variant.
In states grappling with a rise in infections, COVID cases are highly concentrated in areas where vaccination rates are low. To put it simply, the higher the rate of vaccination in a community, the lower the risks—of getting sick, of making others sick, of hospitalization, and of death from COVID.
Here at the U, as in every community, there are some students and colleagues who cannot get vaccinated for a variety of legitimate reasons. Among those of us who can, the more of us who do, the safer we will all be. The safer we are, the more restrictions we’ll be able to lift.
Whatever your plans, as the days get shorter, savor what remains of summer. And, please, go get your shots.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone in August. |
