Protesters at UGA, other schools end week-long push for COVID-19 mandates. What's next?

Statewide protests on university campuses in Georgia concluded Friday with demonstrators continuing to demand COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.

Through the American Association of University Professors and the United Campus Workers of Georgia, protesters gathered for a week-long series of demonstrations that began Monday. Faculty, students and others joined the protests at the University of Georgia. 

The protest had two demands: a requirement to wear masks in all campus buildings and a vaccine mandate with regular testing for anyone who was exempt.

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Students began fall semester at the University of Georgia with no mask mandate in place, following an announcement in May that UGA was returning to normal operations.

The university is currently following guidelines set by the University System of Georgia and its Board of Regents, which encourages but does not require mask-wearing and vaccinations.

On Friday, about 50 to 60 protesters turned out at UGA, with a handful of counterprotesters in the mix. The week's demonstrations featured a variety of speakers, including medical professionals as well Athens-Clarke County commissioners and Mayor Kelly Girtz.

“We have to wait and see what impact these protests make,” said Cindy Hahamovitch, a faculty member and member of the United Campus Workers. 

Protests took place on all Georgia public university campuses as a petition to the University System of Georgia, which oversees 26 state institutions. 

The University System released a statement Wednesday afternoon reporting that COVID-19 cases on USG campuses were decreasing and that masks and vaccinations will continue to be encouraged. The statement did not mention the protests.

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“As happened last fall and spring, some campuses experienced increases in positive COVID-19 tests as classes launched for fall semester several weeks ago. These increases have typically been followed by declines as the semester has continued, and several USG institutions are reporting similar campus trends now,” the USG release said. 

On Wednesdays, UGA releases its COVID-19 data for the previous week, and the Sept. 15 report showed the first decrease in cases since the semester began. The report indicated that between Sept. 6 and 12, there were 164 cases at UGA, a decrease from 514 cases the week before.

UGA conducts voluntary surveillance testing on campus, and the number of participants  fell in the latest report with 1,422 tests taken. The week prior, 2,347 surveillance tests were taken.

This week’s surveillance testing found 35 positive cases, for a positivity rate of 2.5%, lower than last week’s rate.