What to Know About COVID-19
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This site was last updated on Jan. 20, 2021.
Important Dates
The Latest COVID-19 Numbers
Clements University Hospital
The total cases at Clements University Hospital as of Jan. 20.

For additional numbers, see Texas Cases and Global Statistics.
UTSW Campus
The total cases on campus during the week of Jan. 8–Jan. 14

UTSW campus employee population is 19,000.
Today’s Updates
President’s campus briefing includes look at trends, vaccinations
In today's briefing, Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, UT Southwestern President, discussed our recent record-high COVID-19 numbers and expressed hope for moderation in the near future with the continued diligence in use of nonpharmacological interventions; our progress on vaccinations; completion of the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital expansion; the new Six-Year Strategic Plan; the upcoming Texas Legislative Session; and much more. As in past addresses, he also answered questions from the UTSW community. A replay of the broadcast is now available on the COVID-19 site.
UTSW Cares for You: An interactive screening program for your well-being
Health systems across the country are using the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention’s interactive screening program (ISP) to provide a safe and confidential way for individuals to connect with mental health services. UT Southwestern’s ISP, UTSW Cares for You, is here to help faculty, staff, and graduate students identify – and alleviate – stress, anxiety, depression, and any other concerns that may interfere with academic, professional, social, or personal well-being. A separate ISP link will soon be available for undergraduate students, residents, and fellows.
With this new, anonymous tool, participants have the option of completing a brief online wellness questionnaire. Once submitted, an experienced program counselor will review the questionnaire and send a personal response over the secure website – including any recommendations for follow-up. No one will have access to your information or identity or know that you have taken this survey unless you voluntarily disclose that information.
Our counselors can assist you by sharing resources, offering support via message exchange through the website, or arranging a face-to-face meeting or phone call upon request. Consider using this valuable resource to optimize your wellness during these challenging times.
Please continue required NPIs after vaccination
For the protection of others, please remain diligent in practicing nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs), such as universal masking, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, even after you have been vaccinated. NPIs remain critical in reducing community spread since the impact of vaccine on transmission or asymptomatic infection remains uncertain. More FAQs about the vaccine are available on the COVID-19 website.
Our institutional roadmap: UTSW’s New Six-Year Strategic Plan
UT Southwestern’s Six-Year Strategic Plan defines our institutional priorities and goals – a guiding force in driving forward UTSW’s mission of promoting health and a healthy society that enables individuals to achieve their full potential.
Created by multidisciplinary subcommittees comprising faculty, students, and staff, the 2020-2026 Strategic Plan incorporates goals from areas throughout the organization, and includes several crosscutting themes, which can be considered institutional priorities for UT Southwestern:
- Attracting and retaining the best and brightest
- Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and community impact
- Long-term impact of COVID-19 on campus operations
- Support for educators using state-of-the-art teaching modalities
- Building for current and future needs
- Leveraging clinical informatics and data sciences
- Continuing an emphasis on improving patient outcomes
- Establishing a School of Public Health
Find the latest plan, approved by Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, President of UT Southwestern.
Telecommuting security requirements
Did you know that computers, including personal devices, used for UT Southwestern remote work must comply with EMP-162 Telecommuting and the IT Telecommuting Checklist? Following these requirements will significantly reduce risk to UT Southwestern and ensure policy compliance. Three fundamental security controls needed are:
- Antivirus: Register your personal computers with free Sophos Home Premium. Contact Sophos for technical assistance.
- Automatic Updates: For your operating system (Windows or Mac) and web browsers (e.g. Chrome, Firefox), set up automatic updates for hassle-free updating.
- Hard drive encryption: Use data protection features such as Bitlocker for Windows, or FileVault for Mac.
If you have questions about any of these preventive measures, feel free to contact your department tech, ServiceDesk (ServiceDesk@UTSouthwestern.edu), or Information Security (informationsecurity@utsouthwestern.edu).
Upcoming virtual sessions
- Emergency Medicine Residency Conference: Jan. 21, 7:30 a.m.
- Solid Oncology Conference with Syed Kazmi, M.D.: “Case based discussion of colon cancer, Part 2”: Jan. 21, 7:30 a.m.
- Employee Advisory Council presents: “Who was essential to your 2020?”: Jan. 21, 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m.
- SCCC Cellular Networks in Cancer Program Retreat: Jan. 21, 9 a.m.
- Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds: Jan. 21, 10:30 a.m.
- “In-Hospital Acute Stroke Identification” by Elizabeth Knipp, MPAS, PA-C: Jan. 21, noon
- Renal Grand Rounds with Jinwoo Jung, M.D.: “Risk of Overcorrection in Rapid Intermittent Bolus vs Slow Continuous Infusion Therapies of Hypertonic Saline for Patients With Symptomatic Hyponatremia – The SALSA Randomized Clinical Trial”: Jan. 21, noon
- Quarterly Economic and Market Update (TIAA): Jan. 21, 1 p.m.
- Thirty Thursday: Anatomy Resources: Jan. 21, 2:30 p.m.
- Updates in Hematological Malignancies: Jan. 21, 5 p.m.
- Neuroinformatics Colloquium: Jan. 22, 9 a.m.
- Faculty Lounge with Michael Rubin, M.D.: Jan. 25, noon
- SCCC Distinguished Lecture Series with Douglas Corley, M.D., Ph.D.: “Modifying Colorectal Cancer Screening Quality Can Markedly Improve Outcomes: Discussions of Large Population-level Interventions”: Jan. 25, noon
- Seybold Lectureship in Surgery with Samantha Brugmann, Ph.D.: “Using the Craniofacial Complex to Explore Mechanisms of Hedgehog Signal Transduction”: Jan. 25, noon
- Starting Line (TIAA): Jan. 25, noon
- Anti-Racism Virtual Series: “Inconvenient Truths about an Uncomfortable Topic”: Jan. 25, 5 p.m.
- How TRS works in tandem with the UT System Voluntary Plans: Jan. 26, noon
- Promotion & Tenure Workshop Clinician-Educator Track: Jan. 26, noon
- Arthur G. Weinberg, M.D., Lectureship in Pediatric and Development Pathology with Dr. David Parham: “Rhabdomyosarcoma: Molecular Advances and Continued Challenges”: Jan. 26, noon
For more, see the UTSW Events Calendar.
Featured COVID-19 Resources
You Can Help Fight COVID-19 in Your Community
For Everyone – Well or Sick
Download the COVID Symptom Tracker and take 1 minute each day to:
- Report your health daily even if you feel well
- Get a daily estimate of COVID in your area
- Help slow the outbreak near you
- Developed by the health science company ZOE in collaboration with scientists and physicians at King's College of London and Massachusetts General Hospital
For Health Care Workers
Join the Healthcare Work Exposure Response & Outcomes (HERO) Registry to:
- Share clinical and life experiences in order to understand the perspectives and problems faced by those on the COVID-19 pandemic front lines
- Unite with other American health care workers to facilitate rapid-cycle research, including an upcoming large study of hydroxychloroquine’s effectiveness in preventing coronavirus infections in health care workers