Town, university collaboration reduces COVID-19 spread

A collaboration between the University of California (UC) Davis and the Davis community is keeping residents’ cumulative COVID-19 infection rates lower than those in most California counties. During the January 2022 omicron surge, when state COVID-positivity rates topped 20%, the weekly average in Davis never rose above 5%. Anyone who lives or works in the town can access free COVID testing, vaccination, masks and quarantine housing through the Healthy Davis Together partnership, which was funded with federal and philanthropic dollars. UC Davis researchers also conduct wastewater surveillance testing, and university undergraduates serve as community health ambassadors. "When this all began, we were told that Davis would be one of the unhealthiest cities to be in, because our students come from all over the country and all over the world," said Brad Pollock, chair of public health sciences at UC-Davis and the program's leader. "Instead, we're one of the healthiest." (HealthLeaders Media article, 3/9/22)