The testing of 625 students approved to be on campus has resulted in four positive COVID-19 tests. All students were asymptomatic and have transitioned to housing units designated for isolation. Twenty-six individuals had close contact with these students and were told to self-quarantine for two weeks. In addition, some students tested positive 7-10 days prior to returning to campus and will remain at home for a period of time. Testing continues this week for late arrivals.
I am very pleased that the prevalence of COVID for our returning students is far lower than expected. Please remember that testing the student population at check-in represents a snapshot of disease prevalence at one point in time. We will continue to perform surveillance testing throughout the semester to monitor the infection rate.
We are using many tools to mitigate the impact of COVID in our community, including testing, contact tracing, isolation, quarantine, and symptom checking. The hammer in our toolbox is our collective responsibility for each other. Wear a mask, make good decisions, clean personal spaces, and wash your hands. Our behavior has consequences for everyone in the community.
We are off to a terrific start to the fall semester. Keep up the good work!
I would like to thank the staff at Bailey Health Center, the team in sports medicine, and Jodie Frey and the volunteers for their tireless work and dedication to implementing the testing protocols for COVID.
Respectfully,
Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein
Director of Health Services