24 Auburn students get COVID-19 in outbreak. How are universities preparing for fall?
The Auburn University Medical Clinic says itis seeing a spike in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases from students coming into the campus facility.
The clinic’s director, Dr. Fred Kam, said last week a total of 24 students tested positive for coronavirus, adding that all the cases were linked to large social gatherings, local station WSFA 12 reported.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we are seeing the after effects of Memorial Day parties, weekends at the lake or beach and visits to some downtown venues,” Kam said in a recent report by the East Alabama Medical Center, cited by the news station.
“I do not believe we have seen cases related to the protests, but it is still early in the timeline,” he added.
The doctor added it’s been “incredibly frustrating” to see people’s lax attitude amid the ongoing pandemic.
As of Tuesday, there were more than 2.1 million coronavirus cases in the U.S. and over 116,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Several states, including Alabama, Georgia and Texas, have seen a rise in cases as officials ease social distancing restrictions.
On-campus classes at Auburn are set to resume June 29, but not without strict safety guidelines, student paper The Auburn Plainsman reported. The university will test “Hyflex instruction,” short for hybrid-flexible instruction, for the first time, allowing students the option to attend class in person, continue learning online or a mixture of both.
Social distancing measures will also be enforced across campus, with university events capped at no more than 50 people, according to the newspaper.
“These guidelines are consistent with recommendations from public health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and the Alabama Department of Public Health,” the university said, as reported by the Plainsman.
Other colleges and universities are taking similar steps to ensure student safety as many campuses mull reopening in the fall.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville recently announced plans for a phased reopening of the campus, starting this summer.
“With knowledge and guidance from the scientists, doctors, researchers and numerous higher education experts from the three UA campuses, we are developing comprehensive plans to reopen our campus in the fall,” UAH president Darren Dawson said in a statement. “We will share details of our plans soon but know that every decision will be guided by the science and data behind the pandemic and with the safety of our students, employees and communities foremost in mind.”
In neighboring Georgia, Columbus State University has modified its academic calendar so that classes end before Thanksgiving and final exams can be administered online.
“The reasoning behind this adjustment is to minimize the possible spread of the virus through students going home for the Thanksgiving holidays and returning to campus for a few classes and then final exams,” according to the university, which has also created a “return to campus” task force to help delegate its four-phase reopening plan.
At nearby Fort Valley State University, officials plan on taking a similar approach, ending the semester one week before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a fall schedule posted online.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 3:34 PM with the headline "24 Auburn students get COVID-19 in outbreak. How are universities preparing for fall?."