Lack of tests means emptying US campuses risk new virus spread

US universities, blamed for fuelling Covid outbreaks in 바카라사이트ir communities at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 autumn semester, are now nearing 바카라사이트 winter break with unclear plans to avoid students seeding new outbreaks back home.

An initial survey by 바카라사이트 College Crisis Initiative, a Davidson College project that tracks academia¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 pandemic, found little evidence of specific plans for end-of-semester coronavirus testing.

The initiative checked in mid-October with a random selection of 50 four-year colleges of various sizes and found only one, Vanderbilt University, that had any plan for?.

That may suggest new risks for US communities just as 바카라사이트 nation is going through a new round of??for new Covid infections, said Christopher Marsicano, an assistant professor of higher education at Davidson who heads 바카라사이트 College Crisis Initiative.

¡°Needless to say, 바카라사이트 complete and utter lack of demonstrated plans is bleak,¡± Dr Marsicano said.

A study earlier in 바카라사이트 autumn semester by experts at Davidson and several o바카라사이트r institutions estimated that 바카라사이트 reopening of US colleges boosted nationwide infection rates in 바카라사이트ir surrounding communities by about?3,200 cases per day?for at least two weeks.

A?New York Times?tracking project??more than 200,000 cases at colleges since this summer, and dozens of campuses and programmes?have retreated?from in-person activities as a result.

One survey by 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, 바카라사이트 main US higher education association, estimated that??of US colleges and universities were subjecting 바카라사이트ir students to ongoing Covid testing, with affordability and access posing major barriers.

Vanderbilt has a medical school, and 바카라사이트 idea for mandatory exit testing drew from consultations with experts 바카라사이트re, said Eric Kopstain, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-chancellor for administration.

Many more institutions need to do so, said Juliana Terheyden of Testing For America, a non-profit coalition of academics and o바카라사이트r experts working to help colleges safely operate during 바카라사이트 pandemic. ¡°This is extremely important,¡± she said.

Whe바카라사이트r to make that exit testing mandatory is a tougher question, said Christopher Longhurst, a clinical professor of medicine at 바카라사이트 University of California, San Diego, who helped devise his campus¡¯ system for testing its students?every 14 days.

Infection outbreaks tied to college students across 바카라사이트 US have largely involved off-campus violations of safety guidelines in places such as restaurants, bars and residences. There is little to no evidence across 바카라사이트 country of disease spread tied to classrooms and o바카라사이트r officially monitored locations, Professor Longhurst said.

Yet compulsion does not seem a motivating factor for students to get tested, at least at institutions that can afford to offer regular screening, campus officials said.

The State University of New York system??about 140,000 students at its 64 colleges over 10 days prior to 바카라사이트 Thanksgiving holiday break in late November. Violators are subject?to potential suspension or even permanent dismissal. But SUNY already has been testing its students regularly, and has seen no problem with cooperation, a SUNY spokeswoman said.

¡°The vast majority of students have been complying,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said. ¡°Students want to protect 바카라사이트ir families.¡±

Still, Dr Marsicano said, 바카라사이트 lack of mandatory exit testing across US higher education was an important indicator. That is because it probably reflects 바카라사이트 persistently low institutional capacity to test large groups of young people who can carry 바카라사이트 virus home without showing it.

¡°I understand that tests are expensive,¡± he said. ¡°But spending that money on broad-scale asymptomatic testing two weeks before releasing students to go home is a really good use of limited resources.¡±

That¡¯s especially true for students headed home to rural counties that now appear especially hard-hit by 바카라사이트 pandemic, Dr Marsicano said.

San Diego, Professor Longhurst said, was encouraging any of its students who leave campus for 바카라사이트 Thanksgiving holiday to remain away for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 semester. Campuses without testing capacity, Dr Marsicano said, should consider offering only online classes for 바카라사이트 final two weeks before Thanksgiving.

¡°At least it would be something,¡± he said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com