The New Normal

[MarzNC]

It's been very difficult to know what distance, indoors or outdoors, is relatively low risk when somewhere there are strangers. Even when reading a lot of articles in the past few months. Six feet is obviously better than 2-3 feet, but is it enough? Some research indicates aerosols can travel up to 20 feet when someone is coughing or sneezes. It's worth remembering that time of exposure is also a significant factor. Close contact is considered within 3 feet for more than 15 minutes.

Here's a recent research report done in the UK that suggests a framework to help people decide on the level of risk associated with being with strangers that considers location (indoor/outdoor), ventilation, duration, and whether or not face masks are in use. The summary table doesn't try to define Low or High for Occupancy or Short versus Long for Time. But still can be useful for deciding what situations and locations worth avoiding. Fair to say that the "shouting, singing" category is one way to address a bar . . . or a choir practice.

As always, the decision of what's "high risk" and worth avoiding is a personal decision that depends on many factors.

August 25, The BMJ (UK medical journal)

Two metres or one: what is the evidence for physical distancing in covid-19?

Rigid safe distancing rules are an oversimplification based on outdated science and experiences of past viruses, argue Nicholas R Jones and colleagues Physical distancing is an important part of measures to control covid-19, but exactly how far away and for how long contact is safe in...

www.bmj.com

 

[Warp daddy]

Not certain of their exact protocols Marz .

Each has pre arrival protocols in place and i read something about PCR testing upon arrival . But not specifically sure after that other than periodic testing will continue

Each limited students living on campus . Clarkson has 400 fewer dorm residents and Potsdam 500 fewer , not sure about Canton and Slu

 

[Brownski]

Junior was not tested. People that exhibit symptoms are being tested on his campus

 

[Warp daddy]

Up date : SUNY CANTON testing EVERY two weeks OR if symptoms exist. They tested everyone had ONE positive .

 

[Tjf1967]

Did any of these colleges require a PCR test either within a couple weeks of arrival on campus or on the first day?

My friend in Boston has a daughter in college in MA and another in ME. Both are small private schools with under 2000 students. One requires a PCR test twice a week and then other is testing students who live off campus every three days.

That much testing is just silly expensive. Who pays for it?

 

[MarzNC]

That much testing is just silly expensive. Who pays for it?

I don't know details for testing at these colleges other than timing.

The cost of PCR tests depends somewhat on the style of testing. Yale developed a saliva test that is supposed to be $2-3 per test. Rutgers had a saliva test completed several months ago. But nasal swab tests are somewhat more reliable. The issue of false negative is a consideration given how contagious COVID-19 is when a person has no symptoms because they are pre-symptomatic. That's one reason to do multiple tests, at least in the first few weeks. The viral load in Day 1-3 sometimes isn't high enough to register, but by Day 4-6, should be easy to detect.

What makes the most sense to me as a statistician is to do appropriate sampling. That's what Duke is doing for off-campus students as well as faculty/staff. That approach has been done for long-term care facilities. Just came across the idea for public school teachers in Wyoming. The goal is to avoid an undetected outbreak. Even if have a cooperative group of people who all go for testing when they have symptoms, that leaves several days of potential spread before someone feels sick.

 

[MarzNC]

College towns all over the country are trying to figure out how to deal with outbreaks that started because students arrived . . . and the parties started. I'd already noticed that the Iowa numbers had gone up and figured it was because of the two universities.

From NY Times on 31Aug:

At the University of Alabama, more than 1,300 students and staff members have tested positive, prompting the mayor of Tuscaloosa, Ala., to close all bars in the city for two weeks in the hope of slowing the explosive outbreak.​

In the first week of classes, Iowa State University in Ames found 104 cases and the University of Iowa in Iowa City had 607 students test positive. The outbreaks prompted Gov. Kim Reynolds to close bars in six counties through most of September. Other college towns with the greatest rise in cases relative to population include Oxford, Miss. (University of Mississippi); Lawrence, Kan. (University of Kansas); Auburn, Ala. (Auburn University); Pullman, Wash. (Washington State University); Statesboro, Ga. (Georgia Southern University); and Grand Forks, N.D. (University of North Dakota)​

NY Times tried to get numbers for colleges last week. Created a map based on what they got by August 25.

Tracking the Coronavirus at U.S. Colleges and Universities (Published 2021)

College campuses, like the rest of the country, are enduring a coronavirus surge.

www.nytimes.com

 

[MarzNC]

Funny how paying attention to ski towns and resorts can lead to insights for COVID-19 in general. An article about a party in a Killington hotel that has stared an outbreak started with a comment about Vermont colleges:

"The good news, as students have been returning to Vermont’s 13 colleges and being tested for Covid-19, Vermont has seen very few cases. Of the 8,679 tests Vermont colleges have done so far, only 19 have been positive."​

 

[Campgottagopee]

This letter to the editor holds true on many levels imo

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: RE: 'Cornell Identifies First COVID-19 Cluster on Campus'

The Cornell Daily Sun - Independent Since 1880.

cornellsun.com

 

[tirolski]

SUNY Oneota has casedemic ongoing while it's private neighboring Hartwick has a single positive test.
Prez of Hartwick said. “And we are now asking all students to refrain from interacting with SUNY students.”

Good luck with that.

3 Sports Teams Held Parties That Started Outbreak, Morris Says

3 Sports Teams Held Parties That Started Outbreak, Morris Says SUNY Leader Expects 'Ramp Up' In Cases By LIBBY CUDMORE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – With 2,000 COVID-19 tests administered Sunday and today, SUNY Oneonta President Barbara Jean Morris warned the Oneonta Control Room

www.allotsego.com