JMU calling it quits after rough week - sending kids home!
Positive test rate for last week was almost 20%. And number of cases up from 157 last week to 238 this week.
@burghdad I believe we just surpassed 400 total cases (we’re at 416 now). The 238 cases are new positive cases as of last week.
I wish we could see the breakdown between on-campus vs. off-campus students.
that would be nice - I believe they are seeing a good sized spike off campus - but is the on-campus bubble remaining fairly intact (which I’m sure that is their biggest concern and thus having beds to accommodate quarantine of the on-campus). As this past increase in cases didn’t have a correspondingly larger number of quarantines I’m assuming we are seeing a lot of off campus.
Looks like close to 50% of the recently updated cases have been on-campus, based on the number quarantined. East-Egg residents are being moved elsewhere by this weekend to free up more potential q-beds. The results of the walk-up testing yesterday will be a real barometer for off campus rates.
@ShenVal18 – tks for this update and please keep us posted!
Sounds like so far it has remained at a very manageable level. I’m surprised they are moving East Egg - must be for worst case scenario … as they should start seeing original quarantines starting to move out soon.
https://vtnews.vt.edu/notices/students-eggleston-090820.html
At less than 400 tests per day, and a 7 day positivity rate above 30%, they may be fighting a losing battle. I imagine that’s why they’re relocating students from their current dorms to free up potential quarantine housing. I hope I’m wrong, but large state schools with limited testing aren’t exactly fairing well in the fight to keep Covid at bay.
What criteria is VT using to test students?
@GKUnion – I was happy to see VT test everyone when they arrived, but I agree it’s a low number of tests for such a big school. The high positivity rate makes me think they’re mainly testing symptomatic people and their contacts. I worry that’s not enough.
I did just did a quick search and it looks like they are ramping up wastewater testing – so that’s good.
Fingers crossed they can manage this – it’s tough for big schools.
@AlmostThere2018 VT’s testing criteria currently prioritizes symptomatic, with testing appointments generally available within 24 hours of request. Those who are contact traced or have been in contact with someone who tested positive are asked to schedule an appointment for 5 days after exposure (to ensure best chance for accurate results) and to isolate until test appointment and results returned.
It’s important to differentiate between limited testing and demand for tests. Schiffert has not been turning anyone away from making an appointment. The number of tests results are more of an indicator of how many people sought a test.
I have not been able to verify, but I heard one of the outcomes of the student town hall with administration today was that their goal is to do 500 tests a day as part of the surveillance plan. That would be separate from the 3 categories for making an appointment. Surveillance includes off campus students as well… you get the letter, you go get a test.
Wastewater testing could have a very big positive impact on shutting down potential outbreaks in res halls.
I think VT has done a very good job navigating this mess, in particular when compared to what some other universities have or have not done.
Tks for this @ShenVal18 .
IMHO, with so much transmission due to those who are asymptomatic (at least 50% is what I’m consistently seeing), the surveillance testing – wastewater and otherwise – has to kick in or they will lose control of spread and run out of quarantine space.
Do the positive cases on the dashboard reflect only on campus students?
Local K-12 schools abruptly decided to go online only for 2 weeks starting today (after only 1 week of hybrid school). A spike in local cases is happening, and maybe you’ve seen the New River Valley health district listed by the New York Times as a current hotspot (it includes Montgomery, Pulaski, Giles, and Floyd counties, as well as the city of Radford). According to my peeps in town government, VT is committed to staying the course and managing this; they don’t want to send kids home. This sentiment was also expressed by Sands in the most recent town hall meeting. Fingers crossed things will level off soon.
Today’s dashboard update with Friday-Sunday numbers will indicate whether things are under control, or slipping.
Last week their total cases went up 50% (212 cases) in just 7 days.
If the three day update adds less than 150 new cases they have a chance. If it’s over 150 they need to step up asymptomatic testing quickly.
No. Those include any student who tests via Schiffert Health Center. I’m not entirely certain, but Schiffert may already be taking some asymptomatic test appointments if capacity allows (this is 2nd hand info FWIW). I believe surveillance and random sample testing kicks off this week. Random sampling is for all students regardless of residential or not.
One thing Sands acknowledged is that dumping several thousand on-campus students back into their home communities is not very responsible in terms of lowering community spread. I think they are going to stay the course if at all possible. Radford did, despite being a #4 hotspot a couple of weeks ago, and things are finally settling down.
Tests last few days last week are down closer to 30%. Those in quarantine have stabilized and falling (now at 126). We should really start to drop as those quarantined during the surge 2 weeks ago are now starting to get released.
Positive cases on campus from the 14th(24 = 16%) and 15th(9 = 6%) are a very good sign. My concern is the off campus student population. Is there any way to track that?
@GKUnion off-campus cases would be captured in Montgomery County numbers. We are averaging 69 new cases per day (over the last week).