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1/ In Texas and across the country, college towns are emerging as new coronavirus hot spots.
With cases surging among students, universities are attempting to keep them from infecting broader local populations. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
With cases surging among students, universities are attempting to keep them from infecting broader local populations. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
2/ In counties where students make up at least 10% of the population — like the counties that house Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University — cases have grown 34% since Aug. 19, compared to 23% in counties with a smaller proportion of students. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
3/ For the past month, the Travis County ZIP code with the fastest-growing case count was the stretch including UT-Austin’s West Campus, an off-campus neighborhood where many students live. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
4/ Since Aug. 1, Texas Tech has logged more than 1,400 cases of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech parties have gone viral, and the university is investigating a student who posted a video claiming she attended a house party despite having COVID-19. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
Meanwhile, Texas Tech parties have gone viral, and the university is investigating a student who posted a video claiming she attended a house party despite having COVID-19. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
5/ Schools, desperate to keep their doors open but worried about health risks to students, are being put in the uncomfortable position of governing young adult behavior that is mostly happening off university property.
Few are disciplining students. https://bit.ly/3mKx8eM
Few are disciplining students. https://bit.ly/3mKx8eM
6/ University leaders say they can’t control off-campus parties, but the infections that spread at those events are likely to trickle into the local communities where college students work, serve older residents and ride public transportation. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
7/ While health and higher education officials anticipated rising case counts among students, they’re now focused on the risk students pose to more vulnerable populations. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
8/ UT-Austin students were required to test negative for the coronavirus before attending a football game earlier this month.
The same precaution, however, wasn't required for thousands of other fans. https://bit.ly/3cmocaE
The same precaution, however, wasn't required for thousands of other fans. https://bit.ly/3cmocaE
9/ During the first two weeks of September, UT-Austin accounted for almost 40% of the cases in Travis County.
That far exceeds its proportion of the county’s population, but the university is testing its population at a much higher rate than Travis County as a whole.
That far exceeds its proportion of the county’s population, but the university is testing its population at a much higher rate than Travis County as a whole.
10/ University leaders say despite the risks, it was important to give students the option to return.
Some students struggle with virtual learning, and online courses are further complicated for low-income students who often lack access to reliable wi-fi. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
Some students struggle with virtual learning, and online courses are further complicated for low-income students who often lack access to reliable wi-fi. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
11/ In the Rio Grande Valley, where over 90% of the population is Hispanic and is disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19, 20% of students don’t have access to reliable internet.
Many live in multigenerational households buzzing with distractions. https://bit.ly/3hQPnvv
Many live in multigenerational households buzzing with distractions. https://bit.ly/3hQPnvv
12/12 To help curb the spread of the virus to surrounding communities, faculty members have been acting as messengers to students about the importance of health precautions. https://bit.ly/2Ho478x
