As COVID-19 began making headlines in late December, it ambushed China. Since, it has rapidly throughout the world in its entirety taking many lives along the way and leaving a lasting impact for so many others.
After the first few cases were identified in the U.S., President Donald Trump claimed thatAmericans would soon overcome the war against COVID-19. Yet, the virus has kept accelerating, with flu season now around the corner. Given the situation, colleges nationwide began announcing that they would remain in remote instruction mode throughout the fall semester. Others, on the other hand, chose a hybrid instruction mode.
As the beginning of the school year approached, some colleges announced to make a decision for the sake of students and faculty, leading many to choose in-person lecture as their pathway.
When it comes to Oswego State, a plan coined the “Oswego Forward Plan” was pushed forward and approved by both the SUNY system and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The initial draft of the plan contemplated a series of strict measures that would have made it nearly impossible for COVID-19 to exponentially spread at Oswego State. That first batch of guidelines hinted, among others, at the existence of “pods,” or reduced groups of 10 students. These students were required to take socially distant precautions when in contact with anyone except for those in their respective pods.
Further measures first outlined in the plan included a prohibition for Oswego State students to leave the perimeter of the campus and the city of Oswego. In response, students voiced their concerns with the severity of those measures, leading to a failed relaxation of the strict guidelines.
Nonetheless, students had to get tested upon their arrival to campus and consequently quarantine. At first, it seemed as if everything was working out until a chain of incidents led to a spike in COVID-19 cases. These incidents include parties and violations of social distancing laws, including violations at Oswego’s Ferris Wheel, a bar downtown.
During the first week of classes, only three positive cases were reported at Oswego State following its baseline testing. One week later, as SUNY Oneonta suddenly reported 100 cases which then augmented to over 500 cases, Oswego State reported 18 positives – five alone on Sunday, Sept. 6 – adding up to 21. Then, on Monday, Sept. 7, 15 cases were added to Oswego State’s COVID-19 dashboard, showing signs of an evident exponential trend.
Given the unknown nature and side effects that this novel virus holds secret, it almost seems as if universities should have chosen to keep student and faculty health a priority during these times we find ourselves in. A health crisis like this one should never be worth testing the waters, and should serve as a learning experience for colleges.
Photo from Flickr
