Ohio State campus COVID rate doubles, residential students to be tested twice per week

Max Garrison
Fri, 05 Mar 2021 02:36:30 +0000
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Starting Monday, Ohio State students living on campus will have to test for COVID-19 tests twice a week due to the on-campus COVID-19 positivity rate doubling in one week. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

The COVID-19 infection rate among Ohio State students living on campus has doubled in one week, prompting the university to double its testing requirement.

Between Feb. 24 and March 2, 92 out of 9,063 on-campus student tests were positive, raising the seven-day positivity rate above 1 percent for the first time since January, according to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Starting Monday, on-campus residents will be required to get tested for COVID-19 two times per week at the Jesse Owens North testing facility, according to an email sent to residents Thursday.

In a separate campuswide email Thursday, University President Kristina M. Johnson said most cases are asymptomatic and it is important to continue to follow public health guidelines in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

“We have much to look forward to in the coming weeks, including spring commencement and increased distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations in our state and across the country,” Johnson said. “In order to fully return to doing all that we love, including the potential of an in-person commencement, let’s continue to stay safe and healthy.”

Johnson said Ohio State has found “minimal evidence” people became infected at campus jobs and classes.

All on- and off-campus students are currently required to be tested only once per week. The seven-day positivity rate for off-campus residents continues to hover around 0.5 percent and has held below 1 percent since January. The positivity rate for all Ohio State students is 0.68 percent, a rise from several weeks hovering around 0.4 percent.