The rise in COVID cases since the classes started is cause for much concern on campus. According to the WCU tracking dashboard on Jan. 21 were reported 123 positive cases for the week and positivity rate of almost 24%.
Pam Buchanan, director of WCU Health services, says the Omicron variant is the cause of this recent surge in COVID cases.
From Jan. 4 to Jan. 7, a total of 402 students, employees and contractors were tested. One hundred eighteen of those tests yielded a positive result and a positivity rate of 20%. Those also include self-reported results.
Over winter break, students of WCU received an email from Chancellor Brown stating that plans for returning on-campus remain in place. Residential living began allowing students to return on Jan. 5.
In two weeks, the 118 active cases WCU had at the end of the week on Jan. 7, has more than quadrupled and stands at 503 active cases for the spring of 2022. Because the semester just began most of the cases reported are listed as active because of the quarantine and isolation periods have not yet been completed. A total of 118 people have recovered from COVID-19 since the beginning of the semester, according to the WCU COVID dashboard.
Before students returned to campus for the Spring of 2022, the highest number positive cases reported in one day stood at 17 on Dec. 11, 2020. More than a year later, on Jan. 4, that number was nearly doubled. Eleven students and 20 employees reported testing positive bringing the total for the day to 31.
The daily positive cases have only risen since students arrived back on campus. On Jan. 10, the day classes began, 85 students tested positive along with 5 employees, shattering the previous high of 31 only 6 days before.
With the numbers steadily increasing, students and employees are left wondering if in-person instruction will continue for the Spring of 2022.
Aidan Tysinger, a WCU student, has had some recent COVID trouble and is currently quarantining at home.
“I think that everyone should be very aware of how quick COVID is spreading. I’m fully vaccinated and haven’t had anything happen to me the past few years COVID-wise. Now I’ve been out of school for 3 weeks because of omicron,” Tysinger said.
Jackson County has also hit an all-time high. In the first week of January in 2021 the 7-day average of Jackson County COVID cases was 42. That was the previous high. As of January 18, 2022, that number now stands at 88.
What may be even more distressful is that only 24.7% of the Jackson County population is fully vaccinated with a booster per the CDC.
The U.S. has begun to hit new marks in daily positive COVID cases as well. Since the beginning of winter, the U.S. saw increases in positive cases like it had not seen before. Those positive cases have increased exponentially since the beginning of January. WCU and Jackson County are following the same trend.
With the increase in cases, WCU is changing their protocols, following CDC guidelines. Now students and employees are being urged to use KN95 masks rather than cloth masks.
Buchanan reiterated the importance of mask wearing and self-reporting.
“If you are experiencing symptoms, assume you could have COVID, and seek guidance with Health Services as quickly as possible. I think for many of us we wait to see if it will “clear up”, if you have COVID, you have now potentially exposed others while you are waiting to see if your symptoms get better,” Buchanan said.
WCU has made KN95 masks available in the UC, Hunter Library, Belk and Biltmore Park.
