20,000 College Students and Staff Infected Nationwide
17% Increase in Infections Of Children
FEMA Inexplicably Rolls Back PPE For Schools
Despite President Trump’s desperate attempts to change the topic, coronavirus remains a persistent threat to Americans — especially those returning to school.
The president has pushed for schools to reopen, though the administration’s failure to take decisive action early on has meant that students returning to campuses are at continued risk of contracting and spreading the virus. The results have already been devastating: outbreaks among schools are driving new hotspots, thousands are infected, and schools are almost immediately closing back down.
And the administration is not just giving up the fight against the virus, it’s taking action to encourage its spread. The administration is inexplicably jeopardizing students by refusing to reimburse schools for PPE unless it’s used for emergency response.
Here’s a round up of the disaster spurred by Trump’s push to reopen schools:
Infections Are Skyrocketing at Colleges, Creating New Hot Spots Across the Country
More Than 20,000 Students And Staff Have Been Infected At Colleges And Universities In At Least 36 States.
- “More than 20,000 cases of Covid-19 among students and staff have been reported at colleges and universities across at least 36 states, according to a CNN tally. The campus reopenings represent new coronavirus hot spots in a country with plenty enough already as the US surpassed 6 million total confirmed cases on Monday.” [CNN, 9/1/20]
1,017 Students Are Currently Infected At The University Of South Carolina.
- “At the University of South Carolina, 1,017 students currently have Covid-19, according to the university’s coronavirus dashboard, making it one of the highest case counts recorded at a college so far.” [CNN, 9/1/20]
424 Students Are Currently Infected At The University Of Missouri.
- “The University of Missouri has 424 active student Covid-19 cases, according to the school’s Covid-19 dashboard.” [CNN, 9/1/20]
James Madison University Reported 138 New Infections Among Students And Employees Since Yesterday.
- “James Madison University is reporting 138 new Covid-19 positive cases among its students and employees since Monday, according the JMU dashboard.” [CNN, 9/1/20]
Utah State University Forced 287 Students To Quarantine After Finding Elevated Amounts Of COVID-19 In Wastewater Samples.
- “While schools and universities across the country monitor coronavirus outbreaks with human testing, Utah State University officials announced they’ve discovered evidence of the virus a different way. The school found elevated amounts of Covid-19 in wastewater samples collected from four residence halls on campus. Officials issued a safety alert on Sunday calling for mandatory testing and quarantine of all 287 students living in Rich, Jones, Morgan and Davis on-campus residence halls.” [CNN, 9/1/20]
Between August 22 And August 28, 509 Students And 8 Employees At Auburn University In Alabama Tested Positive For COVID-19.
- “Auburn University added 517 new positive COVID-19 cases last week according to data released by the University. 509 students and 8 employees tested positive between Aug. 22 and Aug. 28. Since the beginning of the fall semester on Aug. 17, the University has added a total of 725 cases in two weeks.” [The Auburn Plainsman, 9/2/20]
Cases Of COVID-19 Doubled At Georgia Tech In Less Than One Week.
- “The number of coronavirus cases at Georgia Tech has more than doubled since last weekend. On August 29, the institute logged 641 cases since March. Less than seven days ago, that number hovered around 300. The university’s daily status report indicates rampant spread among Greek life –now one week after FOX 5 reported on an outbreak in Phi Sigma Epsilon that resulted in the fraternity house’s transformation into an isolation zone.” [Fox 5, 8/30/20]
More Than 6.5 Percent Of Students And Staff At Adrian College In Michigan Have Tested Positive For The Virus.
- “More than 6.5% of Adrian College’s students and staff have tested positive for the coronavirus, the college said in an update sent to staff and students late Monday evening. Students moved back to the small private residential liberal arts college, located about 90 minutes southwest of Detroit, starting Aug. 16. Classes began Aug. 24. There have been 152 positive tests since school began, data shared with the campus community in the email sent by the director of the college’s Student Health Center and obtained by the Free Press shows. That’s 6.8% of the 2,235 total students and staff.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/1/20]
Temple University In Philadelphia Has Reported 127 Cases Of COVID-19 Since Classes Returned, Sparking Concerns That Students Might Infect The Surrounding Community.
- “COVID-19 outbreak around Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia has the city’s health department worried that students living off-campus may transmit the coronavirus to the surrounding community. Temple has reported 127 COVID-19 cases since students returned late last month. To curb the spread of the virus, the university paused in-person instruction for a two-week period.” [PhillyVoice, 9/1/20]
More Than 20 Holy Cross Students In Massachusetts Have Tested Positive For The Virus Since An Off-Campus Party.
- “More than 20 College of the Holy Cross students have tested positive for the virus after a party…The party was held off campus in mid-August. Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus said some of the students who tested positive attended the party, while others were not in attendance but were in close contact with partygoers.” [WCBV, 8/30/20]
Two Weeks Into Classes, Central Michigan University Has At Least 117 Cases Of COVID-19.
- “This is likely not the beginning of the school year Central Michigan University President Robert Davies anticipated while playing cornhole at a student house party in mid-August, days before classes started. After two weeks of classes, there are 178 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases linked to the return of students to the Mount Pleasant campus, many tied to off-campus parties that opening weekend. The surge in cases linked by the Central Michigan District Health Department to the campus, at least 117 of whom are CMU students, has led to the declaration of a public health emergency in the mid-Michigan community, and was a major factor in Eastern Michigan University’s decision to move classes online.” [Bridge Michigan, 8/31/20]
The University Of Iowa Has Reported 922 Cases Of COVID-19.
- “Another 326 University of Iowa students have self-reported a positive or presumed positive COVID-19 diagnosis since Friday, bringing the university’s total to 922 cases. In a message to campus Monday, the university said three more employees have tested positive, bringing the total number of employees with a positive COVID-19 test to 13.” [Iowa City Press-Citizen, 8/31/20]
The Virus Continues to Spread Among Teachers and Children, Forcing K-12 Schools to Shut Down in-Person Instruction
American Academy of Pediatrics And The Children’s Hospital Association: “Over 70,000 New Infections Were Reported In Children Over The Span Of Two Weeks From Mid To Late August, Amounting To A 17 Percent Increase In Cases During That Timeline.”
- “Over 70,000 new infections were reported in children over the span of two weeks from mid to late August, amounting to a 17% increase in cases during that timeline, according to the report, which looked at data from 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.”
Nearly Half A Million Children Have Been Infected Since The Beginning Of The Pandemic, Representing 9.5 Percent Of All Cases In The United States.
- “There have been over 476,000 infections reported in children since the start of the pandemic through Aug. 27, and the demographic represents 9.5% of all cases.” [U.S. News & World Report, 9/2/20]
Twin Lakes High School In Monticello, Indiana Shut Down In-Person Learning After Reporting “Multiple Positive Cases.”
- “Twin Lakes School Corp. will close its high school building for the next nine days beginning Tuesday, due to school ‘having multiple positive cases,’ according to a letter to employees and families from Debbie Metzger, Twin Lakes interim superintendent. Metzger notified Twin Lakes employees and parents Monday that a high school student had tested positive for coronavirus. She wrote that the district was notified Monday and that the last day the student attended school was Wednesday, Aug. 26.” [Journal & Courier, 8/31/20]
American Preparatory Academy In Draper, Utah Shut Down In-Person Learning After 15 Students And Staff Tested Positive.
- “American Preparatory Academy’s Draper 1 campus shut down Tuesday and learning will now shift online, confirmed Carolyn Sharette, the charter’s executive director. The move comes after 15 students and staff there tested positive for the virus less than two weeks after it had reopened.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 9/1/20]
Utah Military Academy In Lehi, Utah Closed After Nine Faculty Members Tested Positive.
- “Utah Military Academy at Camp Williams in Lehi, a charter where students are referred to as cadets, also decided to close after nine faculty members there tested positive, according to an email sent to staff this week and shared with The Salt Lake Tribune.” [Salt Lake Tribune, 9/1/20]
An Elementary School In Brevard County, Florida Shut Down In-Person Learning Due To “Expanded Cases Of COVID-19.”
- “A Brevard County elementary school is closed for the rest of the week due to coronavirus. Golfview Elementary School is set to reopen on Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday on Monday. The district said in a news release on Tuesday that the closure is due to ‘expanded cases of COVID-19 and to prevent further spread of the virus.’” [Fox35Orlando, 9/2/20]
At Palmetto High School In Florida, More Than 100 People Were Forced To Quarantine After Being Exposed To A Teacher Who Tested Positive.
- “Classrooms full of students were sent home from Palmetto High School after a teacher tested positive for COVID-19. In a message to families on Monday evening, Palmetto High reported ‘a case of COVID-19’ and ‘direct exposure’ to the infected person. On Tuesday morning, the Bradenton Herald received unverified reports that Palmetto High School had upwards of 100 possible exposures.” [Bradenton Herald, 9/1/20]
Bulloch County, Georgia, Saw A 60 Percent Increase In Cases In The Two Weeks Since School Began — Now, The City Of Statesboro Ranks Fifth In Cities Where Cases Are Rising The Fastest
- “Statesboro is among the nation’s metropolitan areas where the coronavirus “outbreak is the worst now,” according to data collected by the New York Times….The latest data from Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency reports the county has 735 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people. The goal is to have less than 100 cases per 100,000 people. The New York Times also ranked Statesboro fifth of cities ‘where new cases are rising the fastest.’ Public schools in Bulloch County and Georgia Southern University returned to school on Aug. 17. In the two weeks leading up to classes, the county reported 298 new COVID-19 cases. In the first week of classes, that number was much lower, at 73. But the following week, Aug. 24 to 30, Bulloch County saw 433 new cases. That makes for 506 new cases in the two weeks since the start of school — nearly a 60% increase.” [WSAV, 9/1/20]
An Elementary School, Middle School And High School In The Mat-Su Borough School District In Alaska Shut Down In-Person After 5 Students Tested Positive.
- “Five newly-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Mat-Su Borough School District pushed three schools into online-only learning mode on Tuesday. An 11th grader and a 12th grader at Colony High School, a 6th grader and a 8th grader at Colony Middle School, and a 4th grader at Pioneer Peak Elementary School have tested positive for the virus. All of the cases are related, according to each of the schools’ Facebook pages.” [Alaska Public Media, 9/1/20]
In Alaska, Children And Teenagers Make Up 15.3% Of Total Coronavirus Cases, Nearly Double From May.
- “Kids and young adults 19 or younger made up 15.3% of total COVID-19 cases in Alaska as of the end of August, or 813 cases of 5,298 total. In contrast, back in May, kids made up just 8.4% of total cases, with 31 cases confirmed among children of 368 cases statewide, according to data from the state’s health department.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/1/20]
…But FEMA Is Inexplicably Pulling Funding for PPE, Jeopardizing Teachers, Students, and Their Families
On September 2, FEMA Announced That Starting On September 15 That They Would Only Reimburse Schools For PPE If It Was Used Specifically For Emergency Response.
- “Much of the basic emergency supplies that schools, elections agencies and other local offices need for COVID prevention will no longer be covered by FEMA under a new policy announced Tuesday. The new interim policy, which goes into effect September 15, follows what local officials from around the country have said they were told in recent calls with FEMA: that many of the masks, respirators and sanitizing supplies that continue to be key for coronavirus prevention will only be covered for reimbursement when used specifically for emergency response. Instead, under most circumstances, the agency will regard these items as non-emergency supplies for schools and many other local institutions.” [CBS News, 9/2/20]