‘We are very, very concerned.’ COVID-19 cases among those college-aged are on the rise in Pa.
Pennsylvania’s college-aged adults are catching COVID-19 at increasingly high levels, a trend so concerning the state Department of Health recently released a health alert — the highest-level of importance among a three-tiered system — on the pandemic’s shifting demographics.
According to the state DOH, five of the commonwealth’s six regions have seen the rate of infections among the 19-24 age group either nearly double or more than double. And that’s not welcome news for communities such as State College, which is home to the nation’s ninth-largest undergraduate population in Penn State.
University students are officially set to return Aug. 21.
“We generally know that a lot of the increase has been due to going out to places such as restaurants, bars, events, parties, etc.,” DOH Deputy Press Secretary Maggi Mumma told the CDT. “This is why we need people to take seriously the recommendations that exist, both statewide and locally.”
Are social gatherings or more testing the cause of the increase?
Penn State’s Matthew Ferrari, a researcher in the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, acknowledged there were two schools of thought with the increase — one that lays the blame at the age group for social gatherings and another that sees increased testing as the culprit. Young people don’t often have severe reactions to the virus, he said, so it’s possible many didn’t qualify for a test a few months ago but would now.
It’s also possible the increase is a product of both reasons.
But, whatever the exact reason, the sharp rise is hard to ignore. The state DOH released the alert July 4 and, through Thursday, here’s how stark the increases have been among 19- to -24-year-olds:
- Southwest Pennsylvania: From accounting for about about 5% of total coronavirus cases in April to about 28% so far in July
- Southeast Pennsylvania: From about 5% of total cases in April to about 17% so far in July
- Northeast Pennsylvania: From about 6% of total cases in April to about 16% so far in July
- Northwest Pennsylvania: From about 7% of total cases in April to about 15% so far in July
- Southcentral Pennsylvania: From about 7% of total cases in April to about 13% so far in July
- Northcentral Pennsylvania: From about 8% of total cases in April to about 12% so far in July
Precautions and preparation at Penn State
Penn State has not ruled out an eventual return to online-only instruction, although it is currently planning to open in the fall by balancing in-person and online learning. But no one knows for sure just what to expect with the coronavirus.
UC Berkeley hasn’t yet started classes, for instance, but saw 47 new COVID-19 cases over the last week, which tripled the total number of cases the university had seen since the start of the pandemic. Officials attributed the spike to a series of frat parties.
To the credit of Penn State’s Greek system, the Interfraternity Council, it announced Wednesday — shortly after news broke of Cal’s increase — that it was indefinitely banning all social activities at all fraternity chapters. Penn State spokesman Wyatt DuBois pointed toward that as a sign of students’ mindset here.
“It is incumbent on each member of our community to do their part to slow the spread of the virus and mitigate the risk for themselves and others,” DuBois said in a written statement, “and our students are showing that they are taking this seriously.”
The university has already purchased 500,000 masks and will install 2,500 sanitizer stations at the entrance of every building and classroom. It has also required mask wearing in classrooms, set up contact tracing and has testing in place.
Can State College take the Pa. masking order a step further?
But, for many State College residents, that’s not enough to put their minds at ease. Penn State students left campus before Centre County reported its first case of COVID-19, and it’s unknown how such a dense population in such a small area might spread the virus — especially if off-campus parties or gatherings at bars become prevalent.
“We are very, very concerned,” said Jesse Barlow, president of the State College Borough Council and a Penn State professor. “Really concerned.”
State College’s council is currently looking into an ordinance that would take Gov. Tom Wolf’s masking order a step further. Not only would it formally require masking in the borough, reinforcing Wolf’s order, but it could potentially fine those who do not comply.
At this point, however, both Barlow and borough spokesman Doug Shontz said it’s premature to discuss specifics. Both said they’re currently looking into the legal feasibility of such an ordinance. More information is expected within the next two weeks.
Still, Ferrari, an epidemiologist and State College resident, said he would be supportive of such an ordinance if it were possible.
“I’d see that as a positive step forward,” he said. “I don’t think it’s alarmist to encourage the broader adoption of a strategy that we have reasonably good evidence can prevent transmission.”
To date, less than 1,000 of the country’s 130,000-plus COVID-19 deaths have come from those younger than 35 years old. And those 65 and older have accounted for most hospitalizations. But the young can spread the virus to those more susceptible, and the Penn State community learned last week there can also be painful exceptions.
Juan Garcia, a 21-year-old university student from Allentown, died June 30 of complications from the disease.
“Although serious adverse outcomes (for the young) are less common than in other populations, many of the risks are still the same,” said Dr. Nirmal Joshi, chief medical officer for Mount Nittany Health, “and serious adverse outcomes are being increasingly reported in this age group, including fatalities.”
What you can do
Officials from both the state and university level told the Centre Daily Times that the shifting demographics don’t require a new strategy to fight the pandemic. But they should reinforce, and emphasize, the strategies already in place.
Wear masks. Wash your hands. Social distance.
Otherwise, the spike in coronavirus cases might not stop at the 19-24 age group, they added.
“There’s nothing about this that changes the behaviors we can all engage in to help keep everyone safe,” Ferrari said. “If anything, it’s raising more awareness about the role younger people can play in adopting those behaviors and helping to keep communities safe. So let’s double-down on the behaviors we know work.”
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 8:16 AM.
