Here’s why Penn State is ‘encouraged’ by early COVID-19 testing rates during student move-in
Penn State officials are “encouraged” by early COVID-19 testing rates on campus, as less than half a percent of students moving into University Park residence halls have so far tested positive.
According to the university, only five students — out of 1,050 — tested positive from Monday through Wednesday during dorm move-in testing. Move-in continues through Sunday, and Penn State said final move-in data will be released next week.
“We’re encouraged by the numbers we’re seeing thus far in the on-arrival testing results and I’m so pleased with the engagement and cooperation of our students in this process,” Kelly Wolgast, director of the university’s COVID-19 Operations Control Center, said in a written statement Thursday.
Students were asked to upload proof of vaccination by Aug. 9. For the on-campus students who didn’t, the university is requiring them to undergo arrival testing. (Off-campus students are not required to be tested upon arrival, but can be tested if they want.)
All students without proof of vaccination, regardless of where they live, are required to undergo weekly COVID testing the rest of the semester.
Penn State has opted not to mandate the vaccine, instead choosing to “heavily incentivize” it while making it easy to obtain. Still, based on nonscientific, anonymous surveys — which could be skewed in the vaccine’s favor — 88% of University Park students are currently vaccinated.
According to the university, 4,664 total students moved into the UPark residence halls through Wednesday. Because 1,050 did not have proof of vaccination, that effectively means there was at least a 77.5% vaccination rate there.
Students who initially test positive during the move-in period are given the option of entering on-campus isolation for 10 days or returning home for 10 days. Those students are also asked to take a secondary test, a PCR test that’s considered more accurate but also takes up to 48 hours for results. If the PCR test is negative, the impacted student can resume move-in.
Penn State’s COVID dashboard with campus testing/infection data will be updated twice weekly. The next update is slated for Tuesday.
Class starts Monday.
