Column: It is naive to consider USC Aiken safe to return
Community extends beyond USC Aiken’s ground limits, and while there are reportedly few COVID-19 cases on campus, there are a staggering number of infections and deaths in Aiken County.
The campus community may be deemed low risk based upon university data, but it distracts from the fact that students are not any more safe on campus than last spring, if not even in more danger for infections and contributing to the viral spread.
On March 23, 2020, COVID-19 cases in Aiken county were at 109 with a total of 4 deaths since the initial report on the 20th. At the time of writing this, January 17, 2021, total COVID cases in Aiken county have reached 11,139—164 of which were reported yesterday—with a combined 153 deaths.
USCA initially disbanded the spring semester two weeks post spring break, which began March 9. The justification for the transition to virtual learning was based upon “core principles” to “protect the health, safety and welfare of our students, faculty, staff and guests,” mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining academic excellence, as written in official correspondence from Chancellor Jordan.
43 weeks later, Aiken County is considered to be a “critical risk” with a substantive, uncontrolled spread of the virus, according to Kinsa HealthWeather, a prediction model revolving around case growth and transmission expectations nationwide.
While campus community leaders and administration are praising all involved in the social distancing and mitigation procedures, I feel that without comprehensive testing of all students, regardless of housing or not, we are not considering an accurate reflection of USCA’s safety.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) released a statement Jan. 13 for “immediate” publication, urging nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and “other qualified people” to apply for jobs supporting COVID vaccination. Nick Davidson, DHEC senior deputy for public health, stated, “your state urgently needs you.”
The following day, DHEC released a second statement. Dr. Brannon Traxler, interim public health director for DHEC, announced “we must all act now or continue to face unprecedented numbers of cases that are overwhelming our hospitals … as well as taking the lives of those we love.”
Traxler continued, “Every one of us must recommit to the fight.”
“If we don’t act now, we could face many dark months ahead,” he closed.
This attitude from health directors, numerous calls pleading for medical assistance, starkly contrasts the supposed low health risk of USCA.
Student lives exist outside of academics, and much of the necessary living expenses and practices (i.e, jobs, family) take place either off-campus or in surrounding areas. It is naive to not consider how much of student life is impacted off-campus, and the implications of returning after holidays and heavy travel periods.
Referring to community measures to maintain campus health should not stop at the campus limits, it should fully involve county data and even external data based on frequently traveled neighboring cities. If USCA is to continue to pride itself on student health and safety, it is beyond appropriate and necessary to shut down.
I urge USCA’s administration to revisit a quote by Dr. Sandra Jordan, stated early March 2020 after the shift to remote learning: “The extended break and period of remote instruction will allow you to continue your education while limiting your exposure to the virus. By doing this, you are not only taking care of yourself but also helping ensure the health of our campus community and of those within the vulnerable populations among us.”
Take care of the community by taking care of your students. USCA should have never reopened for face-to-face learning this far into the uncontrolled spread of the virus within the state.
