College students should be held accountable as NC tries to slow COVID-19, Cohen says

North Carolina college campuses should be doing more to hold students responsible for activities that can promote the spread of the coronavirus, Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday.

University campuses across the state are reporting new COVID-19 clusters and hundreds of infected students daily. In a news release last week, DHHS connected increased viral spread to students’ return to university campuses while sharing updated COVID-19 guidance for colleges and universities.

The state’s case trends are starting to “tip in the wrong direction,” Cohen said.

As universities began their fall semesters, students were found meeting in large groups on and off campuses. An executive order — in place for months — aims to control viral spread by limiting gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

In a news conference Tuesday, Cohen emphasized that college students should take health precautions such as staying out of crowds and wearing face coverings when they are with people who are not members of their immediate families.

“There is more the university can do” to hold students accountable for their actions on campus and off campus, she said. She said enforcing student codes of conducts is one tool they can use.

“This is about making sure that the guidance that we have on paper turns into the implementation that we need to see,” Cohen said. “And we need to see the universities do that and make sure they’re using all of the tools at their disposal to make sure that students again, whether on or off campus, are abiding by that guidance and the protocols to keep them and their communities safe.”

The state counted 1,345 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 157,741 since March. The official total is likely an undercount because tests were rationed early in the pandemic.

The percent positive rate of tests Monday was 7.4%, higher than the 5% threshold that helps determine whether viral spread is under control. The state has been in Phase Two of restrictions on leisure and business activity since May 22.

Cohen said she and Gov. Roy Cooper made the most recent decision to extend Phase Two into September because the reopening of schools meant the potential for more viral spread. Phase Two is expected to last until at least Sept. 11.

“I think what we have been trying to do is make sure that we’re understanding what are the drivers of that spread,” Cohen said. “And what we’re seeing is that spread of virus is in social gatherings, parties, particularly ones that are off-campus as well as housing that is off campus — sororities, fraternities, other group houses. And we’re also seeing some viral spread in some of our athletic teams.”

UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University and East Carolina University moved all undergraduate classes online for the fall semester after finding COVID-19 clusters in student housing. A cluster is 5 cases in close proximity.

UNC reported its 11th cluster Tuesday, in a residence hall. Monday, the student reported 218 new cases between Friday and Sunday. After three residence halls developed clusters of cases, students were encouraged to get tested for the coronavirus.

According to UNC’s coronavirus dashboard of cases and other data, there is a 31.3% positivity rate for for students who were tested in the past week, The News & Observer reported.

Meanwhile, NC State has reported 21 clusters, with seven added Tuesday from three on-campus residence halls and four apartment complexes.

Monday, the school announced Monday it would pause fall athletics after finding a COVID-19 cluster within the athletic department, The News & Observer reported. The university said there are 27 cases in the athletic department, though not all are athletes.

Cohen said schools have special protocols for Division I athletes that include keeping them in groups, avoiding large gatherings, and implementing COVID-19 testing regimens.

“Each collegiate governing body has different protocols that they are going through,” she said.

Statewide, daily testing is declining. Cohen said that testing is declining in other states, too.

“We’re hoping to see our numbers pick up,” she said.

DHHS released a COVID-19 testing tool-kit for organizations that want to set up their own testing sites.

“Testing is a central piece of our response to this pandemic, so we continue to work hand-in-hand with community organizations to help North Carolinians access testing and follow-up care,” Cohen said in a news release.

This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 4:29 PM with the headline "College students should be held accountable as NC tries to slow COVID-19, Cohen says."