Return to campus brings increase in COVID cases
Upper respiratory illnesses spread on campus after winter break. Twenty COVID cases were reported at CSB+SJU last week. This is an increase compared to fall semester's average of ten cases per week. Further, there are 12 new cases within the monastic community.
The start of the spring semester has brought more than just students back to campus. As dorms, dining halls and classrooms fill up again, COVID cases are starting to spike within the monastic community and student population here on campus.
“We saw 20 [COVID] cases last week,” Director of Health Services Emily Rath said via email. “Prior to last week, on average we were seeing two to four cases per week.”
The numbers being seen now are even higher than they were at the beginning of the fall semester when cases averaged 10 a week.
“We tend to see a rise in upper respiratory appointments and illness during winter months. As for returning back to campus following breaks, usually, we see an uptick in illness two to three weeks after coming back to campus.” Rath said.
Not only has the student body seen rises in cases, but so has the campus’s monastic community.
“We have had 12 cases in the monastic community,” Abbot John Klassen said via email.
Klassen is currently facing COVID impacts as he himself has fallen ill. He is currently in isolation with the five-day Paxlovid treatment. He expressed hope to prevent further spread and get everyone feeling better again. The personal impact hasn’t only affected just monastic members, but also CSB+SJU’s students as well. SJU first-year Wyatt Shaeffer said he has seen less peers in class on a daily basis.
“A class of mine seemed to only have half the people there last week. I don’t know if it’s from them being sick, but there’s more people gone,” he said. “I also got an email from my faculty resident saying there’s been a resurgence in the Abbey and on campus. It’s obviously resurging enough to start letting people know to take some precautions.”
As it has been shared ever since the start of the pandemic, handwashing, staying home, wearing a mask and isolating if you have symptoms are the best ways to prevent COVID and general illness around campus. Health services are responding to the rise of COVID cases by shifting their staffing to be available for COVID testing appointments. Students are encouraged to call the COVID hotline (320-363-5370) with questions or to schedule a test.
“With testing comes knowledge,” Rath said via email. “If positive, you can appropriately avoid any high-risk or vulnerable friends, staff and faculty and take proper precautions.”
