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SARS-CoV-2 Control on a Large Urban College Campus without Mass Testing

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Bibliographic Details
Title: SARS-CoV-2 Control on a Large Urban College Campus without Mass Testing
Language: English
Authors: Christopher O'Donnell, Katherine Brownlee, Elise Martin, Joe Suyama, Steve Albert, Steven Anderson, Sai Bhatte (ORCID 0000-0002-3734-3395), Kenyon Bonner, Chad Burton, Micaela Corn, Heather Eng, Bethany Flage, Jay Frerotte, Goundappa K. Balasubramani, Catherine Haggerty, Joel Haight, Lee H. Harrison, Amy Hartman, Thomas Hitter, Wendy C. King, Kate Ledger, Jane W. Marsh, Margaret C. McDonald, Bethany Miga, Kimberly Moses, Anne Newman, Meg Ringler, Mark Roberts, Theresa Sax, Anantha Shekhar, Matthew Sterne, Tyler Tenney, Marian Vanek, Alan Wells, Sally Wenzel, John Williams (ORCID 0000-0001-8377-5175)
Source: Journal of American College Health. 2024 72(8):3049-3057.
Availability: Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Urban Universities, COVID-19, Pandemics, Disease Control, Disease Incidence, Public Health, College Students, Student Behavior, Health Behavior
Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh)
DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2153600
ISSN: 0744-8481
1940-3208
Abstract: Objective: A small percentage of universities and colleges conducted mass SARS-CoV-2 testing. However, universal testing is resource-intensive, strains national testing capacity, and false negative tests can encourage unsafe behaviors. Participants: A large urban university campus. Methods: Virus control centered on three pillars: mitigation, containment, and communication, with testing of symptomatic and a random subset of asymptomatic students. Results: Random surveillance testing demonstrated a prevalence among asymptomatic students of 0.4% throughout the term. There were two surges in cases that were contained by enhanced mitigation and communication combined with targeted testing. Cumulative cases totaled 445 for the term, most resulting from unsafe undergraduate student behavior and among students living off-campus. A case rate of 232/10,000 undergraduates equaled or surpassed several peer institutions that conducted mass testing. Conclusions: An emphasis on behavioral mitigation and communication can control virus transmission on a large urban campus combined with a limited and targeted testing strategy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1448658
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Objective: A small percentage of universities and colleges conducted mass SARS-CoV-2 testing. However, universal testing is resource-intensive, strains national testing capacity, and false negative tests can encourage unsafe behaviors. Participants: A large urban university campus. Methods: Virus control centered on three pillars: mitigation, containment, and communication, with testing of symptomatic and a random subset of asymptomatic students. Results: Random surveillance testing demonstrated a prevalence among asymptomatic students of 0.4% throughout the term. There were two surges in cases that were contained by enhanced mitigation and communication combined with targeted testing. Cumulative cases totaled 445 for the term, most resulting from unsafe undergraduate student behavior and among students living off-campus. A case rate of 232/10,000 undergraduates equaled or surpassed several peer institutions that conducted mass testing. Conclusions: An emphasis on behavioral mitigation and communication can control virus transmission on a large urban campus combined with a limited and targeted testing strategy.
ISSN:0744-8481
1940-3208
DOI:10.1080/07448481.2022.2153600