Updated this week's College Watchlist with latest case counts. Currently tracking 104,746 total cases at 92 colleges. Number of colleges in each threshold group (vs. last week):
At the top of the list for cases in the last 7 days:
- Clemson University - 260
- University of Florida - 219
- University of Central Florida - 218
- Miami University-Oxford - 204
- Brigham Young University - 156
⅗ were in the top 5 last week.
While according to official school data, cases are slowing down compared to the beginning of the semester, I am concerned about cases and spread undetected as some students may not be tested through the college. My College Towns dashboard aims to fix this. public.tableau.com/views/Covid-19…
Of the 104,746 cases we are tracking, 4,705 (4.49%) of those were recorded in the last 7 days.
The New York Times did not update their dashboard this week, so this is the most recent comprehensive picture of Covid-19 at colleges and universities that's out there.
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#TheInsiders: A Warning from Former Trump Officials — a CNN special — starts now. Looking forward to hearing from @OliviaTroye and @RickABright on pandemic response.
"I think it’s beyond worry," @RickABright says. "I know that his actions and his words and the things he is doing now are extending the duration and the magnitude of this pandemic."
"I saw Dr. Fauci brief repeatedly," @OliviaTroye says. "I saw people in the room during the meetings — people, senior White House officials — look away and roll their eyes."
On October 13, Tucker Carlson said on his show, "According to a recent CDC report, "almost everyone — 85% — who got the coronavirus in July was wearing a mask, and they were infected anyway. So clearly (wearing a mask) doesn’t work the way they tell us it works."
This is false.
The report he was referring to was this September 11 MMWR report from the CDC which analyzes symptomatic individuals in two groups: one who tested positive and one who tested negative.
Showing the feedback loop between Fox News and President Trump, Trump said yesterday at a campaign rally in North Carolina: "Did you see, the CDC, that 85% of the people wearing the masks catch it, OK?"
Here's the thing: this is not what the report said.
Today is October 1. At the end of July, @PeterHotez wrote a national plan detailing the steps we as a nation must take to safely reopen our schools, colleges, and businesses, and even have football back safely. Have we met these goals? A thread: journals.elsevier.com/microbes-and-i…
Let's take a national look first. From the end of July (when the report was written) to the end of September (now), daily cases are down 35%, hospitalizations down 49% and deaths down 29%. One would be quick to declare victory, but this is not the complete picture.
When we look at this week's numbers compared to the beginning of September, we see an 8% increase in cases, 11% decrease in hospitalizations and 12% decrease in deaths. The U.S. is potentially on the verge of a spike as we move into the fall and we must be aware of this.
New: The CDC has updated its testing guidance for colleges and universities. Previously only recommending testing for symptomatic individuals and contacts (and not recommending entry testing), the agency has posted more comprehensive guidelines. Thread: cdc.gov/coronavirus/20…
In the June 30 guidance, the CDC "does not recommend entry testing of all returning students, faculty, and staff." Experts like @CT_Bergstrom have critiqued this decision, calling it "inexplicable and irresponsible." chronicle.com/article/the-cd…
Wolf Blitzer right out of the gate: "Clearly this was the most chaotic presidential debate I've ever seen.…I wouldn't be surprised if this was the last presidential debate between the president and the former vice president."
"That was a hot mess instead of a dumpster fire inside of a train wreck," @jaketapper says. "That wasn’t a debate. It was a disgrace…the American people lost tonight."
.@DanaBashCNN had one word: "That was a shitshow."
"In a college or university setting…entry screening combined with regular serial testing might prevent or reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2."
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield co-wrote this today. Then why did the CDC not recommend entry testing? jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…
"COVID-19 risks to college students and staff and their surrounding communities are inevitably intertwined. Coordination of mitigation measures including robust testing both on and near campuses will be essential for reducing or preventing transmission."
Experts like @CT_Bergstrom have argued months ago that entry testing of all students would be necessary for college reopenings and that the CDC’s recommendation to not test all on entry was wrong. Now it seems Dr. Redfielf admitted his mistake.