Thread by @MatthewBoedy

Now that most (if not all) Georgia colleges semesters are over (exams not in-person), it is an important moment to look at what #COVID19, decisions by @BORUSG, and lack of leadership by @GovKemp and others has brought to bear on students and employees: 1/x

Let's look at the toll in numbers: more than 11,800 reported cases. Compared to just over 1,000 at private schools. Nearly 900 employee cases, compared to 220+. Note: not all schools broke numbers into students and staff. 2/x

The top @BORUSG school in reported cases: @universityofga with more than 4,000, about 1/3 of the overall total. For comparison, @GeorgiaTech had 1475, a very distant second. Why the difference? Testing for one reason 3/x

While UGA doubled its surveillance testing to 5,000 this past week, with many tested before heading home for #Thanksgiving, its 2,000+ tests a week pales in comparison to Tech's 15-1800 a day (5 days per week). UGA ran 30-40,000 tests total this semester. Tech ran 145,000+. 4/x

Outside those two schools, testing was either non-existent or so small in number as to be not be useful. A few hundred here and there helps but it is not enough. That said, Tech had its outbreaks in dorms, like so many schools around nation. 5/x

After initial early semester spikes, @GeorgiaSouthern and @GeorgiaCollege have seen much, much fewer cases, with the latter seeing days of zero reports. Why for GC? Small school, 10% of student body infected (7000+ students, 760+ total cases, 36 employee). 5/x

There is also some truth to the perception that students have not been reporting positive tests or not getting tested at all lest they get punished or face inconveniences. Masks and social distancing help, yes, but other factors also are at play. 7/x

For comparison, UNC Chapel Hill cases since February: 1428. University of Alabama system (UA, UAB, UAH): 5800. University of South Carolina, 3000+. 8/x

There will no mandatory re-entry testing at Georgia schools. Spring semester does not have the days of move-in and such to allow for many to get tested before classes start. We can only assume we will see spikes again in January. /end

hey @threadreaderapp please unroll

Seemed to have lost thread. Here is rest

https://twitter.com/matthewboedy/status/1331614881662070786