COVID-19 cases at colleges are fueling the nation's hottest outbreaks

[Carnac]

Chris Quintana & Mike Stucka USA TODAY Sept 11, 2020 5:00 AM

Across the country, college students' mounting coronavirus outbreaks have become an urgent public health issue. Of the 25 hottest outbreaks in the U.S., communities heavy with college students represent 19 of them. They span the map from Georgia Southern University to the University of North Dakota, from Virginia Tech to Central Texas College.

In some of the college towns, like Pullman, Washington, home to Washington State, students aren't even taking classes in person, yet are still crowding apartments and filling local bars. In Lafayette County, Mississippi, the community had already seen how lax student behavior can spread the virus. A June outbreak in the town of Oxford was tied to Greek life recruitment parties.

Is this something the administration at UConn can control?

'Astonishingly risky': COVID-19 cases at colleges are fueling the nation's hottest outbreaks

Colleges' coronavirus outbreaks have become an urgent public health issue. Of the nation's 25 hottest outbreaks, college communities represent 19.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Aluminny69]

How many deaths are related to these cases? Young people have few if any comorbidity factors. In this one very long article, not one mention of deaths, or even how serious these cases are. Why not?

 

[Boreifs]

How many deaths are related to these cases? Young people have few if any comorbidity factors. In this one very long article, not one mention of deaths, or even how serious these cases are. Why not?

The proper question is how many deaths will be related to these cases. Given the multitude of related health issues associated with the virus, that may not be answered for another 30-40 years.

 

[Aluminny69]

The proper question is how many deaths will be related to these cases. Given the multitude of related health issues associated with the virus, that may not be answered for another 30-40 years.

According to the most recent CDC report on COVID-19 deaths in the United States, broken down by age group, a total of 377 Americans under the age of 24 have died from the coronavirus. That is significantly less than the number of Americans in that age group who have died from several other diseases or other factors (such as car crashes) during the same period.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The proper question is how many deaths will be related to these cases. Given the multitude of related health issues associated with the virus, that may not be answered for another 30-40 years.

This is the key point. People may not succumb to the respiratory aspects of the virus, but have microscopic changes to the heart, brain, kidneys, etc. that may not show up for decades. Anyone who had it is likely at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, etc., even if those show up only later in life.

Surviving Covid-19 May Not Feel Like Recovery for Some (Published 2020)

Debilitating symptoms can last long after a person’s body has gotten rid of the coronavirus, a reality Italians are now confronting.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Wally East]

According to the most recent CDC report on COVID-19 deaths in the United States, broken down by age group, a total of 377 Americans under the age of 24 have died from the coronavirus. That is significantly less than the number of Americans in that age group who have died from several other diseases or other factors (such as car crashes) during the same period.

I just want to, very gently, remind you that this is a communicable disease. Someone with the disease represents a potential threat to everyone with whom they come into contact. So, while not a lot of college students might die as a result of contracting the virus, they could spread the virus to other people very easily.

Just think about how many people on the UConn campus aren't under 24.

 

[dogged1]

This was an inevitable outcome for resuming in person classes and on campus residence.
Sure, it fueled in part by the lack of foresight that is part of being a young adult male.

But the real cause is: 1. we have no vaccine, 2. we have no herd immunity.

We have flattened the curve and avoided a health disaster and that has given us a sense of security that is probably not warranted. Until we have a vaccine or herd immunity people will continue to get it and inevitably some will die.

But it won't be the college students who pay that price. It will be their grandparents or their friends grandparents, or the elderly professor, or the old fellow who cleans the dorms and classrooms.
Apologies for the pessimistic ramblings, I guess I'm in a sour mood today.

 

[UConnCat]

Clinical Outcomes in Young US Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19

This case series examines the clinical outcomes for young adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

jamanetwork.com

The research letter from Harvard found that among 3,222 young adults hospitalized with Covid-19, 88 died — about 2.7 percent. One in five required intensive care, and one in 10 needed a ventilator to assist with breathing.

 

[Aluminny69]

This was an inevitable outcome for resuming in person classes and on campus residence.
Sure, it fueled in part by the lack of foresight that is part of being a young adult male.

But the real cause is: 1. we have no vaccine, 2. we have no herd immunity.

We have flattened the curve and avoided a health disaster and that has given us a sense of security that is probably not warranted. Until we have a vaccine or herd immunity people will continue to get it and inevitably some will die.

But it won't be the college students who pay that price. It will be their grandparents or their friends grandparents, or the elderly professor, or the old fellow who cleans the dorms and classrooms.
Apologies for the pessimistic ramblings, I guess I'm in a sour mood today.

That's understandable. There's not a lot to be optimistic about these days.

 

[willtalk]

One has to also consider that these college students will also have contact with non college students and many of those will be in the high risk catagories. College kids are not blesses with an over abundance of common sense so their behavior should not be a surprise.

 

[dogged1]

Clinical Outcomes in Young US Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19

This case series examines the clinical outcomes for young adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

jamanetwork.com

The research letter from Harvard found that among 3,222 young adults hospitalized with Covid-19, 88 died — about 2.7 percent. One in five required intensive care, and one in 10 needed a ventilator to assist with breathing.

I had to re read that several times to get the real sense of it. The sample is not 3,222 young adults with Covid-19 but 3,222 young adults with severe Covid-19 requiring hospitalization. Of those most severe cases, the 2.7% death rate applies, and the intensive care and ventilator ratio applies.
Makes sense now. Need to work on my reading skills.

 

[Alydar]

Chris Quintana & Mike Stucka USA TODAY Sept 11, 2020 5:00 AM

Is this something the administration at UConn can control?

No. It's like trying to herd cats.

 

[Boreifs]

No. It's like trying to herd cats.

Great analogy.

 

[EdSaid]

Every person's point of view is different, just as each university is different. Northeastern expelled 11 freshmen for violating the rules. (No idea if any of the 11 tested positive.) Just down the street, at Boston College 13 of the 41 members of the swim/dive team tested positive. Who's behavior is worse? The BC student athletes are quarantining. The Northeastern 11 just hired a high powered NYC attorney.

 

[Boreifs]

Every person's point of view is different, just as each university is different. Northeastern expelled 11 freshmen for violating the rules. (No idea if any of the 11 tested positive.) Just down the street, at Boston College 13 of the 41 members of the swim/dive team tested positive. Who's behavior is worse? The BC student athletes are quarantining. The Northeastern 11 just hired a hire powered NYC attorney.

This is going to create a lot of work for attorneys, and bankrupt smaller colleges and universities.

 

[soxfan23]

How many deaths are related to these cases? Young people have few if any comorbidity factors. In this one very long article, not one mention of deaths, or even how serious these cases are. Why not?

I will do you one better, guess how many HOSPITALIZATIONS have occurred from these cases? The answer is ZERO!

 

[soxfan23]

One has to also consider that these college students will also have contact with non college students and many of those will be in the high risk catagories. College kids are not blesses with an over abundance of common sense so their behavior should not be a surprise.

Yeah, because interactions with college aged students and those over 75 is really common on college campuses.

 

[Boreifs]

Yeah, because interactions with college aged students and those over 75 is really common on college campuses.

There are lots of faculty in their 60s and 70s, as well as lots of staff members, including coaches. Your belligerence is not helping the discussion.

 

[soxfan23]

There are lots of faculty in their 60s and 70s, as well as lots of staff members, including coaches. Your belligerence is not helping the discussion.

No, there isn't! Even if there was a significant number, which there absolutely isn't, why is it the student's responsibility to worry about their professor's health? If the professors are worried, then they should stay home and quarantine themselves!

 

[UConnCat]

I will do you one better, guess how many HOSPITALIZATIONS have occurred from these cases? The answer is ZERO!

Source please?

 

[soxfan23]

Source please?

He cites all his information, with links to his data in his twitter post. Only 29 schools made their information available and he studies every single one of them.

Brown U. epidemiologist finds zero hospitalizations from 26,000 positive COVID tests for college students | The College Fix

It would make sense for colleges to treat their students like prisoners if those on campus were a demonstrable public health risk. Yet the data so far show the exact opposite.

www.thecollegefix.com

 

[UConnCat]

He cites all his information, with links to his data in his twitter post. Only 29 schools made their information available and he studies every single one of them.

Brown U. epidemiologist finds zero hospitalizations from 26,000 positive COVID tests for college students | The College Fix

It would make sense for colleges to treat their students like prisoners if those on campus were a demonstrable public health risk. Yet the data so far show the exact opposite.

www.thecollegefix.com

I call BS. I'm a nurse at a major university hospital university hospital and have worked on the covid unit and I know for a fact he is wrong.

It doesn't matter what this guy says of course. There will be 200k dead by next week and people are dying in this country at the rate of 1000+ per day. As we enter the fall the numbers will likely get worse. But hey, you keyboard warriors have all the answers, If you spent 5 minutes on a hospital covid unit you'd crap your pants.

 

[soxfan23]

I call BS. I'm a nurse at a major university hospital university hospital and have worked on the covid unit and I know for a fact he is wrong.

It doesn't matter what this guy says of course. There will be 200k dead by next week and people are dying in this country at the rate of 1000+ per day. As we enter the fall the numbers will likely get worse. But hey, you keyboard warriors have all the answers, If you spent 5 minutes on a hospital covid unit you'd crap your pants.

He cites his data, now facts are BS? Think what ever you want, you are entitled to do so. Personally, I think we are NOWHERE near the 200k that everybody throws around.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I can’t find Bostom on the list of current Brown faculty. His primary notoriety comes on the topic of Islamic Antisemitism, which seems like an odd topic for an M.D. Additionally, TheCollegeFix is known as a right-wing propaganda site. Color me skeptical as well.