Patrons sit outside Midway without masks Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. Credit: Christian Harsa | Assistant Photo Editor
The end of October brought more than just spooky season to Ohio State — this year, it brought an increase in COVID-19 cases.
The seven-day average student positivity rate at the university stayed at or below 1 percent for the entire month of October. That metric jumped to 1.21 percent Nov. 2 and has been rising since — hitting 1.94 percent Saturday.
The off-campus seven-day average student positivity rate has reached 2 percent, and on-campus has reached 1.46 percent. These increases come after the first two games of Ohio State’s COVID-19-delayed football season and corresponding large gatherings in the campus area. COVID-19 data following this past weekend’s game is not yet available.
In a universitywide email Monday, University President Kristina M. Johnson urged students to get tested for COVID-19 before and continue following safety protocols while traveling to spend Thanksgiving with family.
“As we gather with family and friends for the holidays and spend more time together indoors, these protocols are vital to protecting the most vulnerable among us, including those in our lives with chronic health conditions and older adults,” Johnson said.
Ohio State’s Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website recommended students “sequester as much as possible” until they receive their test results and leave for their holiday destination immediately after receiving a negative test result.
The website states sequestering includes limiting interactions with other people, wearing a mask — even at home when around people who work outside the house — and avoiding public transit, if possible. It also recommended wearing a mask around roommates upon returning from the holiday weekend until everyone has received new COVID-19 test results.
The state of Ohio has set multiple records in the past week for daily new COVID-19 cases reported. Tuesday, the Ohio Department of Health reported 6,508 new cases, almost 1,000 more cases than the record set the previous Saturday.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is scheduled to make a statewide address on the matter Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
