USDs next phase in mitigating COVID-19 – KELOLAND.com

VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) In September, USD had a peak of 243 total active COVID-19 cases. Today, they only have 21.

Because theyve been able to flatten that curve, the schools COVID-19 Task Force has entered into a new phase of mitigating the spread of the virus on campus. That includes testing students, faculty and staff who may not even have symptoms.

For two weeks now, USD has been conducting surveillance testing on campus.

Were looking for the asymptomatic people. These are people that are sick with COVID-19 but dont know it because they dont have symptoms so they dont go get tested. So sentinel testing is a program in which we draw a random sampling from a population of asymptomatic people and send them to get tested, chair of the COVID-19 Task Force Kevin OKelley said.

If a person is randomly asked to get tested, it is up to them to decide if they want to or not.

The goal here is were trying to find the invisible illness in our community. If we found a cluster of people that are asymptomatic, but sick, then we might go to phase five, which is point prevalence testing, where we might swoop in on a particular cohort, particular population, that might be ready to have an outbreak, OKelley said.

Freshman Ashley Gustafson, says shes glad the university is taking this step.

Especially from the beginning of the year, the amount of people getting tested has gone down, you know, just because I feel like theyre nervous to get quarantined. So these randomized testing is a way to keep that rolling and maintain safety on campus, Gustafson said.

Sophomore Jacob Hotchkiss, says hes happy with how the school has handled the virus so far.

I firmly believe in, like, taking measures from COVID-19. So, Im happy that they required masks and when we had the big outbreak in cases I was happy that they restricted things in the MUC. I think theyve done a great job, Hotchkiss said.

And OKelley says hes proud of how well the whole campus is coming together to stay safe.

Were social people, particularly ages 18 to 24, were social and for them to voluntarily forgo some of things they might expect from a normal college year has been really great to see, OKelley said.

The surveillance testing is free at the Sanford Vermillion Medical Center because the program is being paid for by the South Dakota Department of Health. OKelley says the school also offers rides to the clinic for people getting tested.

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USDs next phase in mitigating COVID-19 - KELOLAND.com