Colleges Need To Radically Ramp Up Testing, White House Coronavirus Task Force Chief Reportedly Says

TOPLINE

White House Coronavirus Task Force chief Dr. Deborah Birx has called on universities to test all students before in-person classes begin and implement “surge” testing, according to a report by the Center for Public Integrity, advice that comes as some marquee colleges that aimed to hold in-person classes this term have called them off already due to coronavirus outbreaks.

KEY FACTS

Key Background

Health experts have said that college-aged people may be less likely to show symptoms when infected with the coronavirus and could be driving Covid-19’s spread across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested colleges close down buildings and suspend classes after coronavirus outbreaks. Many universities and colleges are under huge financial strain due to low enrollment during the spring semester and the high cost of teaching classes online.

Further reading

On Private Call, White House’s Birx Recommends Robust Testing For Colleges (Center For Public Integrity)

Clusters And Outbreaks Continue: Here Are The Latest College Coronavirus Updates (Forbes)

COVID-19 will hit colleges when students arrive for fall semester. So why open at all? Money is a factor. (USA Today)

Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus