(Creative Commons / danielfoster437)
Amid the excitement and exhaustion of the day before spring break, I almost forgot to take my weekly COVID test. But when Emory University announced the end of its mask mandate starting March 21, it quickly reminded me how important these forgettable tests are. As we advance to the next stage of the pandemic, the University must start to mandate COVID-19 testing.
This news joins the growing momentum in the U.S. and around the world to enter a new phase of the pandemic where COVID-19 is a manageable fact of life and we can treat it like an endemic. It is absolutely legitimate to feel tired of the restrictions and want to enjoy college in the traditional way; but nationwide cases, deaths and vaccination rates remain causes for concern. Since the beginning of the pandemic, testing has been stressed as a balanced mitigation strategy. When people know they have COVID-19, they can isolate and prevent further infections. If they know they are uninfected, they can gather, socialize and unmask. But people may be less likely to get tested if they’re not exhibiting symptoms when testing is optional, as is the case with vaccinated individuals at Emory. This approach can miss the many asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. On the other hand, screening testing is a strategy that regularly tests everyone in a group, or randomly selects people to be tested, providing more accurate data on the status of the whole community.
George Washington University (D.C.), Harvard University (Mass.), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Barnard College (N.Y.) and Agnes Scott College (Ga.), to name a few, have screening or surveillance systems in place. Emory did the same in the 2020-2021 school year, with the executive director of COVID-19 response Amir St. Clair even writing an op-ed in the Wheel to emphasize the power of weekly COVID-19 screening of asymptomatic and unexposed students in containing infections. Now, a smaller-scale version of regular testing of the Emory population is a necessary move for the University if we want to safely stop masking on and off campus.
This year, the University only required testing for unvaccinated individuals and those returning to campus after winter break. But vaccinated individuals can still get and pass on COVID-19, especially with new variants like Omicron, which caused the spike in cases that shifted us to virtual learning for three weeks just this semester. Breakthrough infections necessitate required screening testing for vaccinated people, without needing to be at all as frequent as unvaccinated screening.
Furthermore, since Emory is not isolated, wider testing would help mitigate potential effects of DeKalb county having just a 56% vaccination rate. The resulting data would not only help Emory but our broader community. However, any expansion in testing would have to come with enforcement through communication and small consequences. Emory’s existing requirements are flimsy, with the COVID-19 dashboard data showing that not all un-boosted people are getting tested, and post-break testing being proven by nothing more than an attestation.
Emory University is a leader in public health across the nation. It must lead by example, but may not always make the best decision in this complicated time. For now, it is up to students, faculty and staff to take responsibility into their own hands. Fortunately, this is easy. Every Friday, I take five minutes out of my day to spit into a tube at the Emory Student Center in exchange for the knowledge that I am clear for the weekend. Tests continue to be difficult to access in many places, so take advantage of free and conveniently located testing to help keep your community safe without restrictions. Ultimately, the responsibility rests on Emory to continue to keep their promises to keep our community safe.
Sarah Orozco (25C) is from Washington, D.C.
Sarah Orozco (25C) is an environmental science major from Washington, D.C. She plays club Ultimate at Emory, enjoys walking around Atlanta and D.C. and is passionate about sustainability.
