CSU: More than 100 students and staff are in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19

Cleveland State University is reporting its highest totals of the fall semester in this week’s COVID-19 dashboard, just over a third of the way through the semester Meanwhile, CSU's COVID czar, Forrest Faison, will be leaving the university in October.

By TONY PESTA

CSU has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases each week of the semester, and this week hit the triple digits with 116 students now in isolation or quarantine.

Currently, 68 students have tested positive and are isolating off campus: an increase of seven since last week.

The number of students in quarantine off campus has jumped from 30 to 44 this week, a more than 30% increase.

Students living off campus continue to be impacted by COVID-19 at increasing rates each week.

Two bright notes are that cases among those on campus have decreased and remained below double digits all semester, and no students are in isolation on campus for the first time since week one.

Four students are in quarantine on campus, a decrease of three from last week.

Students living on campus are required by CSU to be vaccinated while those off campus are not.

The number of staff members isolating on campus remains at three. One employee is in quarantine on campus, the same as last week.

CSU loses its COVID czar

On Wednesday, President Harlan Sands announced in an email that Dr. Forrest Faison, CSU’s Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Health Care Strategy, will be stepping down in October. Faison played a critical role in helping the university navigate through the pandemic.

CSU’s Pandemic Response Efforts will be handled by University Hospitals’ Dr. Sean Cannone moving forward.

The Cleveland Clinic has released a statement that they are experiencing their highest amount of COVID-19 patients since last winter. According to their models, hospitalizations will peak in the coming weeks.

As mentioned in the release, the overwhelming flow of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients is putting a strain on emergency room waiting times and important surgeries that are now being rescheduled.

Since July 1, Ohio has reported 466 children hospitalized due to COVID-19. This ranks as the fifth-highest hospitalization rate for children in the United States (Cleveland.com).

Cuyahoga County is also seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases as hospitals are being forced to triage patients, delay some procedures and limit visitation (Cleveland.com).

According to the CDC, only 51.8 percent of 18-24 year olds are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Unvaccinated individuals are significantly more likely to catch and spread the virus (The Atlantic).

This makes college campuses with younger demographics such as CSU a potentially dangerous place for staff and students who live with young children or those who are high risk.

Cleveland State University does not disclose the vaccination rate of students or staff on campus. CSU also does not disclose the vaccination status of those testing positive for COVID-19 on the dashboard.

In an effort to boost vaccination rates among the younger population, Governor Mike DeWine has announced a vaccine lottery that will grant scholarships to people 12-25 years of age. A total of 55 scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 will be randomly given to those who receive a vaccine.

The vaccine is available for free on campus for CSU staff and students every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 205 of the Center for Innovation in Medical Professions (2112 Euclid Avenue).

Isolation: An individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 with OR without symptoms and who must isolate for 10 days from either symptom onset or test result, the last 24 hours of which must be fever free and, if symptomatic, symptoms are improving.

Quarantine: An individual who either meets the CDC definition of being a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case or is arriving at CSU from either a domestic hotspot or international location and must quarantine for 14 days from either last known contact with the confirmed COVID-19 case or, in the case of those arriving from hotspot or international locations, the day of arrival.

Via Cleveland State University’s COVID-19 Dashboard

CSU COVID-19 Dashboard update Wednesday, September 21, 2021