Michael Crow gives update on ASU’s COVID-19 management strategy
Aug 25, 2020, 7:54 PM
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
PHOENIX — Arizona State University President Michael Crow released an update on ASU’s COVID-19 management strategy on Tuesday night.
The university began its fall 2020 semester on Thursday, welcoming more than 127,500 students in multiple learning modules.
Since Aug. 1, ASU has collected 32,729 COVID-19 test results from students and employees across the school’s four campuses living either on or off campus.
Of the tests collected, 161 have come back positive, which yields a 0.49% positivity rate.
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“I know there has been and will continue to be interest in this number,” Crow said in a statement. “What I am committing to are regular updates about our COVID management strategy.”
ASU currently has approximately 100,000 students and faculty attending one of its four campuses for in-person learning on staggered days to promote social distancing measures.
About 20% of the student population lives in residence halls, most of which are apartment-style living.
“We are proud to have designed, built and deployed an FDA-approved rapid saliva-based PCR test to the ASU community (and the broader statewide community) that provides highly accurate test results in 24-48 hours,” Crow said.
Crow said it is the university’s expectation that COVID-19 “is not going away anytime soon.”
In addition to the already implemented testing protocol among students and employees, Crow is “clarifying” some of ASU’s policies regarding conduct.
Students who engage in social gatherings on or off campus that do not adhere to public health protocols or violate the no visitor policy within residence halls — including students who live in other residence halls — are subject to suspension and eviction from university housing.
Facial coverings are now also required at all times in all ASU outdoor spaces, except for when eating.
“Let me be clear: Our testing strategy is among the most comprehensive and thorough in the U.S.,” Crow said.
