Preventing and Responding to COVID-19 on College Campuses

Abstract

Preventing and Responding to COVID-19 on College CampusesThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to present public health and societal challenges worldwide.Concerted public health efforts in the US at the local, state, territorial, national, and tribal levels remain paramount to protecting the population, particularly those at greatest risk for severe illness and death.Throughout the summer months, younger people accounted increasingly for confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in all US regions, with highest incidence among young adults aged 20 through 29 years during June to August, and with young adults (20-39 years) contributing to the large regional increases in the southern US during June 2020. 1t the beginning of the fall of 2020, the opening of colleges and universities poses new challenges and accompanying risks for transmission on campuses and in their surrounding communities.Although the risk of severe health outcomes from COVID-19 in young adults without underlying health conditions is relatively low, faculty, university staff, and close contacts of college