COVID-19 Task Force decides on a 'return to normal' approach for spring semester
Photo by Riley Latham
With the Omicron COVID-19 variant spreading throughout the nation, Lee’s COVID-19 task force met to determine the university's COVID-19 safety protocols for the 2022 spring semester.
On Jan. 14, Director of Public Relations Brian Conn stated via email there were 82 active cases and 135 students in self-isolation at the time.
“We promise to do two things: stay as focused as ever on the status as it develops and pray for the continued health of our community. We hope that you will pray with us,” said Conn.
An email sent to students on Jan. 7 from the President's Office said the COVID-19 Task Force, led by Dr. Debbie Murray and made up of faculty and student representatives, made the decision to begin the semester as normally as possible.
According to the university’s website, classrooms will remain at full capacity with social distancing being utilized when necessary.
Masks are currently not required on campus, outside or indoors. Lee will continue its isolation and quarantine protocols, following CDC guidelines.
If vaccinated students are directly exposed to COVID-19, they will not be required to quarantine if they are asymptomatic. Non-vaccinated individuals will be required to quarantine for the CDC-recommended period from the time of the exposure.
All approved absences from classes must be verified through the Health Clinic. Faculty members will still be notified of the student's absence and will work with the student through their quarantine.
Lee is no longer accepting Zoom-only petitions. However, if students have health or medical reasons requiring virtual learning, the school will make accommodations on a case-by-case basis.
Christian Edwards, senior bible and theology major, serves on the task force as a student representative and said the team plans to monitor state and national guidelines throughout the semester. The university is open to adjusting the safety protocols as needed.
“There are people in a ton of different departments who are responsible for keeping track of what the CDC [is] saying or what our state regulations look like versus what our federal regulations are looking like. We also paid close attention to what universities like our own are doing…,” said Edwards. “We did a lot of research on how other places like us were reacting to Covid and the impact that it was having in their communities.”
The total number of positive COVID-19 cases could reach pre-pandemic levels, health experts say, potentially causing additional strain on the nation’s hospitals as they fight back a wave of COVID-19 cases fueled by the contagious omicron variant.
According to the CDC, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. While influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May.
Dr. Benjamin Christmann, a biology professor at Lee, believes that a “return to normal” may result in a rise of flu cases along with COVID-19 cases.
“This year, as everyone seeks to return to normal, we will likely see a significant increase in influenza, both nationally and here on campus. There are already reports of "flu-rona", where someone is infected with both influenza and COVID-19 at the same time,” said Christmann. “While one will not necessarily increase the prevalence of the other, I believe we are going to see a large number of cases of each disease, and quite probably these dual infections.”
According to AP News, experts say testing is the best way to determine between COVID-19 and the flu since symptoms of the illnesses can overlap.
To find a local testing site, visit our resource page. Any questions or concerns related to Lee University’s COVID-19 protocols can be directed to studentfeedback@leeuniversity.edu.
