Upon my boyfriend’s arrival back to campus this semester, he was required by the University to get a COVID-19 test with a negative result in order to move back into his dorm. He tested negative and moved back in the next day. A day later, he was getting calls and emails saying he needed to quarantine because he’s from Pennsylvania.
We come from right across the Pennsylvania/Ohio border.
Regardless, he obeyed the request and “quarantined” in his dorm room with his 7 other suitemates because the University didn’t have room for him to properly quarantine. Yet his 7 other suitemates are not required to quarantine, which, in my opinion, defeats the purpose. Let’s suppose my boyfriend actually tested positive (which he didn’t). They come into contact with my “quarantined” boyfriend, then go to class or anywhere else on campus, and could potentially be spreading COVID even more. On top of that, I know of other people who live in the dorms who are from out of state who aren’t being required to quarantine.
So what’s the deal? How does that make sense? On the flip side of this, I know of a couple of people who are almost certain they came in contact with someone who tested positive, and when asking whether they can quarantine and not go to class, the answer they received was that they still need to attend in-person class and, “You only need to quarantine if you tested positive.”
So why does my boyfriend, who tested negative, have to quarantine?
I heard that apparently, contact tracing on campus is over, yet every time I go into a classroom the professor requires everyone to scan the QR code so they can keep track of who is in what classroom. Isn’t that contact tracing?
Anyways, despite the little sense my boyfriend’s quarantine makes, he’s doing it. He can’t leave his suite, and if he leaves his actual room, he needs to wear a mask. And all three of his meals get delivered to him at 12 pm. A two-week “quarantine” for someone who tested negative.
I don’t think I’m the only one confused about COVID policies on campus by any means. With national, state, and local rules that seem to be changing by the day, I guess all we can do is wear our masks, wash our hands, and try our best to be as safe as possible.