Michigan State University has ordered a ‘mandatory quarantine’ for people living in 23 fraternity and sorority houses. The very strict rules force students to stay in the house for two weeks except for medical care or supplies that cannot be delivered to the house. It doesn’t end there. There are several other rules for the students that are the definition of overkill.
Most importantly, the likelihood of any of these students dying from COVID-19 is very small. According to the CDC, of the more than 194k deaths from COVID-19, there have been 321 deaths of people 15-24 years of age.
RATES OF HOSPITALIZATION FOR COVID-19:
The rules below are only pushing students to hide any illness, defeating the purpose of containment. Also, a six-month jail sentence and a possible $200 fine is an outrageous threat. Is forcing these students into the close confines of a house for two weeks better than allowing them to go outside in the fresh air?
STRICT RULES FOR MSU STUDENTS:
-Answer or return phone calls and text messages from ICHD staff or the University Physician’s Office within two business hours.
-Cooperate fully with all questions asked by ICHD staff or the University Physician’s Office to ensure immediate contact tracing can occur.
-Allow health department staff or their designees on their premises, for random checks for compliance, if deemed necessary.
-Prominently display the notice of mandatory quarantine on exterior entrances to the property.
-Those who become ill must also alert the school’s physician’s office while the quarantine is in effect. People who willfully violate the mandatory quarantine order could face six months in jail, a $200 fine or both.
MLive reports that the Ingham County, Michigan Health Department issued a statement:
“I do not take this lightly, but there is an outbreak centered on Michigan State University (MSU) and it is quickly becoming a crisis. The surge in cases we have seen over the past few weeks is alarming. I am disheartened to add that this outbreak is being fueled in part by a lack of cooperation and compliance from some MSU students, many residing in the properties now, under mandatory quarantine. We must contain COVID-19 cases; however, within the MSU community, we have been unable to do so with comprehensive contact tracing, so other means of disease containment are necessary.”
It was reported on Saturday that 342 people on the MSU campus have tested positive for COVID-19 since August 24th…a 52% rise in positive cases.
The quarantine remains in effect for two weeks. Count on a big party on the MSU campus around midnight on September 28th when the quarantine is over.
