As thousands of students return to Bloomington for the start of the fall semester, IU officials are preparing for another school year of navigating COVID.
Dr. Aaron Carroll, IU’s chief medical officer, says the university is better prepared to deal with the virus than years past, and he is optimistic the upcoming fall semester to be close to “normal” considering the global pandemic.
“Unfortunately, we’re very used to this – we’ve gotten very good at it,” Carroll said Wednesday during a virtual question-and-answer session.
IU is still requiring COVID vaccinations for students and staff but will no longer perform weekly testing. Instead, the university is trying to make testing as accessible and omnipresent as possible: there will be three locations on campus providing free COVID tests (including a 24/7 operation and the Student Health Center), and the university will stock vending machines around campus with free rapid antigen tests.
Unlike the start of last year, masks are not required in buildings. Students and staff are encouraged to stay home if they feel sick.
Students will still need to go through a pre-approval process to hold events; however, Carroll said there won’t be limits on event sizes – the pre-approval process is to keep track of what events are happening where in case of an outbreak.
If an on-campus students tests positive for COVID, they will still need to leave their residence for the university’s “isolation housing,” where meals will be provided for five days. That lines up with isolation guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Carroll, the university’s policies could change and become stricter if new COVID variants prove to be more dangerous.
WHAT ABOUT MONKEYPOX?
Carroll said university officials were also discussing the best ways to handle cases of monkeypox if found on campus.
There are 77 confirmed cases in Indiana, though none of those are in Monroe County.
READ MORE: Indiana Health officials: Monkeypox cases include women and children
Carroll said the university’s monkeypox response will adapt to changes in federal and state policy. Currently, vaccines and antiviral treatments are limited. The only way to test for the virus is with a doctor.
If someone tests positive for monkeypox, the university will work with that person and the State Department of Health to identify close contacts and provide the appropriate post-exposure treatment.
The isolation time for monkeypox is much longer than COVID – anywhere from two to four weeks. Carroll said the university will ask students to return home to isolate if possible.
Classes at IU Bloomington begin Aug. 22.
