Twelve students at Bradley University in Peoria have tested positive for the coronavirus — including some who helped lead orientation programs for incoming freshmen last week.
Spokeswoman Renee Charles said Bradley learned of the new COVID-19 cases on July 23, marking the first infections directly linked to campus. Charles said additional testing and contact tracing determined the outbreak appeared to stem from an off-campus social gathering that lacked masks and social distancing.
“We were able to identify those who attended and required them to self quarantine, which some had already started to do,” Charles said in an email.
Bradley, which has about 5,000 students, began offering in-person orientations in early July, and classes are set to begin next month. Some of the infected students participated in orientations held July 20 and July 21 that included both indoor and outdoor activities, Charles said.
Attendees on those dates were notified about the cases but are not considered to be at high risk of transmission because the programs included precautions, such as requiring masks and social distancing, Charles said. Those who had more than 15 minutes of close contact with an infected person received a phone call or text alert with instructions for further action, according to a university message.
“This event highlights the importance of remaining vigilant about engaging in behaviors proven to slow the spread of the virus,” Bradley President Stephen Standifird said in the message. “Face masks, physical distancing and frequent hand washing matter. This case also highlights the importance of an aggressive testing and contact tracing routine.”
Standifird also disclosed that a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19, though that infection is not related to orientation.
The outbreak at Bradley, which plans to offer face-to-face classes next semester, is the latest sign of the challenges universities will face in trying to manage the pandemic on campus. Student athletes who returned to colleges earlier than their peers this summer are already testing positive at various schools, including at Illinois State University. Realizing the risks of increased spread, some colleges are exclusively offering online classes and limiting the number of students in residence halls.
After Bradley announced the new cases, students were given more time to request accommodations for continuing remote learning in the fall. Bradley has also converted its remaining orientation programs in July to virtual events and rescheduled on-campus tours planned for this week.
The orientation programs were capped at 50 attendees, with students split into smaller groups, to comply with public health requirements.
In the meantime, Bradley is keeping close tabs on infections in Peoria, which was deemed to be at “warning level” because of the rising cases and an increase in emergency room visits for COVID-19 symptoms.
“Our fall plans, we continue to say, are subject to change,” Charles said. “We are meeting regularly for hours at a time, going through scenarios, going through what the policies are, what the procedures are where the loopholes are … on a regular basis.”
Emma Hoyhtya, Bradley’s student body president, urged returning students to act responsibly. A rising junior from Minnesota, Hoyhtya said she recently contracted COVID-19, despite following public health guidance, and experienced head cold symptoms and the loss of taste. Hoyhtya, who has since recovered, said she will live in an off-campus residence.
“I just hope that students are aware of the direness, the extent of this virus, and know that if they walk on campus, we are accepting that we are walking out into the world as adults and we need to act as such,” said Hoyhtya, who plans to take some in-person classes.
David Daye, a rising sophomore from Rockford who also serves on the student senate, said he understands the risk of returning to campus but thinks he will do better academically with face-to-face classes. Daye said he will live in a single dorm room and hopes that Bradley’s smaller size will help mitigate community spread.
“I do believe that in order to really understand and get into the course material, it is nice to have an in-person component,” he said. “Everybody is not fit for online learning. … I’ve taken some initiatives to try to apply myself in an online setting, and sometimes it’s just not the same.”
echerney@chicagotribune.com
