Report-WSU Students Returning Didn’t Trigger COVID Outbreaks

As the distance between now and COVID grows longer, there's information still being released showing many of the fears and theories pushed by some during the pandemic were inaccurate, unfounded and misleading.

    New study shows college students back to campus didn't trigger outbreaks

In some states, including WA, certain groups and 'experts' feared allowing students to return to college campuses would trigger massive COVID outbreaks and set off major issues.

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But a new WSU Study shows that didn't happen. As reported by the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business (and the journal Epidemiology)  returning students were not the 'drivers' of some outbreaks that occurred.

There were some outbreaks in areas, but the study shows they were introduced by outside factors or persons, indicating that mitigation efforts to tamp down the virus worked.

As students began to return to classes, Whitman County did have some of the highest rates, but then the spikes diminished, and were found to have been caused by other persons or factors, not the WSU students. There were some flare-ups, but they occurred at different times and were usually separated within the student body.

Researchers at WSU said the study was very useful in learning how epidemics or pandemics 'behave,' and rather than just shut down an entire school or entity, precautions and reactions should be based or tailored to that particular situation and its needs.