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The Pandemic’s Continued Threat to Students
by Rachel Hector for Chicago Education Advocacy Cooperative
As college and university students return to campus for fall, uncertainty and fear concerning the threat of COVID-19 looms over the beginning of the semester. Recently the Center for Disease Control (CDC)published data revealing that the Delta variant strain of the COVID-19 virus is far more infectious compared to other variants even among those who are vaccinated. The CDC released data that revealed that in the week ending on August 14, there were 2,115 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 complications across the United States, 36% of which were younger people aged 18–49, attributable to the spike in transmissions brought on by the predominance of the Delta variant.
As cases increase, some colleges are taking steps to prepare and protect students from COVID-19 as many schools begin moving away from virtual learning arrangements and back into the classroom. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 749 college campuses are requiring at least some students or employees to be vaccinated or will require it with full approval of one or more vaccines by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Oversight agencies are urging other institutions follow suit, and adhere to guidelines published by the CDC. In July, the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board…
