Why has Duke University identified fewer COVID-19 clusters?
With clusters of COVID-19 being identified at UNC and NC State, students and teachers at Duke University are wondering – and worrying – if they could be next.
All of the universities use much of the same protocol, such as encouraging students to wear masks and discouraging parties. However, Duke has done some things a little differently.
For example only freshmen and sophomores are allowed to live on campus – and every student gets his or her own room.
Another key difference: Robust COVID-19 testing.
Unlike other universities, Duke tested every one of its students when they returned to campus earlier this month.
The university said only 11 out of nearly 6,000 tests were positive.
Students were also asked to quarantine for two full weeks before returning to school. This is one major reason for the lower number of COVID-19 cases, according to Chief Communications Officer Mike Schoenfeld.
While the numbers are encouraging, he said they do not predict the future – and that testing will continue.
"We will be testing multiple thousands, as many as 10,000 people a week. That will include students, faculty, staff, others who are on campus," he said.
Even with rigorous testing, he said, they do fear discovering clusters like at UNC.
Photos shared by a Duke student showed an outdoor gathering of students in close quarters on campus. Some do appear to be wearing masks, although social distancing does not seem to be closely followed.
Junior Aisha Greene said it's disheartening.
"You guys have to realize a party is not life or death, but you socializing during a COVID outbreak is," said Greene.
However, the university said the picture is from two weeks ago, and the gathering was dispersed within minutes.
Schoenfeld said he believes it's only a small number of students violating the campus public health standards.
Duke said several hundred students have received some kind of a reminder or warning about following public health guidelines so far this semester, and that there have been seven instances involving more flagrant violations.
So far, Duke's rigorous testing and careful guidelines seem to have yielded good results.
