COVID-19 testing for students coming back for the Spring semester resulted in the identification of 76 cases, according to the school.
Officials said their requirement for dual re-entry testing for students prevented the introduction of 76 active COVID cases, largely asymptomatic, into the residential student body as spring semester started today.
"Students who live in the Storrs and Stamford residence halls were required to test at home between Jan. 10 and 13 and, even if they tested negative there, were tested again in person over the weekend during the spring semester move-in process," said university spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.
Of those students who’d initially tested negative at home, 20 tested positive in person over the weekend and were moved immediately to isolation for medical care.
The procedure caught 56 cases during the at-home testing, and another 20 among students who’d initially tested negative but developed the virus in the meantime before coming back to campus and testing positive on site Saturday or Sunday said Reitz.
UConn said they also plan to nearly double the amount of student tests conducted during the fall semester (up from 45,000 then to 75,000-plus in spring), along with expanding the pooled saliva testing and wastewater testing throughout spring semester.
