Some universities and colleges are seeing lower COVID-19 positivity rates than their communities are

NORTHEAST, WI (NBC 26) — COVID-19 cases across Wisconsin have steadily climbed for a month now. In the last 31 days, the average positivity rate for the virus according to DHS is at 14 percent. But local universities and colleges are doing much better than that, some with a positivity rate on campus of less than one percent. Some colleges and universities across Northeast Wisconsin are seeing much lower positivity rates of COVID-19 than the communities that surround them.

“They have a very good strategy in terms of testing frequently, identifying those who are positive and getting them isolated and out of exposure to other people,” says Amber Allen the Executive Director of Primary Care Quality and Innovation for Prevea Health.

And as communities, surrounding college campuses try to replicate a trend going on in many higher learning institutions, health care leaders are optimistic that communities can learn from the example set.

“I do think that there is going to have to be some additional mitigation strategies to continue to contain this virus,” says Allen.

Right now, UWO has a positivity rate amongst staff and students of eight percent, UWGB has a positivity rate of just over one percent, and Lawrence University in Appleton has students testing positive for COVID-19 at a rate of less than one percent over the past month.

Source: Some universities and colleges are seeing lower COVID-19 positivity rates than their communities are