In light of the COVID-19 clusters reported around NC State University, the Wake County Public Health division encourages students, faculty and staff at all local colleges and universities to follow proven safety measures to avoid infection.
“This won’t be the last we hear of clusters popping up on college campuses as classes start up again,” said Wake County Medical Director Dr. Kim McDonald. “We know students want to socialize and hang out in big groups, but those kinds of events put everyone at risk – especially if they’re not wearing masks and social distancing.”
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Wake County Public Health urges students to:
- Avoid gatherings of more than 10 people indoors and more than 25 people outdoors;
- Always wear a mask or face covering when in public or places where social distancing is not possible;
- Wash hands often or use hand sanitizer, especially after class or after being around other students;
- If you feel sick, stay home. Know the symptoms of COVID-19 and monitor any symptoms you may develop;
- Get tested for COVID-19 if you are showing signs of the virus and self-isolate; and
- Keep up to date with any information shared by university officials or our Public Health Division.
Following these best practices will help reduce the chances of more clusters of positive COVID-19 cases forming on and off campus.
“We’re not saying students shouldn’t enjoy their college experience, but right now, they should choose low-risk activities like biking with a few friends, dinner with a small group or playing no contact recreational sports,” said McDonald. “These pose a much lower risk to all involved than house parties or large gatherings.”
Young people make up about one-third of the positive cases of COVID-19 in Wake County. Currently, 18- to 24-year-olds account for 16% of positive cases, with 25- to 34-year-olds making up 19%.
Staying Updated
Wake County has made it easy for you to stay updated on the latest information about COVID-19. You can visit our multilingual COVID-19 webpage, which has a set of frequently asked questions to educate residents, a list of COVID-19-related closures and service changes, as well as contact information for people to use to ask specific questions.
The county is also sharing important information on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
