Reporting positive test results is essential to the University of Tennessee in limiting the spread of COVID-19 on campus as well as in the community. At UT, faculty, students and staff are expected to notify the university as well as the UT contact tracing team when they have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The university has made it their goal to keep the information and identities of those who have received a positive test result confidential as it relates to their safety, as well as to create a safe and comforting environment for those who do decide to come forth with their result.
Given these precautionary measures that the university has laid out, many students are still choosing not to notify the university when they receive a positive test result.
With the recent uproar surrounding limited spots for isolation on campus at UT, many students, several being out-of-state, have decided not to come forward with their positive results due to a fear of having to return home for the remainder of the semester.
Returning home to self-isolate or quarantine is not always an option for everyone. Whether it be that a student does not have a car at college, preventing them from having the ability to travel home, or their home environment simply is not the best to complete online schooling in, there are many factors that come into play when making a decision to come forward or not.
Some students have decided for themselves that it may not be necessary to report their test results. Reed Cannon, sophomore in business analytics, shared a reason for not reporting positive results.
“For me, my reason for not reporting my positive test result to the university was because I live off campus. I didn’t think it was necessary for me to report it. Not only that, I only had to go on campus one time out of the week. So, my contact with others was essentially slim to none,” Cannon said.
“I quarantined in my apartment, but I was still not completely isolating myself. I was still hanging out in my apartment with my roommates, [who] I had told that I tested positive of course. They didn’t seem bothered by it and would still invite friends over.”
Cannon was honest in what happened due to these decisions, and realized the rapidity of the virus’ spread.
“Needless to say, all of my roommates ended up with COVID, and a few of our friends, too. So, I guess in hindsight I would say it is important to notify the university because this experience in itself goes to show how quickly the virus is really spreading,” Cannon said.
On Sept. 29, the university officially stated that one of its dormitories, Massey Hall, will now be used as an isolation space.
Although numbers are trending downwards with the confirmed tests being brought forth, this is yet another step the university is taking as it relates to informing students on the measures that are still in place to ensure they have a place to quarantine and overcome COVID-19.
Braxton Anderson, sophomore in business marketing, said that the policies UT had set forward were frightening, even though he had taken necessary precautions. This caused him to avoid reporting his positive test result.
“For me personally, there were a few reasons as to why I didn’t report my positive COVID-19 test results to the university. The number one reason was that the university policies scared me,” Anderson said.
“I did not go out and party. In that aspect, I knew I would not be in trouble, but when the university starts threatening expulsion, I did not want to have to go through the steps of how I got the virus.”
There are many ways to slow the spread of COVID-19 on and off-campus. It is up to all students, faculty and staff to do their part. It is also crucial for students to fully understand the university’s policies regarding COVID-19, and to consistently keep themselves updated.
Students should be sure they are wearing masks when necessary, continue to social distance and to complete self-screenings prior to campus visits. These are just small steps in cracking down on the rise of COVID-19 on UT’s campus.
