Mercer University has announced that 35 students have tested positive for COVID-19, including 29 student-athletes.
The 35 positive tests result from 316 tests administered from July 31 to Aug. 3.
“The 35 students that have tested positive are being cared for and will remain in isolation until being cleared by Mercer Medicine,” the university said in a press release Wednesday. “Close contacts are being notified and advised to monitor for and report any symptoms to the Student Health Center.”
The release also reported that some students have mild symptoms, while most are asymptomatic.
The press release also notes that residential undergraduate students are required to be tested upon returning to campus and that all students that test positive are required to stay in isolation for a certain amount of time. Those that have been in close contact with the infected students are also being offered COVID-19 testing options via the university’s Student Health Center.
Mercer’s athletic programs, including its football team, have engaged in voluntary workouts, according to the Macon Telegraph. The teams have attempted to follow the same COVID-19 regulations and instructions presented by university president Bill Underwood to the rest of the students and faculty. This protocol includes social distancing regulations and masks being provided for all students.
Students will continue to move back into their dorms leading up the beginning of classes Aug. 18 as Mercer continues to monitor its current COVID-19 cases.
Micah Johnston ‘22 is a journalism and media studies double major who has written for The Cluster since his freshman year at Mercer. He has written on and reported for Georgia Public Broadcasting, The Macon Telegraph and The Macon Newsroom on a variety of topics. He received the Center for Collaborative Journalism’s Junior Honors Award for the 2020-2021 academic year. Micah’s other interests include obsessively following Braves and Mariners baseball, constantly listening to all kinds of music and probably eating junk food.
