Clemson confident in containing COVID spread as students return from spring

While Clemson University’s COVID-19 spread has remained low throughout the spring semester, many fear that with students returning from spring break destinations and the state’s COVID restrictions mostly lifted, a surge could be on the way. 

“I think we’ve got a little ways to go to make sure that whatever happened last Saturday and whatever happens over spring break… does not cause a blow up that could affect things negatively,” City council member Bob Brookover said last week after loosened bar restrictions drew hundreds of students to downtown bars for parties. 

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But Lior Rennart, a biostatistician helping lead testing efforts on campus, said Clemson would be prepared for any influx in the virus in the student population. 

“While we don’t expect a significant spike, we’re also confident that if there was an outbreak, our strategy would contain it immediately,” Rennart, an associate professor, said. 

Every Clemson student was required to submit a negative COVID-19 test before being allowed back on campus after spring break, which ended March 21. On-campus students will be required to get an additional test this week, Rennart said. 

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“We’re being super conservative,” he said. 

While weekly testing numbers have been consistently low – the school has reported a positive rate of less than 1% since late January – the wastewater analysis has reported evidence that the coronavirus is more prevalent in the community than testing numbers suggest.