The COVID-19 positivity rate for Boston College undergraduates tested this past week rose to 0.63 percent on Sunday from .57 percent on Friday, according to BC’s COVID-19 dashboard. BC reported 652 more undergraduate tests with six more positives from Friday to Sunday.
The dashboard said on Sunday afternoon that 24 undergraduates tested positive during the first week of classes, out of the 3,820 who were tested. Twenty-eight undergraduates are in isolation as of Sunday.
Those tested this past week included returning students who had yet to complete their entry test, those selected for asymptomatic surveillance testing, and students from high-risk states and countries receiving a mandatory re-test, according to information on the BC website.
BC began testing randomly selected faculty, staff, and other community members on Wednesday. Those in high-contact groups—including Residential Life, BC Dining, University Health Services, the Margot Connell Recreation Center, and Facilities Services—are being tested at a higher rate, according to an email the University sent to students on Friday.
Nine undergraduates tested positive during the two weeks prior to classes, when BC was conducting universal entry testing. The positivity rate for undergraduates tested during those two weeks was .11 percent.
BC will be conducting at least 1,500 of asymptomatic surveillance tests per week, but has the ability to increase testing as needed, Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Formation Tom Mogan said in Friday’s email.
Featured Image by Ikram Ali / Heights Editor
