State Tech, Lincoln University report COVID-19 cases

Students pass by the Civil War Memorial on Monday during class changes at Lincoln University. Lincoln has been holding in-person classes for one week.
Students pass by the Civil War Memorial on Monday during class changes at Lincoln University. Lincoln has been holding in-person classes for one week.

New COVID-19 cases among students last week were not the result of the return to campus, according to State Technical College of Missouri's administration, but the campus is preparing for what might be its first real health test of the semester - Labor Day weekend.

Meanwhile, Lincoln University has begun daily reporting of case totals and is continuing to monitor the pandemic.

State Tech and Lincoln began their fall semesters Aug. 24 with in-person classes and health precautions in place across each campus, including requirements to wear face masks.

State Tech reported five cases of COVID-19 among students last week, listing on its website the dates when the college was notified of the students' positive tests - three on Thursday, one on Friday and one on Saturday.

People in close contact with those who tested positive were to be contacted.

State Tech President Shawn Strong said in a statement Monday: "Because we started classes last week, our recent cases (last week) were contracted before coming to campus and were not related. We know this could be the case over the next few weeks."

The onset of symptoms of COVID-19 can be delayed up to two weeks after initial infection with the coronavirus that causes the disease, with the usual time to symptom onset being four or five days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lincoln University spokeswoman Misty Young shared that from Aug. 24-30, two students and one employee had tested positive for COVID-19, for a total of three cases.

Two LU students were quarantined, as were two employees, for a total of four people in quarantine.

Young said the numbers would be updated at 3 p.m. daily at the university's "Blue Tiger Comeback" webpage, at lincolnu.edu/web/lincoln/health-safety-information.

"We have not found a need to update the safety protocols we have put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on campus, but we will continue to monitor the situation, not just here at Lincoln University, but on a local, state and national level," Young said.

While Strong said State Tech is confident it can minimize the spread of COVID-19 on campus, he added, "What happens after hours is so much harder to control. Our recent acquisition of the Osage Country Club could not have come at a better time. The course is in great shape, free to students, and students can practice social distancing while being entertained."

However, Strong also said, "The upcoming long weekend may be our first real test. We will begin a messaging campaign on Wednesday we hope will have a positive impact as students leave campus."