UM’s students should have weekly coronavirus testing
I’m a neurophysiology major at the University of Maryland, and I am worried about the well-being of our campus (“Dorm full of University of Maryland students potentially exposed to COVID-19 asked to stay in their rooms,” Sept. 18). Students’ mental and physical health is being neglected due to a lack of a proper COVID-19 response from the university. I personally chose to live at home due to my increased risk, but my friends who had no better living situation than on and offcampus housing are suffering.
Despite the rising number of deaths, which has now reached 200,000 people nationwide and almost 4,000 in Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan is calling to initiate reopening plans for the state. He recently called for indoor dining at restaurants to increase their capacity to 75%, which will risk lives unnecessarily.
I have been lucky enough to have that option of living at home. I knew it was the safest choice for me, but my heart goes out to those on campus. My friends tell me about their panic attacks, their hopelessness and the lack of mental health services available. They tell me about the parties their neighbors throw and how when they report the large gatherings, the authorities do nothing.
Prince George’s County has a large Black and Latinx population. These groups have been hit the hardest across the country mortality-wise.
The actions of students not following guidelines and the school’s inability to enforce them are endangering the most vulnerable in our community. UM currently only requires people to get tested if they show symptoms or have been around someone with symptoms. Since people can be asymptomatic for the virus, this current system poses an enormous health risk for the campus community.
To have a chance at returning to normalcy, I am calling for Governor Hogan to temporarily close all non-essential business.
As for College Park, I ask that school administrators make their weekly testing required for anyone in the campus community. The students here are begging for our school to make a better plan.
Rosemary Bliss, Germantown