Weekly COVID-19 testing now required for college students
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency Sunday night due to increasing COVID infection rates.
The governor issued several new executive orders, including a public health order that will require all Utah System of Higher Education colleges and universities to test their students for COVID-19 weekly.
According to the order:
“Beginning as soon as possible, but no later than January 1, 2021, students enrolled at public and private institutions of higher education, who either live on campus or attend at least one in-person class per week will be required to be tested for COVID-19 weekly.”
*This story is ongoing and will be updated as new information comes in.
This is really upsetting.
Due to the increased difficulty of online college (especially in the STEM classes my major relies on), I have certain classes I must take in person or I won’t pass.
COVID testing is invasive (shoving a stick deeeep up your nose; did you know that?) and if they are forcing this on every in-person college student, all I can do is give up on college this coming year. Even if it sets me back, even if it makes our college debt/graduation numbers look worse when I have to retake expired prerequisites, even if this means it’ll be longer before I am hirable and can contribute to our economy.
I’m afraid. I can’t put up with the government “en”forcing physical invasion; I’m not strong enough to stand there and take it. So I’m leaving college for now. Maybe they’ll get me when they push mandatory testing further and you’ll be “en”forced to get tested just for being a live Utah resident. 🙂