COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dr. Mysheika Roberts says contact tracing helps to determine clusters and outbreaks of COVID-19. She says on top of the Delta variant looms a very real threat: activities.
“Contact tracing and having infectious diseases where people could expose others is always a concern,” Dr. Roberts said. “It’s always very important to us.”
Tuesday, the Ohio State University will be back in session and with it, on its five campuses, will be 110,000 students, faculty and staff.
“We feel good about where we are,” Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson said. “We’re excited for the semester.”
Johnson says masks are required indoors regardless of vaccination status. He also says all students took a COVID test when they arrived on campus. The positivity rate is 0.49%.
“Our positivity rate is low,” he said. “People are wearing masks when they’re indoors [and] our vaccination rate among students, faculty and staff is 73 percent.”
Like other sporting events around the state, Buckeye games at the Shoe will be at full capacity, which seats 105,000 people. Because the stadium is outside masks will not be required.
“From the moment that we started paying attention to the pandemic in early 2020, we have made all our decisions based on the most recent and the best scientific evidence and public health guidance,” Johnson said.
“This Delta variant is highly contagious and doesn’t take that much exposure to get sick,” Dr. Roberts said.
Dr. Roberts says people should stay vigilant and take every precaution necessary whether they are vaccinated or not.