UofA students refuse to be tested for Covid-19

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - The new Pima County coronavirus dashboard breaks down the number of cases per census tract.

Census tract number “5” is for the University of Arizona and its surrounding area.

Click on that and it shows tract 5 has nearly twice as many cases as any place else in Pima County.

There are about 5,000 students on campus, another 30,000 who live off campus.

It’s the off-campus students who are at issue.

According to Ward 6 City Council member Steve Kozachik, some of those students are refusing to be tested because a positive test means up to 14 days in quarantine.

“They’re saying we’re not going to take a test because we don’t want to be inconvenienced,” Kozachik said. “I get that. It’s a 20 year old mentality, it’s also very self absorbed.”

The University requires students on campus to get tested, but does not require remote-learning off-campus students to do the same.

“We’ve done everything we can do legally but we can’t force them,” said Dr. Richard Carmona, who is leading the UofA’s Re-entry Task Force. “What we’re trying to do is persuade them, implore them, have them understand it’s a social responsibility.”

But that’s not working according to Kozachik.

“The University said before you can begin taking classes and you’re on campus, you must take a test,” he said. “I’m simply saying extend that to students who are living off campus before you’re allowed to register for classes, present a test.”

The Tucson City Attorney Mike Rankin is writing a resolution “asking the university to require all students, not just those living on campus, to test as a condition of attending and receiving grades for classes.”

The council will vote on the resolution on October 20, 2020.

Tucson, the Pima County Health Department and university have been working in tandem to insure the transition of students back to campus runs smoothly.

On campus has been going well, but not so much off campus.

There have been issues with Greek houses cancelling scheduled testing events as well as students avoiding testing altogether.

Carmona feels a readjustment may be in order but Kozachik says any changes need to happen now, the sooner the better.

“Let’s do this before we put kids on planes to fly home for Thanksgiving break,” Kozachik said. “Let’s do it before we continue to have kids wander around our community spreading the virus.”

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