![]() ![]() Sick students and staff at UNC pose a significant threat to not only the UNC community’s health but to that of surrounding communities and our state as a whole. ![]() The number of ICU patients in the state more than doubled in August, and as we have seen in other states, an increase in COVID-19 ICU patients causes a ripple effect that prevents others in need of life-saving intensive care from receiving it. Their lack of caution in planning for the semester during an ongoing pandemic and apparent refusal to change course at this stage is made more heinous by the fact that capacities for ICUs in North Carolina are at a pandemic high. We attribute the high number of COVID-19 cases currently on our campus to the university’s poor decision making and prioritization of profit and a return to normalcy over the physical health and safety of our campus community. Despite evidence suggesting that the COVID-19 Delta variant would fuel infections on campus and lead to more severe illness in those who contract it, the university chose to return students to campus fully in-person and with no social distancing in classes (no matter how large) or dining areas. Compare that to 130 positive COVID-19 cases in one week last year before the university removed students from campus for safety. The university has rapidly reached more than 500 confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst employees and students on campus, and classes have been in session for less than three full weeks. The UNC Black Student Movement stands in solidarity with faculty and staff at the university as their calls for a drastic adjustment to the university’s COVID-19 response during the Fall 2021 semester continue. The Black Student Movement at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Friday, September 3, 2021
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