Despite pleas from the White House and university officials to get tested ahead of Thanksgiving break, only 837 people got a COVID-19 test at the UT student health center before heading home for the holidays, campus data show.
The report shows roughly 2.7% of the total student body got a test in the two weeks starting November 16. That number represents an increase of more than double the number of tests from the previous two weeks, but fell far short of the recommendations from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
In weekly briefings leading up to the holiday, Chancellor Donde Plowman urged students to get tested—either through the health center or a private provider. Tests conducted at private providers are not reflected in the 837 count posted to the UT website.
Two weeks before the holiday, the task force recommended that the state "ensure appropriate testing and behavior change in the 10 days prior to student departure to hometowns for the holiday season."
It urged universities in Tennessee to implement weekly testing of all students. UT has announced it will start mandatory weekly saliva screening at all on-campus dorms and Greek houses in the spring. The testing will be optional for off-campus students.
In the week before Thanksgiving, Plowman was forced into quarantine after meeting with university athletic director Phillip Fulmer who tested positive the next day. Head basketball coach Rick Barnes also tested positive Nov. 23.
On Monday, the university reported 407 students and 94 employees were isolating after testing positive for the virus.