The start of the fall semester has brought an influx of new students, new experiences and a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases. Students across campus are suffering from the sniffles, and, in some cases, the more severe symptoms that have been known to accompany COVID-19.  

Director of University Health Services Alex Langhart explained that a rise in COVID-19 cases at this time of year isn’t out of the ordinary.  

“As we have experienced the past two years, the increased incidence of COVID-19 cases in late summer and early fall is expected,” Langhart said. “At University Health Services, we prepare for this as we do for flu season in late September and early October.”  

Though University Health Services has not seen an alarming increase in cases, urgent care centers, where students experiencing illness are more likely to go, are seeing a surge.  

“There is definitely a rise in COVID positive patients,” Stephanie Barrett, nurse practitioner and Oxford Urgent Care co-owner, said Wednesday.  

Barret noted that patients were not just college students, but people of all ages from all walks of life. She also noted a lingering reluctance among the public to get tested.  

“The general public does not want to get tested because they do not want to quarantine for five days and be forced to withdraw from work and activities,” she said.  

Students, faculty and staff members who test positive for COVID should report their case to the University Health Center and follow Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidelines . Those displaying symptoms should quarantine for five days until symptoms improve or until they are fever free for 24 hours. Those that have been exposed do not have to quarantine.   

“Those who are exposed are not required to quarantine but are recommended to mask and monitor for symptoms,” Langhart said.  

Sophomore biology major Destiny Kirkey tested positive for COVID the second week of classes. Kirkey said her experience has made her more cautious.  

“I’ve always been aware (of the virus) and cautious even before I tested positive, but now I’m going to be hyper cautious around campus,” Kirkey said. 

In a Yale Medicine article, Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Scott Roberts explained how EG.5 seems to be the most prevalent of the COVID strains.  

“EG.5 was responsible for 20.6% of cases of COVID-19 in the United States at the end of the third week of August, which was more than any other single circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain,” Roberts said. 

With health experts watching the spike of cases rise in various parts of the country, Gov. Tate Reeves released a statement addressing COVID concerns.  

“The simple answer to the question being posed by ‘experts’ is: no. We will not return to widespread masking or COVID rules,” Reeves said.  “Mississippians will not and should not submit to fear again.”  

Director of News and Media Relations Jacob Batte said in an Aug. 29 Clarion Ledger article that UM is monitoring the situation before taking action.  

“We will continue to monitor those cases and encourage our campus community to be mindful of their health and to get tested as soon as possible if they believe they have any symptoms,” Batte said. 

Violet Jira contributed reporting.