Relatively Low COVID-19 Rates at the Five Colleges

Dr. Kathleen Szegda, Director of the Community Research and Evaluation at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, was quoted in 9/14/2020 article that appeared in the Hampshire Daily Gazette about relatively low COVID-19 rates at the Five Colleges.

According to the article, the Five Colleges reported a total of 20 confirmed cases as of Monday, and UMass reported a 0.04% overall positivity rate for COVID-19 tests so far.

Dr. Szegda is quoted saying, “I think that the rates are low, but it’s important to remain cautious and vigilant and to promote the prevention methods". It is critical that students continue to practice preventative measures, such as physical distancing and wearing masks. Dr. Szegda also noted that we will have to see what happens to the numbers since students only just recently returned.

Read the full article.