By Derek Lopez
Contributing Writer
KU has seen a positive trend in recent weeks as the number of positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff has greatly diminished.
The fall 2020 semester was one of great unknowns as many people questioned if returning to school was the best thing for students. KU decided to open their doors for the fall semester, and only one confirmed positive case in the first week was reported.
By Week 3, there were 186 confirmed cases between on-campus and off-campus students and faculty. This was a drastic turn and the large number of cases was a cause for concern, and people started to question whether everything should be moved online, just like the spring 2020 semester.
The last couple of weeks, however, have shown a substantial reduction in COVID-19 positive cases, most likely due to students and faculty taking safety procedures seriously.
The week of Oct. 5-9 had eight confirmed cases and the week of Oct. 12-16 has had five confirmed cases as of Oct. 15.
The decrease in cases could be attributed to KU students adhering to CDC guidelines and taking the pandemic more seriously than they were in the beginning of the semester. This is a positive trend that will hopefully continue until the university is able to resume normal activity when a vaccine is found.
In the early weeks of the semester, KU seemed to be on the brink of closing their doors, but the recent trend of fewer positive COVID-19 cases has made the possibility of the closure less likely. Things can change quickly, but the current state seems to be trending in the right direction.