US Colleges and Universities Fight COVID-19 With Stronger Measures

US Colleges and Universities Fight COVID-19 With Stronger Measures
Welliem Manderi Says Merauke Regency Receives 10,000 Masks from Lukas Enembe
BPN Papua Asks Lukas Enembe's Support to Order Assets Management
Lukas Enembe Pushes Palapa Ring Network to Reach Entire Papua Province

Posted: 12 Sep 2020 04:13 PM PDT

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM - Many colleges and universities across the United States have opened again after the summer vacation. But the school year looks different than it ever has before. Schools are taking new actions to fight COVID-19 infections on campus. Such actions include moving suddenly between in-person and online learning, punishing students for attending parties and testing local wastewater for the virus.

High infection rates force move to online classes

The state of Arkansas' Department of Health reports that the number of COVID-19 cases in the state among 18-to 24-year-olds rose by nearly 17 percent in the first week of September.

Dr. Jose Romero is the state's health secretary. He said, "We're clearly seeing what we believe to be a reflection of those cases in colleges and universities."

The number of active infections at the University of Arkansas' main campus is close to 1,000. Most of those with the virus are students.

The rise came days after the school moved to restrict on-campus events and off-campus parties. The school told students it would consider organizing or attending large gatherings without face coverings or social distancing to be a violation of student rules.

In Tallahassee, Florida, officials at Florida State University tested more than 3,000 students and employees over a one-week period. Twenty-one percent of those tested were confirmed to have COVID-19.

Shortly before the test period, pictures and videos of students attending parties had appeared on social media. In the images, the students do not appear to be following social distancing rules. Few are wearing face coverings.

In a statement, university officials asked local businesses to help slow the spread of disease by restricting students from gathering in large groups.

Another university in Florida, the University of Florida in Gainesville, is experiencing a similar infection rate. More than 21 percent of those who came to the student health center have tested positive for COVID-19.

Some schools seeing rises in case numbers have temporarily moved classes online. On September 8, West Virginia University canceled in-person classes for undergraduates at the university's main campus in Morgantown. The classes will be online through Sept. 25.

Dr. Jeffrey Coben is the school's Associate Vice President of Health Affairs and dean of the School of Public Health. He said in a statement that the temporary stop of face-to-face teaching would give the school time to watch the increasing number of cases. He noted that recent parties were a likely cause for the rise in infections. He said, "There is increasing evidence that crowded indoor gatherings, such as those that occurred over the weekend, can serve as super-spreader events."

One small college in the state of Illinois, Bradley University, is requiring all of its students to quarantine for two weeks. Officials said that classes would also return to online learning for a short time.

Testing wastewater from student housing

In order to test a lot of students at once, many schools are studying the wastewater from student living spaces. The tests can show whether there is any sign of the virus among the people living in a given building. The school can then ask those students to quarantine for a period of time.

Ryan Schmutz is a student at Utah State University. He recently received a text message from his school saying that COVID-19 had been found in his building's wastewater. University workers quickly took him and other students to a COVID-19 testing center.

Schmutz was then among 300 students who had to stay in their rooms for many days earlier this month.

"We didn't even know they were testing," the 18-year-old student said. "It all really happened fast."

Students sent home

Back at West Virginia University, or WVU, 29 students were recently forced to leave school because of COVID-19 related charges. School officials say the students took actions that could have put other students' health at risk. The university is considering taking other actions against the students, the WVU Today student newspaper reported.

The 29 students received the order to leave the school after their organization held a party. The organization was not connected to the university. Members of the organization had been ordered to quarantine because of existing positive cases.

The students received letters about not following school rules.They are no longer permitted to be on campus and they cannot take in-person or online classes, WVU Today reported.

One of the strongest punishments against students happened earlier this month at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Eleven first-year students were sent home for gathering in a hotel room used for student housing. They were told they cannot return to school during the autumn term. The students and their parents are now fighting the severe penalty the students faced. University officials have said the students will not get their money back for the autumn term program they were taking part in, which costs $36,500. (VOA)

Welliem Manderi Says Merauke Regency Receives 10,000 Masks from Lukas Enembe

Posted: 12 Sep 2020 04:10 PM PDT

MERAUKE, LELEMUKU.COM - A total of 10 thousand red and white masks, supported by Papua Governor, Lukas Enembe, were handed over to the Local Government of Merauke Regency on Monday (Sept. 7, 2020).

The handover of assistance was represented by the Chairman of the Daily Papua Covid-19 Task Force, Welliem R. Manderi who is also the Head of BPBD and Satpol PP Papua.

This was said by the Head of the Communication and Informatics Office of the Papua Province, Jeri A. Yudianto, in the release received by the editor.

The Papua Covid Task Force also handed over the assistance of 10 ventilators to the Government of Merauke (6 pieces), Boven Digul (2 pieces) and Mappi (2 pieces).Especially for Asmat Regency, is still in proposal and will be submitted in the coming weeks.

On that occasion, Jeri confirmed that he had conveyed public communication policy during the Covid-19 pandemic to the Government of Merauke.

Every government public information channel should be maximized to meet positive content. So that the public can receive completed and comprehensive information regarding the handling of Covid-19 in Papua.

"But the most important thing is also to work together between governments, community leaders, religious leaders to continue educating the public to discipline the health protocols," he said.

Meanwhile, The Head of Papua Transportation Office Reky Ambrauw invited the Local Government to control the movement of people entering the district.

"We hope the strong commitment of the Merauke Government to maintain all entrances, so that the movement and control of Covid-19 Papua can be monitored properly," he explained.

While in the field of education, the Head of the Papua Regional Education, Library and Archives Office, ordered to address the plan of school opening policy as the central policy, must be done wisely.

He also suggested providing Covid prevention facilities and infrastructure, such as hand washing and other things related to the implementation of health protocols, before opening a school.

"So that it can prevent transmission at the school level. Moreover, Merauke has 206 elementary schools, 56 junior high schools, 19 high schools, 15 vocational schools, 1 special need school , 15 PKBM, and 1,313 kindergarten ," he said. (DiskominfoPapua)

BPN Papua Asks Lukas Enembe's Support to Order Assets Management

Posted: 12 Sep 2020 03:53 PM PDT

JAYAPURA, LELEMUKU.COM - National Land Agency (BPN) of Papua Province held a meeting with Governor Lukas Enembe, Monday (Sept. 7, 2020). The meeting discussed the provincial government's asset management plan by BPN Papua.

"As an indigenous child, I came to coordinate with the governor. In essence there are many activities that require support from local governments".

"Mainly the management of assets owned by the provincial government, including land certificates that become local governments," explained the Regional Office of the National Land Agency of Papua Province, Jhon Wiklif Aufa, after meeting Governor Lukas, at Gedung Negara, Dok V, Jayapura.

It also appreciates the Governor who gave full support to BPN program this year. Because there are programs that he considered need the support of the Governor and regents and mayors.

"Because there is no denying that there are many districts in protected forest areas. Therefore, certification needs to be done which also requires support from the district and city governments," he said.

On that occasion, John also confirmed that he had communicated with the Governor of Papua to reactivate the program of sending indigenous Papuan children to attend a land school on Java Island.

Thus, it is expected that in the future, the Papua Province has human resources (HR) land that can help the duties of governors, regents and mayors in Papua.

"The program has stalled, so I ask the Governor to resume so that in the future all districts / cities have the human resources of Papuan children who work in BPN. This has already received a positive response from the governor and hopes it can be realized soon," he concluded. (DiskominfoPapua)

Lukas Enembe Pushes Palapa Ring Network to Reach Entire Papua Province

Posted: 12 Sep 2020 03:51 PM PDT

JAYAPURA, LELEMUKU.COM - Papua Governor Lukas Enembe encouraged the construction of Palapa Ring facilities to cover all districts and regency in Papua Province.

This is so that students in rural areas can enjoy free internet quotas through the distance learning system that is currently being promoted by the government, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

"Currently, Telkomsel internet using the Palapa Ring only covers the district capital. For that, we want to encourage this Palapa Ring to enter the districts. So that our children, who previously did not have an internet network, they can immediately enjoy the facilities (internet through the system) of distance learning," explained Lukas, in Jayapura, Monday (Sept. 7, 2020).

General Manager of Consumer Sales Regional Maluku and Papua Alfon Oktrianda welcomed the Governor's initiative related to efforts to encourage the development of Palapa Ring to the district.

"Especially for Papua does need to add Palapa Ring facilities to the district. Basically Telkomsel devices in the mountainous region are ready. The important thing is the Palapa Ring comes in first," he explained.

He exemplifies Telkomsel's internet connection in Wamena City today through the Palapa Ring program, even being able to use Youtube up to 6 mb per second.

Although not all areas in Wamena City, he hopes for the Palapa Ring program in the future and it can be distributed to all corners of Papua.

"Because school-age children in Papua have the most domiciles in districts or villages so that's why we are currently studying at home and the government has a commitment to build, so Palapa Ring covers Telkomsel directly to provide internet services," he said. (DiskominfoPapua)