WCBC

When it comes to preventing the spread of COVID-19, Frostburg State University is leading by example.  With 88% of students and 91% of employees fully vaccinated against COVID, FSU is bringing back a more traditional student experience even as Allegany County as a whole continues to experience high COVID transmission and case rates. 

While some campus activities remain virtual, many activities such as in-class face-to-face learning, sporting events, live performances, and social activities have been reinstated, and yet case rates on campus remain low.  Out of 793 tests administered on campus between October 18 and 24, only four were positive for COVID-19 – just 0.5%.  By comparison, Allegany County’s positivity rate is currently 7.2%, and Maryland’s rate is 3.06%.  Only about 47% of Allegany County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In April 2021, the University System of Maryland, of which FSU is a member, mandated the vaccination requirement for all students and employees who would be in person at its institutions beginning with the fall semester.

In addition to requiring proof of COVID vaccination or an approved exemption for all students and employees, FSU continues to follow public health guidance and implement common-sense precautions: masking indoors; maintaining social distancing; requiring everyone to use a check-in portal daily to monitor for symptoms of COVID; refraining from large-scale indoor events; and requiring weekly testing for employees and students with approved vaccine exemptions.

“We haven’t forgotten that we are still in a pandemic, and we are aware of the conditions in the county and region,” said Liz Medcalf, Interim Assistant Vice President of Marketing & Communications for FSU.  “But the high level of vaccinated individuals [on campus] makes it all so much more manageable and allows us to provide a more traditional experience to our students.” 

FSU’s weekly COVID testing statistics can be found online at frostburg.edu/COVID19/testing-dashboard.php. 

Appointments are now available for Moderna booster vaccines at the Allegany County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, November 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Eligibility requirements and the registration link can be found on the Allegany County Health Department website at health.maryland.gov/allegany.  Individuals interested in obtaining a Pfizer vaccine or COVID drive-thru testing can find that information at the health department’s website, as well.

Allegany County COVID-19 Case and Vaccination Statistics as of October 28: