Around the state, COVID-19 numbers have been on the rise as the nation experiences the predicted autumn second wave. Ames is no exception.

This week, Iowa State reported the 13th week of classes saw 324 new COVID-19 cases, marking the second consecutive week of 300+ cases on campus. 

Iowa State’s cases remained low for a few weeks but jumped up after Gov. Kim Reynolds reopened Story County bars. The weekends since have seen students flocking to these bars.

In response to rising numbers around the state, Reynolds issued a proclamation that includes a mask mandate and dining restrictions on bars and restaurants, mandating them to close at 10 p.m., putting a damper on students’ weekend outings.

Erin Baldwin, associate vice president for student health and wellness and director of Thielen Student Health Center, said low numbers of faculty members testing positive point to minimal transmission rates in the classroom.

So far, there are no clusters or hotspots on campus or in classrooms, and most of the spread has been limited to off-campus interactions.

“A lot of the trends that we’re seeing is that spread is linked to social activities where mitigation strategies aren’t followed,” Baldwin said. “So situations where people weren’t wearing masks or weren’t physical distancing.”

Popular Ames bars have been busy, with minimal social distancing and no mask enforcement, according to one student, despite local and county ordinances and recommendations from public health officials.

Baldwin also said she has been seeing a rise in the number of symptomatic cases. Previously, most cases of students with COVID-19 have been asymptomatic.

“We’re definitely seeing a higher number of cases than we did at the beginning of the semester that are symptomatic, so I think it was — the last time we pulled the numbers, around 50 percent of cases were showing that they were symptomatic,” Baldwin said.

Public Health Coordinator Kristen Obbink said this rise in symptomatic cases also has to do with the fact that those with symptoms are more likely to get tested, but despite that, there has still been a measurable rise overall in symptomatic cases.

While across Iowa, testing shortfalls and delays have been reported, Baldwin said Iowa State is still doing well when it comes to testing capacity.

“We’re watching that on a daily basis,” Baldwin said. “[Testing capacity] has not been a concern. And we really want to encourage people that are feeling symptomatic, or known that they’ve been in contact with someone who tested positive, to come in and get tested.”

One issue Baldwin said she has been seeing a pattern of is some students’ lack of communication with case workers.

“We’re seeing more challenges with people not calling back case investigators and contact tracers when they reach out,” Baldwin said. “We want to make sure that first of all, they have the support they need, and second of all, of course, we want to make sure that if they’ve had any close contact, that we identify those folks and get them supported as well. … We really need people to answer their phone in a timely manner, watch their email and then follow up with our folks from the public health team when they get contacted.”  

Baldwin also said she has seen proof on campus that mitigation strategies work, and she would encourage students to continue those practices while off campus.

“We continue to see no evidence of transmission in the classroom,” Baldwin said. “So really, what that drives home for us is, if we do these Cyclones Care mitigation strategies — which we’re all tired of hearing about all the time — but we know that if we do them, they work. You know, we’re seeing really great evidence that they work.”

Iowa State will be conducting testing for students regardless of whether or not they have symptoms this week prior to students leaving for Winter Break.

Testing will take place at Johnny’s at Hilton Coliseum, and availability is still open. 

“If students want to get tested before they go home, we would encourage them to schedule online and go ahead and get a test scheduled, so they have that before they leave Ames,” Baldwin said. 

Students interested in getting tested can sign up online at the COVID-19 testing website.