TCU sees big turnaround in its fight against COVID-19

Students and staff have seen others wearing masks on campus more frequently.

FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU has seen a dramatic outcome, and not just the football team’s big win over the University of Texas Longhorns.

The university also scored a significant turnaround in its fight against COVID-19. As of Thursday, TCU reports 14 active cases campuswide, a number that had been in the hundreds.

“I do think students are wearing their masks, trying to social distance themselves. They’re not partying as much as like during the first couple weeks of school,” graduate student Karen Winters said.

Winters and her group of friends have made socially distanced campus meet-ups a regular thing.

The university has reinforced its new standards, reconfiguring an area on campus known as “The Commons,” complete with outdoor seating and activities that encourage socializing safely.

Students and staff are seen more frequently wearing masks on campus.

“I think, inside the buildings, most people are following the rules and keeping their masks on and staying the recommended distance away from each other. I think that’s very helpful,” sophomore William Burnett said.

TCU released a statement regarding its ongoing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19: “Through proactive testing, contact tracing and providing student support as well as monitoring multiple aspects affecting the health of our community … we are pleased with the results of our response plan to date.”

“That’s brought their numbers down, put their football team back on the field,” Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said. “Regardless of how good the numbers get, we’ve got to stay focused if we’re going to keep this under control and move through it.”

Some, like Jackson Roye, believe other factors are at play.

“Because I think there’s not as many students here and I think they have achieved that by consequences,” Roye said.