Notre Dame now is at 222 COVID-19 cases since students returned to campus, including 73 reported Wednesday. This comes a day after the university implemented online learning for the next two weeks. During that time, we should see if that and the threat of possible disciplinary action make a difference.
The uncertainty of it all has left students split on what the outcome of this will be. A report by WSBT-TV highlights this. Views vary from nothing getting better to students using this time as an incentive to avoid going home. It’s a perfect metaphor for COVID-19 itself.
Whether or not the university can discipline the students, even if it really wanted to, is debatable because of the ever-changing environment. The Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president, was right not to promise harsh consequences for behavior that allows COVID-19 to thrive. With so little information about this virus available, there are no definitive rules for avoiding it, so containment by way of mask-wearing and social distancing is the way to go. Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for students to do both of those things.