Pandemic-weary college students head home for the holidays. Is Washington ready?

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays,

‘Cause no matter how far away you roam.

If you want to be a happy in a million ways,

For the holidays, you can’t beat home sweet home.

— Robert Allen/Al Stillman (1954)

Most students away at college can identify with the sentiment of these lyrics like never before, having lived several weeks under pandemic conditions on hollowed-out campuses. The lure of the bed, the dog, free laundry service, a home-cooked feast and family traditions simply can’t be beat.

Sadly, public health experts and Washington college officials advise students against going home for this week’s Thanksgiving holiday — at least not without a negative COVID-19 test. And that assumes a student has access to a test.

The extra caution is warranted at a time when coronavirus infections continue their staggering late-year surge, with asymptomatic young people carrying it unwittingly.

But this latest social disruption underscores America’s great shame: The lack of a cohesive testing strategy has cost us far too many months and too many holidays, bringing isolation to old and young alike.

The University of Washington, unable to keep up with testing demand, is now strongly discouraging “non-essential” Thanksgiving and Christmas travel in line with Gov. Jay Inslee’s recent travel advisory and other restrictions.

The University of Puget Sound in Tacoma likewise warns against “nonessential personal travel.” COVID-19 tests are available, a UPS spokesperson said, but added that a negative result is a fleeting snapshot and doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to go home.

While most UPS students are studying remotely this semester, around 300 are living on campus, and residence halls will remain open during the holidays.

Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland is also ready for students to hunker down for the long weekend; PLU residence halls are open and Lutes can pick up Thanksgiving dinner in the dining hall.

When it comes to virus protection, the first duty obviously lies with students. If they’re mature enough to attend college, they should know to wear masks, keep a small social bubble and get tested.

A parent’s fantasy world, however, seldom matches a student’s reality. Not long after colleges reopened this fall, 19 of America’s 25 worst outbreaks were centered in college towns. Fraternity and sorority houses have been a persistent source of infections at the UW.

Higher education leaders have responded by pressing students to meet testing guidelines. PLU uses a mixed approach: strongly encouraging students to get tested before they go home for the holidays, and requiring them to get tested or quarantine when they return.

In our view, that sends a puzzling message. Student testing is not just about protecting the collegiate community; it’s about protecting families with elderly, sick or other vulnerable members. Consider the no-nonsense stance at the University of Notre Dame: It won’t let students obtain transcripts or register for classes next term if they fail to get exit tested before the holidays.

But no amount of education or coercion will prove effective if COVID-19 tests aren’t readily available.

Smaller private schools have a decided advantage. PLU, for instance, had plenty of capacity for surveillance testing this year and has lined up more than 18,000 test kits for next spring, said spokesperson Lace Smith.

For large, state schools, volume can be a problem. The UW had the right idea by expanding its Husky Coronavirus Testing program ahead of the holidays. The program is normally limited to enrollees who agree to clinical protocols, complete a daily survey and get tested if potentially exposed. UW officials temporarily opened it to anyone on the Seattle, Tacoma and Bothell campuses wanting peace of mind before heading home.

Last Friday, however, the expansion was suspended due to “a large upsurge in testing for people enrolled in the program,” said John Burkhardt, UW Tacoma spokesperson.

UWT, which is largely a commuter campus, doesn’t have the same challenges as the Seattle campus; most UWT students live independently or at home. Testing is available for the 100 students living in Court 17, the school’s only residence hall, as well as the limited number of UWT students and faculty doing in-person classes, Burkhardt said.

Pierce County’s mobile testing units are another valuable resource; they’re scheduled for their third visit to UWT on Dec. 5.

It’s critical that Washington public health officials expand such efforts in the next month, and that education institutions leave no stone unturned providing access to tests.

Perhaps college students will be OK staying put for a long Thanksgiving weekend and eating turkey in their dorm rooms. But there’s no question where thousands are headed for the long December-January holiday break:

Home sweet home. Ready or not, here they come.

This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 12:00 PM.