Hunter
08/21/20
The University of Iowa is apologizing to a new student who contracted COVID-19 and said she was treated “horribly” by her superiors.
The student, a freshman living in Daum Residence Hall, shared her experience on social media. She said it took over two hours to arrange a test after having two days of symptoms. She then had to walk across campus to the UIHC to get the test, and after receiving a positive result, was told to cart her belongings to Currier Hall, where she was to be isolated.
She described the isolation room as dirty and disgusting, causing a panic attack that required paramedic attention.
The woman said she was told not to share her experiences, and alleged that the people she had been in contact with still hadn’t been quaranteed or tested.
The woman took her story to the media. The Iowa City Press-Citizen identifies the woman as 18-year-old Ann Gaughan of Park Ridge, Illinois. KCJJ received a copy of the social media post but it came from a source that wished to remain anonymous.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Senior Director of University Housing and Dining, Von Stange, sent a message to students about the incident Thursday. It said, “The experience described does not meet the expectations of the university, Housing and Dining, and most importantly you, the students. For that, I am deeply sorry. Our team has reached out directly to the student who shared the post to get more details about their experience.”
If diagnosed, students and employees are required to isolate for 10 days and until they have improved symptoms and have been fever-free for 24 hours without medicine. They also must cooperate with contact-tracing efforts. However, spokesperson Jeneane Beck told the Gazette that they cannot require anyone to self-report a medical condition.
The student’s post can be seen at https://imgur.com/E7JNYPS