COVID-19 uptick threatens to spoil safe semester at area community colleges

Joe Curley
Ventura County Star

Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges have combined to report 23 coronavirus cases this semester, although at least 40% of that figure has come since Halloween, when Ventura College student-athletes attended at least two parties in Oxnard.

Ventura College reported 13 cases so far this semester, all students, including nine new cases this month.

Six new cases this week included three health science students who may have been exposed during clinical rotations, one health science student who may have been exposed by a family member and two student-athletes who may have been exposed by teammates off campus, according to the administration.

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“We had some students who attended parties and other things,” said Ventura College President Kim Hoffmans.

Administrators at Ventura County Community College District fear a potential coronavirus spike during the holiday season threatens what has been a relatively safe fall semester for district schools

“We’ve been sending out our communication to students,” Hoffmans said. “Please stay home, stay safe and socially distance.”

The vast majority of classes have moved online. Those that require on-site instruction, like those in health, public safety and specialized career and technical education, have been subject to “strict protocols.”

A similar "off-campus gathering" was linked to at least nine of the 25 positive cases reported at Cal Lutheran University this week.

Sandy Lomeli-Harrison with the County of Ventura helps Thursday at the coronavirus drive-thru testing in Santa Paula, one of three offered by the county.

At the Ventura County Community College District, the estimated 200 to 500 students and employees who are on each of the three campuses daily are subject to a prescreening app, temperature checks and, in the event of a positive test, contact tracing and quarantine.

“We’ve got processes in place to try to protect everybody,” Hoffmans said.

The six Ventura College student-athletes who have tested positive have come from basketball, cross-country, football and volleyball teams.

When it was discovered that student-athletes had attended Halloween parties, the school immediately paused the conditioning classes associated with those teams, according to Ventura College athletic director Jimmy Walker.

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"We're taking this seriously," Walker said.

In fact, Ventura College currently has 34 students and four employees quarantining as a result of the recent positive cases.

“Every time we hear about a positive, we isolate that pod,” Hoffmans said.

As a result, there has yet to be an on-campus transmission this semester, according to district administration.

“We’ve not had any transmission that I’m aware of occurring as a result of exposure at the colleges,” VCCCD Chancellor Greg Gillespie said.

Moorpark College reported eight positive cases to date during the fall semester, seven of whom were students.

The wrestling team was quarantined for 14 days due to one student-athlete testing positive. A volleyball player was isolated for 10 days following a positive test, although contract tracing showed the class was not exposed.

“These cases reiterated the fact for us to constantly emphasize face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand washing while on and off campus,” Moorpark athletic director Vance Manakas said.

Oxnard College reported two positive cases, one student and one employee. The student was in an anatomy class, which included a lab. As a result, the school moved two classes online for 14 days.

Oxnard has yet to have an exposure related to athletics.

“So far so good,” said Oxnard College athletic director Jonas Crawford.

Earlier this month, the California Community College Athletic Association’s Board of Directors voted to continue to move forward with a plan to play 17 intercollegiate sports in the spring.

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Eight sports, including football, basketball and soccer, are scheduled to begin practicing on Jan. 18.

Teams have spent the fall conditioning in staggered pods of a maximum 10 athletes. They were only able to use equipment when Ventura County was in the red tier – the second worst of the state’s four color-coded COVID-19 restrictions.

With the county falling back into the purple tier this month, administrators have been reminding student-athletes that their behavior over the holidays could affect whether or not schools will be able to hold sporting events after the New Year.

“I know the coaches have been drilling it into the students,” said Hoffmans, who also serves on the athletic association's board.

“If we continue in the purple tier, it’s going to affect whether we’re able to move forward with competition in the spring. Even moving forward, it’s going to be with a reduced schedule.”

Joe Curley is a staff reporter for the Star. He can be reached atjoe.curley@vcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @vcsjoecurley.