SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927•WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM•JANUARY19,2022 | VOLUME107 | ISSUE15
DS4EVER REVIEW
OMICRON VARIANT
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SOUTHERN MISS BASKETBALL PG 8
Southern Miss students enter new school year among threat of omicron variant KYRA LAMPLEY PRINTZ EXECUTIVE EDITOR
W
ith the rise of the
COVID-19 from Jan. 2 through Jan.
omicron variant of
15 after only reporting 90 total pos-
COVID-19, it’s become
itive cases throughout the entire fall
clear that Southern Miss’
semester.
faculty and students will have to face a fifth semester of the virus. COVID-19 has impacted in-person learning since 2020, the start of the pandemic. Students were sent home
Dr. Jeffrey Williams, the assistant director and physician at Moffitt, said that a rise of cases is inevitable with students returning to campus. “We definitely expect an increase
for the remainder of the Spring 2020
in cases [and already are]. Fortunately,
semester—having to complete all their
most cases have been mild,” Williams
classes completely online.
said.
This was a difficult time for the
This surge of COVID-19 is attribut-
Golden Eagles, but they nevertheless
ed to omicron being the most con-
persevered to a return to some nor-
tagious variant yet but as with other
malcy last semester.
waves of the virus, there is a peak and
The fall 2021 semester was an adjustment as students learned how to
then a decline. “Omicron is the most contagious
navigate the world of in-person classes
variant that we’ve had so far in the
again. Campus events were limited in
pandemic, thus I think we will definite-
attendance and mask mandates were
ly see an increase in case numbers the
enforced in all campus buildings.
first two weeks of the spring semester,”
And now, the spring 2022 semester
Dr. Melissa Roberts, Executive Director
is filled with anxiety as the first day of
at MHC said. “The good news is that
classes approaches.
once the omicron surge peaks, the
Like the rest of America, COVID-19
case numbers will decrease rapidly.
cases have drastically increased in Mis-
Current models suggest Omicron will
sissippi since the holiday break and
peak in Mississippi by the first week of
are steadily rising as the days pass by.
February.”
According to the Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH), there were 22,456 new cases of COVID-19 in the state reported just from Jan. 14 through Jan. 17. The Moffitt Health Center (MHC) reported 181 positive tests of
These numbers pose a threat to the start of the spring semester, continuing the importance of the university’s COVID-19 guidelines.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
The Lucas Administration Building pictured during the fall semester.
Charlie Luttrell | Printz