- In a story that shows that truth is often stranger than fiction, college students in Alabama have been throwing coronavirus parties where the goal is to see who will first become infected with the virus.
- City officials in Tuscaloosa, Alabama confirmed the existence of these parties earlier in the week.
- The number of coronavirus cases in Alabama has been increasing steadily since early June.
Groups of college students in Alabama have been throwing coronavirus parties and betting on who will test positive for COVID-19 first. Admittedly, the story sounds outrageous and would easily be dismissed as “false news”, but due to the fact that several Tuscaloosa city officials have confirmed it.
As detailed in an amazing report from ABC News, the students in Tuscaloosa organized parties where the assistants put money in a pot. The bottle was subsequently designated for any student who tested positive for the coronavirus first. Additionally, the report details that students who were already COVID-19 positive were invited to increase the likelihood that partygoers would contract the virus.
“We thought it was a rumor at first,” Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Randy Smith explained while appearing at a city council meeting earlier this week. “We do a little research. The doctors’ offices not only confirm this, but the state confirmed that they also had the same information. “
You can try to understand this story as many times as you want and it still doesn’t make any sense. Although college-age students are unlikely to experience severe coronavirus symptoms, even asymptomatic carriers can transmit the virus to others. In other words, a student who intentionally tries to contract the coronavirus is putting her parents and much of her social group at risk of infection. The whole story seems incredible, but once again, college students looking to party are not exactly known for their good ideas.
While it is unclear what university the students in question attend, the University of Alabama, which is located in Tuscaloosa, issued a statement on the matter yesterday.
“The University of Alabama is unshakable in its commitment to the safety and well-being of our community,” the school said in a statement. “We have established strict rules for activities on campus and will strictly enforce them. We will continue to follow up on any information we receive and educate our students about essential precautions. ”
By The New York Times, the number of coronavirus cases in Alabama has been increasing steadily across the state in most counties. After a noticeable decline in late May and early June, the number of new coronavirus cases began to skyrocket in mid-June. On June 29, Alabama reported 1,734 new cases, a number that nearly tripled the state daily average for the month of May.
Longtime Mac user and Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry in general for over 6 years. Her writing has appeared on Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and more recently, TUAW. When not writing and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni likes to watch improv shows in Chicago, play soccer, and cultivate new addictions to television shows, the most recent examples being The Walking Dead and Broad City.
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