As the infection rate for Covid-19 shows little signal of slowing down in the US, different experts have pointed to different reasons.
However, all experts agree that a recent pool party in Columbia, South Carolina is one of the reasons why the pandemic continues to spread.
On Saturday, some 200 partygoers gathered at a pool in South Carolina. The pool was near the University of South Carolina, and as one can see from the picture above, none of the social distancing measures were being kept.
District Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said that he personally drove over to the pool after residents filed a complaint that there was a mass gathering in which social distancing measures were not being kept. By 6pm, hundreds were partying, drinking and dancing by the pool.
Jenkins likened the sight to Mardi Gras, saying that that people were quite literally everywhere when he checked out the scene. After a conversation with the manager and security guard of the pool, authorities decided to shut down the pool until next week, and hopefully for more.
The news is especially shocking and concerning because the residence is home to many University of SC students. Since the semester began on August 20th, 620 students from USC have tested positive for Covid-19, stemming from at least six different sorority houses.
Although members of the 6 different sororities have been self-quarantining, it is difficult to confirm or check that everyone who was partying was safe from the virus. Moreover, the fact that students had such a gathering during theses times will not be thought of kindly.
Jenkins, the aforementioned chief, said that the number of people who had congregated for the party would have been considered too big even without the pandemic, let alone a situation in which a whole campus is on full alert.
Jenkins said that one of the most disturbing and troubling moments for him was when one of the students who were present said that he was not at risk because he is somehow immune to the virus.
In an interview with the local news, Jenkins said that even in a situation in which only one person was carrying the virus, the density likely would have spread the virus to everyone present.
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