Some students living in quarantined Greek houses at University of Wisconsin-Madison say they are considering purposely contracting COVID-19, according to WKOW 27.
A Sept. 4 order from the local public health department required nine Greek houses to quarantine. People who don't have COVID-19 but are living with someone who tests positive have to quarantine for an additional 14 days after the person with COVID-19 leaves isolation.
Jenna Just is a sophomore living in a sorority that has been quarantining for two weeks so far. Ms. Just has continually tested negative for the virus but doesn't know when her quarantine will end because it resets each time someone in her house tests positive. She said the uncertainty is frustrating.
"When we found out about it, my roommates and I were like, 'Should we all purposely get COVID?'" Ms. Just told WKOW 27. "I don't want to get it, but I was actually considering this as an option, which is insane to me."
Ms. Just said the quarantine has affected her and her roommates' mental health and that she would consider moving back home if the quarantine is extended again.
"Everyone is kind of losing their minds," she said. "We can't go to work. We can't go on walks or runs. Not being able to use the healthy coping mechanisms that we're told constantly to take advantage of has been really difficult."