CSU President Harlan Sands Tests Positive for Covid-19, Says Vaccine Likely Prevented Serious Symptoms

Cleveland State University President Harlan Sands has tested positive for Covid-19.

In a letter to the campus community, Sands announced his positive test and said that he would be isolating at his home for near future. He said his early symptoms have been body aches, chills, light fever and fatigue.

"I do not know how I contracted it," he wrote, "but I am thankful that my recovery can be managed at home and that I was fully vaccinated, which likely prevented more serious symptoms."

Sands' positive test arrives shortly after CSU announced that it would not mandate Covid-19 vaccines for students, opting instead for continued safety protocols like indoor masking, random testing, and incentives to encourage vaccinations. 

Sands reiterated that encouragement in his letter Thursday.

"I speak now from personal experience: this is not fun," he wrote. "A Covid vaccine is the least we all can do to get through this pandemic with as few deaths and serious long term effects as possible."

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