A fraternity at Iowa State University said it finished the entire fall semester without a single case of COVID-19.Beta Sigma Psi’s 44 members moved into their fraternity house in August. Fraternity member Alex Retallick said drastic changes to how the fraternity lives, eats and socializes have kept Beta Sigma Psi members healthy and safe.“We know that there are some people in our chapter facility that are more immune compromised and could not handle the virus as well,” Retallick said. “So, we wanted to make sure that we protected them, and we were all in it together as a group.”Retallick said he made getting the house COVID-19 ready his full-time job over the summer. Beta Sigma Psi is fitted with fresh air filters, hand sanitizing stations and automatic faucets. Fraternity members refrain from congregating, wear masks in common areas and abide by a strict visitor policy.“I created a QR code at the front entrance of our building,” Retallick said. “So, if a guest does come, they fill out this form so, in case we were to have a positive case, we were able to do that contact tracing on our own.”Retallick said the greatest challenge throughout the semester was ensuring his fraternity brothers understood that the COVID-19 precautions were for a greater good.In the end, he believes Beta Sigma Psi’s commitment to COVID-19 mitigation measures brought them closer together.“I think we have been really sticking together as a whole,” Retallick said. “Our brotherhood has gotten a lot stronger.”Beta Sigma Psi said its COVID-19 measures were also intended to keep the fraternity’s house mother safe because she is considered at high-risk for COVID-19.
AMES, Iowa —
A fraternity at Iowa State University said it finished the entire fall semester without a single case of COVID-19.
Beta Sigma Psi’s 44 members moved into their fraternity house in August.
Fraternity member Alex Retallick said drastic changes to how the fraternity lives, eats and socializes have kept Beta Sigma Psi members healthy and safe.
“We know that there are some people in our chapter facility that are more immune compromised and could not handle the virus as well,” Retallick said. “So, we wanted to make sure that we protected them, and we were all in it together as a group.”
Retallick said he made getting the house COVID-19 ready his full-time job over the summer.
Beta Sigma Psi is fitted with fresh air filters, hand sanitizing stations and automatic faucets.
Fraternity members refrain from congregating, wear masks in common areas and abide by a strict visitor policy.
“I created a QR code at the front entrance of our building,” Retallick said. “So, if a guest does come, they fill out this form so, in case we were to have a positive case, we were able to do that contact tracing on our own.”
Retallick said the greatest challenge throughout the semester was ensuring his fraternity brothers understood that the COVID-19 precautions were for a greater good.
In the end, he believes Beta Sigma Psi’s commitment to COVID-19 mitigation measures brought them closer together.
“I think we have been really sticking together as a whole,” Retallick said. “Our brotherhood has gotten a lot stronger.”
Beta Sigma Psi said its COVID-19 measures were also intended to keep the fraternity’s house mother safe because she is considered at high-risk for COVID-19.
