The small towns across America that are home to colleges and which enjoy the economic benefits of having those institutions as neighbors are now learning that those schools are also the causes of coronavirus outbreaks in their communities, the Associated Press reports.

Since September 1st, of the 50 largest counties with the highest percentage of student residents, 20 have seen infection rates three times higher than the respective state averages.  For example:  Harrisonburg, Virginia, the home of James Madison University, reported a weekly infection rate of 90 cases per 100,000 residents, eight times higher than the state average.

Ten counties with the highest student population infection rates reported more than 15,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in a study by the AP, although the count is certainly low given the variation of testing requirements among the states.  Those counties include University of Georgia, Florida State and Indiana University in Bloomington, as well as Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Much of the spread of the virus is accountable to parties that violate school safety policies, but additional spread is due to interaction outside of campus with businesses and other community members.

“More stringent and mandatory restrictions will be imposed if students do not comply and break the transmission cycle,” Jeffrey Zayach, executive director of Boulder County Public Health, warned in a letter to students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where 76% of the county’s cases came from students and staff on campus.

In Muncy, Indiana, Ball State junior Caleb Henry said that he and other students have been frequenting local bars and meeting at friends’ houses but that he and most others are behaving responsibly, with masks and social distancing. He said students are being vilified unfairly.

“Everyone seems to be getting upset at college kids right now, accusing us of spreading the virus and making us out to be these highly infectious creatures that need to be sent home,” Henry told the AP. “What about all the other people around town going to bars … having parties, weddings, whatever? We’re only doing the same things they are.”