What recent trend did Notre Dame experience shortly after reopening?

The choice indicating a spike in COVID-19 cases shortly after Notre Dame reopened reflects a common trend observed in many institutions and communities during the pandemic. When campuses reopen, particularly with a return to in-person classes, there can be an increase in cases due to several factors.

Gathering large groups of students together can facilitate the spread of the virus, especially if proper safety protocols such as mask-wearing and social distancing are not adhered to. The reopening also typically involves students returning from various locations, potentially bringing different variants of the virus with them. Therefore, it is plausible that Notre Dame saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases shortly after reopening, paralleling experiences at other universities that faced similar situations during the pandemic.

The other options do not accurately capture the general tendency observed in educational institutions during their reopening phases in the context of the pandemic.